Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Mac Jones (Present) Darnell Wright, Zay Flowers (Future) Prototypical Pats?

Episode Date: April 15, 2023

When it comes to Draft prospects, the New England Patriots have a particular set of skills in mind. Though some of the current crop of Pats fit the prototype, the team is undoubtedly in search of potential rookies who would fit well in New England. Host Mike D’Abate makes the continuing case for quarterback Mac Jones, before welcoming Patriots beat reporter Khari Thompson to detail the prototypical Patriots prospects in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-patriots-daily-podcast-on-the-new-england/id1140512627Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFmwg3WbfxAU3tR5Ve?si=k196wH-yRqifUcQQz8SjIQStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-patriotsAnd follow host Mike D’Abate on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans.Twitter: @mdabateNFLSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit BetterHelp.com/lockedon today to get 10% off your first month.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Ultimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG(CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat(CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

prototypical patriots are not a thing of the past it's a part of the present and the future stick around you're about to be locked into the locked on patriots podcast you are locked on patriots your daily new england patriots podcast part of the locked on podcast network your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Thank you once again for making Lockdown Patriots a daily part of your new england patriots coverage subscribe or follow for free on youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts to get the latest episode as soon as it's available i'm

your host mike debate and i cover your new england patriots for patriots country of sports illustrated so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on Twitter at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some love to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well, LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by Ultimate Football GM. If you've ever dreamed of becoming an NFL GM and managing your football franchise, this game is definitely for you.

To download the game, just visit ultimate-gm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo code LOCKEDON in all caps. Pats fans, once again, thank you for closing out the week in style here on Locked On Patriots. And today on the pod we're going to be talking prototypical patriots and that means the type of player that can thrive here in new england playing under bill belichick playing under gerard mayo playing under bill o'brien and while it's fun to talk about the veterans we're going to talk about it one just a

moment in the vein of the draft which is now less than two weeks away. Can't even believe it's coming that quickly, folks. We are talking Pats prototypes, and we're going to do so with the paleontologist of Pats Nation. Yeah, folks, that's all the Dr. Ian Malcolm references that I dropped yesterday. My good friend, Kyrie Thompson, who you know from weei boston.com and NBC Sports Boston and so much more he's here with me today to break it all down so stick around you are not going to want to miss this but first if we're talking prototypical Patriots we happen to have a pretty good one under center folks I know this is going to elicit a little bit of a reaction from the fan base, either positively or negatively, but hear me out because as several fans and analysts throughout the region

continue to question this man's status with the New England Patriots, quarterback Mac Jones clearly focused on moving forward in 2023, sounding an awful lot like a prototypical Patriot. The first phase of offseason workouts, don't forget, folks, is scheduled to begin this Monday at Gillette Stadium. And Mac sounds like he's ready to get to work. During a Wednesday appearance at the Boys and Girls Club of Brockton, Mac had a few things to say about the upcoming season, and it came out in the form of a report from WBZ today on Friday.

His words don't sound like a guy ready to leave town, folks. If anything, just the opposite. Here's exactly what Mac had to say. And he said, we're all excited for this next year. And it starts with putting your head down, going to work. We've got a great group of guys, and it's all about how you come together as a team, players, coaches, everybody. He gave those comments to Steve Burton of WBZ.

Now, earlier this week, we talked about how Mack had been joined by Bailey Zappi, Mike Gusecki, Taequann Thornton, Devontae Parker, and others at the South Walpole Community Athletic Complex doing some off-season informal throwing sessions. Now, those collaborative efforts really helped to change the team's central narrative from one of controversy to camaraderie. And if you don't want to take my word for it, go out there on social media, take a look at some of the clips out there.

Tyquan Thornton had a really good one on his Instagram. These guys are wearing costumes. They're having fun with it, but they understand the work has to be put in. And to me, when you hear Mac talk about getting together, coming together and putting the work in, it really just continues to be indicative of his commitment to improving for the upcoming season. We know he's got improvements to make,

but I believe he has the resolve and the talent level to be able to do them. He's been described as a daily presence by guys like Mike Reese of ESPN, always at the facility, working hard, using team facilities to train, using the field house to make throws. He's also enlisted the help of former NFL quarterback Nick Shimanek, as we've talked about several times here previously on the pod. He's improving his mental, his physical preparation regimen. These are all things that a leader does on the pod, he's improving his mental, his physical preparation regimen. These are all things that a leader does on the field. When you have to lead by example, when you have to lead by circumstance, these are the types of assets and the type of skill set and really the type of background that you need. And Mac Jones is developing that more

each and every day by doing what he's doing. And we all know about the problems that he had last year on the field, folks. This is nothing new. Had a pretty good regular season, rookie season, I should say. And since that time, there's been a regression. And there's no way that anybody can deny that. The high ankle sprain set him back a little bit, but definitely was not the primary cause of it. That was a lack of comfort under matt patricia under joe judge and that has to change this year and he's got to be able to build on that if he's going to be the leader of this team we have to see growth he cannot finish in the bottom 10 of nfl quarterbacks in terms of completion percentage positive plays when pressured that's simply not going to fly anymore

we need better than the 288 passes 2997 yards 14 touchdowns as opposed to 11 interceptions hiring bill o'brien is definitely going to help some of it folks no question and you can hear it in max voice when he talks about bill o'brien it rejuvenated his resolve. And he even told Steve Burton that their working together could lead to big things on the field. Again, this is a quote directly from Mac. I'm excited to work with Bill O'Brien. I know we all are. It's going to be a great year.

We've just got to put the work in. And that's exactly what the Patriots are doing. And he is going to be able to succeed with the type of offense that Bill O'Brien is capable of running lead your receivers under the defense release the ball quickly deliver it accurately give your playmakers the space they need not just to secure the catch but also to get yards after the catch that puts points on the board it keeps the quarterback ahead of the blitz but most importantly it keeps him out of duress those are three things the patriots did not do last year if mac can help the patriots increase any

of those or better yet all three of them then he's going to go a long way toward becoming a prototypical patriot so i think there definitely is an argument there but he's doing a lot of other things a lot of other traits that he's developing that make him an honorary New Englander. And I wouldn't be doing my job unless I mentioned that Mac was making these comments while a guest of the Boys and Girls Club of America in Brockton. He continuously puts down roots in order to keep himself grounded, and he does so through the community. The Boys and Girls Club is something that is definitely near and dear to his heart. As a matter of fact, both he and his girlfriend, Sophie Scott, they were named honorary members of the Boys and Girls Club of Metro South on Wednesday

in honor of their third visit to the area locations throughout the state of Massachusetts. Don't forget, last March, Mack made his first appearance at the Boys and Girls Club from Brockton, gave gifts, footballs, a check for $100,000 to help further the organization's efforts to aid the area's youth. He also visited the Gerald and Darlene Jordan Club in Chelsea back in November. He announced that he was choosing the organization as his dedication for the NFL's My Claws, My Cleats. And he did. He wore a real snazzy pair of cleats. Those were auctioned off for charity and

they did go to the boys and girls club of america and again this continues to be a real uh near and dear cause to mac jones's heart and he said so when he talked to steve burton and said you know obviously a day like today takes your mind off of football and you get to enjoy the kids i look at role models that i had and hopefully I can be that for some people here today. I'm sure some people were here last year. You get to see them grow a little bit. It's just cool to see kids turning into young adults. So I'm excited to see the kids and just to tell them to have fun and enjoy everything and focus on school and doing the right things and everything will work out. And it sounds an awful lot like a Patriot in that regard, folks,

but the hard work in, things will work. That's kind of a Patriots mantra that we see throughout this region. And Mac seems to be settling in, and visits like that will continue to be heartwarming, not just for Mac, but also for all of us fans. I think even the most staunch critic of Mac, will advise or at least stipulate that seeing something like this and seeing him do the great work in the community is something that he deserves a lot of credit for,

and rightfully so. But Mack also did not end that media session without letting everyone know that there is still work to be done. In spite of the effort he's already exhibited, the most strenuous toils are about to begin and he said that he says i've definitely been giving it a lot just like every year just super excited to get back with the guys here soon and get to work that sounds a lot like a

prototypical patriot to me but who are the patriots prototypes of the future well patriots beat writer kairi thompson will join me here in just a moment to discuss the draft prospects he believes will be a great fit in Foxborough. Kyrie Thompson joins me when this episode of the Locked on Patriots podcast continues. But first, folks, today's episode is brought to you by our good friends over at Ultimate Football GM. And if you've heard me talk about this mobile app and you feel that you can make a good GM, you've got to give this game a try. It's not as easy as you might think to create a dynasty, but it's a whole lot of fun when you play Ultimate Football GM. You're controlling, you're managing every strategic aspect of your team as you play through the

seasons and lead your team to glory by trying to build a historic dynasty just like your New England Patriots. You're hiring the coaches, you're managing the finances, you're navigating your franchise through free agency, through the draft, injuries, player issues, all the ups and downs of a season, and it's all in a challenging and realistic game world. And Ultimate Football GM is completely free. It's playable offline, and you can play on the go as you want when you want to. And Locked On Patriots listeners, listen up, because you get a free 100% boost to your franchise when you get the promo code LOCKEDON, in all caps, in the game store.

That's LOCKEDON, L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N, in the game store, in all caps. Utilize it, and you will be able to get your 100% free boost. Make sure to check it out today. To download the game, just visit ultimate-gm.com or look it up on the app stores. That's ultimate-gm.com. Ultimate Football GM, start your dynasty today. today patriots fans thank you so much for making locked on patriots a daily part of your new england patriots coverage and please take a moment over the weekend to sign up for the locked on nfl draft buzz newsletter you can find it at locked on podcast.com slash newsletters to sign up for your free NFL Draft newsletter. And each week you'll get a top story from NFL Draft expert Luke Inman, a top five ranking,

the links to great draft content across the Locked On Podcast Network. That's the Locked On NFL Draft Buzz newsletter. Find it at LockedOnPodcast.com slash newsletters. Don't delay. Do it today. The on nfl draft buzz newsletter today on the pod is someone that i am very glad very excited and long overdue to welcome back here to the pod you know his great work from weei nbc sports boston boston.com you name it this man has done it and has done it with a glass and style all his own

on the Patriots beat. He is currently a producer for WBUR and Radio Boston. It is my honor and privilege to welcome back the Dr. Ian Malcolm of the New England Patriots beat, my good friend, Kyrie Thompson. Kyrie, welcome back to the pod. It is great to be back, man. Okay, look, I just want to say I used some Ian Malcolm quotes in a couple of my columns back in the day for WEEI. So I'm really glad you used that one.

I consider myself a bit of a chaotician. I love it. I absolutely love it. I did tease a couple of Dr. Ian Malcolm tidbits yesterday here on the pod when we did Throwback Thursday, and I was all in the feels of doing, you know, the Belichickian DeLorean, the Back to the Future thing. I did drop some hints, and believe it or not, I actually did have some people DM me and guess that you would be our guest today here on Lockdown Patriots. And bottom line, bottom line, it is my honor, my privilege to welcome you back, my friend. And, you know, it's always one of our favorite times of the year, obviously,

for those of us that live and breathe the NFL. The NFL draft is nothing but amazing content. You always, always look for the top-of-the-line prospects, the blue shippers. You want to see if they're going to round into form. But it's more than that. There's also the ability of some diamonds in the rough to emerge. And we've seen the Patriots go either way on this. So, Kyrie, let's start off on the defensive side of the ball because defense wins championships.

I know you're as locked in as anybody to this 2023 draft class. And not just the prospects that you think are going to make great pros, but specifically today, we're talking about pros that may make great Patriots. Top to bottom, defensive side of the ball, who tops your list in terms of a prototypical Patriot in 2023 and beyond? So the first guy that I'm going to think of, and it's a position that a lot of people have been asking about targeting is cornerback. Now, I am not necessarily of the view that I think the Patriots need to draft a first round corner. I don't think they need think they need to draft a first round corner. They've been perfectly fine with waiting until day two and three to grab guys and fit them in. But if there's one guy that I so badly want to see on the New England Patriots, it's

Devin Witherspoon in terms of cornerbacks. That guy isn't, I mean, it's not like he's particularly big. He's 5'10", 5'11", about 180, something like that. Kind of average overall athleticism and such, but he is a heat seeking missile. He just runs around blowing things up all over the place. You look at Bruce Feldman had something for the athletic a couple of weeks ago where he, he pulled a bunch of college coaches and things that these guys had played against as kind of scouting report material for them. And he actually messaged me and said this, those big 10 coaches are so glad Devin Witherspoon is gone. And they would just be like, you know what, man, like we would deliberately have the number one receiver just go to the

completely opposite side of the field. We didn't want to call flat routes because he knew that some guy was going to get detonated if we did it. I'm so glad he's gone. And that's the kind of thing that you think about. Everybody wants to see the prototypical 6'2", 34-inch arms corner, the guy who looks the part. But when you talk about a number one cornerback, it's nice to think of a guy that receivers are just like, God, I don't want to face that guy. Please, God. I want nothing to do with that. Devin Witherspoon's that guy. I just want no part of this man for an entire game. Yeah, without any question. I mean, I know everyone's enamored with Christian Gonzalez,

and there's a lot of reason to be. I mean, when you talk about complete players top to bottom, like you said, this kid really does put together the total package. But I agree with you. I've long thought that Witherspoon is actually maybe, dare I say the better fit for New England in this regard uh toughness at the catch point no question about it uh the way he's able to find the ball and go after the ball and man coverage to me I think he has the best skills in this draft class to do such that so yeah no question about it you're already impressing and breaking the needle off the, the wisdom and counsel meter already folks. So,

you know what, he's living up to his, his chaotician type, you know, persona right now. And Kyrie, like I said, I'm definitely impressed so far.

Now we stay on this side of the ball because there is a need, or at least in my humble opinion, there is a need for the least in my humble opinion there is a need uh for the patriots um at edge rusher uh naturally i mean there's no question about it dietrich wise had himself a very good season in 2022 his best season as a pro matthew judon continues to be the darling of this defense as he should be definitely you know in terms of enthusiasm there's no question about it but on the field he continues to be a tremendous uh you know, in terms of enthusiasm, you know, there's no question about it. But on the field, he continues to be a tremendous, you know, presence as well. Josh Uche emerged as a big-time threat to get after the quarterback. But I think the Patriots could stand to use a little bit of help in that regard.

Top to bottom, when you look at the edge rushers in this class, whether it be a hybrid linebacker that can come in and play that role or even a defensive end that could play that role who do you think would be the ultimate patriot that could really complement a lot of those guys i just mentioned it's interesting because when it comes to the edge there are a couple of different avenues that i feel like they they like to go you would like to think that you want the all-around the i i think the more the more complete player who's going to both set the edge against the run and a guy who is eventually going to develop into a plus pass rusher. And Lucas Van Ness kind of strikes me as somebody that you might think of in that right now,

he's a little one dimensional as a pass rusher, not a whole lot in the way of counters and swims and he's just going into you and busting you up with with just power just raw explosive strength he's got that in spades but he's also got a little bit of that Dietrich wise inside outside kind of game you could play him as a defensive end because he's got the kind of strength to do it but you you could look at him and say he's best suited in the end to be somebody coming around the outside and coming at you with athleticism, speed and power off the edge. I think that that's a possibility, but I also think that there are some guys who fit maybe the mold of something more akin to a Josh Uche, somebody that is going to need to get paid. And me personally, this is just my personal opinion. I would lean towards Josh Uche not

getting paid by the Patriots after this year, because he's a little bit more on the one dimensional side. He's more of a come in rush to the passer type of guy, not an every down edge. Maybe we'll see if he can expand his game a bit this year, and then we'll see what happens. But if you're looking for somebody more like that, somebody who is more of a pass rusher with potential to be more, one guy that really stood out to me at the Senior Bowl, this is another note, check the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl rosters. Because when you look at the first couple picks of every draft, I actually tabulated this out. What is it? 15 of the last 19 picks the Patriots have made on days one and two of the draft. So rounds one through three have all been four year college guys, senior at least. So

seniors, redshirt seniors, what have you that played at the Shrine Bowl or, or were at the Senior Bowl. Will Mac, Will McDonald of Iowa State state is one guy like that where he's undersized he's thin and so you're like come on that doesn't fit the bill at all of it every down edge but when you look at the way that he plays with kind of that that length and explosive strength he stands up they were playing him inside as like a four technique sometimes kind of like what as a matter of fact what alabama would do with Will Anderson sometimes where you're like why is this guy playing so far inside sometimes because he can because he was able to use some of that length and use some of the ability to convert strength

to power so he's not the biggest guy but he was able to hold his own out there you put a little bit more on that frame and keep the explosiveness his his bend is nuts. I mean, you could see him at the pro day at the combine, just getting down to the ground. I mean, he's, his whole body is almost down there dipping around, around the bags. I mean, he's got crazy bend around the edge and you think with a little bit more seasoning and again, a little bit more just weight on him. I think that's a really interesting second round pick potentially. And then you've got guys that you could look at like Auburn's Derek Hall or later on San Diego State's Junior Fajalo. I mean, there are guys, this, this edge rusher class is deep. And I expect

that if they don't go with that on day one or even day two, you're going to see him pick up some guys on day three for sure, because there are some possibilities for guys that even if they're not going to be day one starters, they're going to be able to provide depth, play on special teams and work their way up from there. Because I am 100% with you. The depth that Ed just leaves something to be desired. And we saw Uche step up last year, 11 and a half sacks, finally be that guy who's going to rush the passer opposite Matthew Judon. But again, you lose Uche at the end of the year, if you're not going to pay him,

what else do you have, right? Dietrich Wise is a guy that kind of, you know, moves in and out, but he's not necessarily somebody you want to just leave on the outside all the time, perhaps. And then like Anthony Jennings, right? So you definitely need bodies at that position. Yeah, without any question. And I think you make a lot of interesting points. And really, I think some very good ones. I'm glad that you mentioned Ben Ness, because I don't see a lot of people migrating toward him as a typical Patriots pick, but he checks all of the boxes. And I think you've articulated that perfectly. I think another guy that a lot of people migrating toward him as a typical Patriots pick, but he checks all of the boxes. And I think you've articulated that perfectly. I think another guy that a lot of people are maybe not talking about in terms of a Patriots fit that maybe they should is Keon White out of Georgia Tech. He is, he's a five tech player, no question about it. That's where he's at his best, but he

is scheme versatile, work in progress from the technical standpoint. I think there are some, uh, you know, uh, fundamentals that still need to be worked on, but if you place him on the edge, you get an outside shade against offensive tackles or against tight ends. I think you can see some things pop there as well. So once again, absolutely. Yeah. Without question. And the new England Patriots definitely love those guys.

You mentioned the four years, you mentioned the seniors. he definitely checks that box as does the guys that you've mentioned and uh yeah i mean kairi i think you're right on the money when it comes to prototypical patriots before we take our leave of the defense one of the most indelible protocol patriots uh called it a career uh just uh last month devin mccourty announcing that he will be retiring. And that definitely creates a void at safety. The free position is kind of up for grabs. We're looking at the possibility of maybe Jalen Mills coming in, taking on that role. A lot of other guys may be chipping in, maybe even seeing Jonathan Jones play a little safety. But this is a class that I think has some top-heavy potential, maybe some top-heavy talent.

Can you see the New England Patriots dipping into this position? Is there someone in this draft class that you think might be able to take the mantra someday of what Devin McCourty leaves behind? I think it's tough to replace Devin McCourty for so many reasons, whether you're talking about the leadership and just generally his skill set and what he was able to do for so long and be so durable. You could rarely take him off the field. I mean, he was always out there.

So it's hard to duplicate his skill set. But I think that, I mean, there are a couple of safeties in this draft that I've really started to come around to. I mean, everybody loves Brian Branch Branch and I really like Brian Branch. Thing is he's going to go in the first round and I'm not taking a safety in the first round. That's not worth it. I don't think the Patriots think it's worth it, but man, if, if there were any way to get him in the second route, I would be like, yes, God get Brian Branch. Cause I think that he absolutely is everything that the Patriots would just love in a safety. So versatile, so smart.

I mean, he's not an exceptional athlete. He doesn't have amazing speed, but he just makes plays because he knows where he's supposed to be. And he's another one of those guys that can play deep. He can play in the slot. He can cover you one-on-one. He can do so many different things. Another guy that I'm really starting to like as a round three kind of pick, you know, day two kind of guy is Christopher Smith of Georgia. So he, to me, and there are other guys I like later on, like Quindell Johnson of Memphis, where I think that they're kind of that hybrid guy

where they're not necessarily like Devin McCourty where you just stick them back there and they are free safety and that's all that they ever do. But the athleticism, the ability to do everything, the ability to tackle, I feel like we can't underrate this part. The ability to,

if you're going to be on the field as a safety, you better be willing to get down in the box and go make a play, the ability to, if you're going to be on the field as a safety, you better be willing to get down in the box and go make a play, go hit somebody, go separate somebody from the football. Christopher Smith really, really does that for me. Again, another senior bowl guy who was running around and just locking dudes up and one-on-one drills. And I feel like that's just something that the Patriots are going to look at and be like, oh yeah. I mean, they already have, and this is the thing, they already have a bunch of, they have two starting caliber safeties right now that you feel really good about, right? Adrian Phillips and Kyle Duggar. You could be completely fine just throwing those two guys

out there. And then you talk about Jalen Mills and the potential for Jonathan Jones to be out there as well. Though I think that would be best served, especially if you get another cornerback, which allow, which would allow Jonathan Jones to do a little bit more. Cause as of right now, you don't have that, that depth and versatility in the cornerback room. So I wouldn't do that, but you go ahead and you get somebody like, like Christopher Smith, who I think could probably start just about anywhere else. And then you make him one of the new big nickel guys, one of the new three safety look guys, let him work his way into that.

Oh my God. You could, teams are not going to want anything to do with these Patriots safeties. They're just going to be getting thumped all over the place. You're not going to be able to get open on them. I mean, that would be a heck of a chess move. It would be a heck of a chess move. And if you notice the gigantic grin on my face, the moment that you mentioned Christopher Smith running gag hair on locked on Patriots, one of my draft crutches is Christopher Smith. And just somebody that I fell in love with in

terms of the way that he plays the game, his ability to understand coverage techniques. You can see it on the field. You see it when you watch film on him. It just completely hops right off the page. Great football IQ. I mean, there's no question about it. This is exactly what Bill Belichick loves. And the fact that he can block a field goal and take it back for a touchdown,

SEC championship game against LSU, you gotta love that. Don't even get Bill started. If they drafted Christopher Smith, I would almost put money on that being one of the first three things he mentions about Christopher Smith is the special teams because

the guy loves special teams. He can't help himself. No, he does. He absolutely does. And you know that will come right out of Bill Belichick's mouth. Block the SEC championship game field goal. LSU, it's great stuff. You know, phenomenal, can do it all. You know, really, I mean, that's exactly what we're going to hear.

I'm actually barred from doing any more impressions for the week, though, folks. I did a very bad Christopher Lloyd one yesterday, Kyrie. You do not want to hear that. You don't want to see it. Not one of my finer moments. So I'm not going to dip into my Bill Belichick because as you can see that's not much better. But what is going to get better, folks, is Kyrie Thompson is going to continue to break the needle

off of the wisdom and counsel meter. We're going to talk offensive prototypical Patriots in which he feels may be the best fit for this team moving forward when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, today's pod is brought to you by our good friends over at FanDuel.

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partner of Major League Baseball. Pats fans, thank you once again for joining us here on LockedOn Patriots, a proud part of the LockedOn Podcast Network, your team every day. Folks, today we're talking prototypical Patriots to close the week in style with Kyrie Thompson here. Don't forget on Monday, Mock Draft Monday returns. The legendary green man himself, Thomas Murphy, and I will break down your great mock drafts. Our third year doing this.

Still can't believe it. It feels like yesterday that we started, but we love doing it. So please keep them coming in. Send them in. You can definitely drop us a line at LO underscore Patriots to submit your mock drafts, and you may have a chance to have those read here on Monday. But Kyrie, I thank you for joining me here today, and we're already having a blast. I've already dropped a few Ian Malcolm references. I've already said that I will not do any more impressions for the day. We're off to a great start here, folks. But, you know, defense may win championships, but offense is going to get

the headlines, my friend. And the New England Patriots definitely need some offensive help. They've got a big piece of the puzzle when they hired Bill O'Brien as their new offensive coordinator. But you and I both know, my friend, it's only as good as the players that are on the field. The coach can put everyone into perfect position, but they need to execute. And the Patriots are going to need execution on the offensive line, at wide receiver, maybe even now at tight end a little bit. There's a lot of needs for this team. When you look top to bottom, seeing that the theme here today is prototypical Patriots.

Who checks your box on an offensive standpoint, Bud? Dar-nel-right. I'm just going to come out with it. That's my guy. I love it as well. I mean, come on. The more I think about it, I get it. I get it.

Everybody looks at the top offensive tackles like, oh, yeah, you got to get one of those. Paris Johnson, Junior Broderick Jones, Pierce Karansky. Got to get one of them. I look and indicate those are good players. But again, I think about the fact that even Peter Skowronski, whom everybody seems to be like, oh, yeah, the perfect patriot, only a two year starter. Right. And I mean, he's coming out as a redshirt sophomore. Those other guys are coming out as juniors, redshirt sophomore, what have you. Darnell Wright started 42 games in college. I mean, he started on both the left and right side as a tackle.

He is – you can't draw up a better fit for a right tackle in the Patriots scheme than Darnell Wright. You just can't. You can't make him up. I mean, he is a monstrosity on gap runs. He just goes around burying bodies and throwing people to the turf all the time. And the idea of putting him next to Mike on when it just sounds like a torture chamber. Like, my goodness. And then you look at what he did from a pass protection perspective I mean is it always perfect is the technique perfect you know gets caught leaning a little bit could use a little

bit more bend in it but when he gets his hands on you you're done you've gotten you're finished you're out of the play he put Will Anderson in witness protection. He had B.J. Ojolari like wondering which way was up. I mean, he routinely did this against some of the best talent this draft has to offer from an edge rusher perspective. What more? Again, Senior Bowl had a killer Senior Bowl. What more could you want? I just feel like you can talk about those other guys. And yeah, maybe they got more upside or what have you. But again, think what, what are you looking for? If you're the new England Patriots, this is where the, the, the debate comes in. Yeah. You'll love the idea of upside and oh yeah, he could be a pro bowler, all pro down the road, but those guys, especially the top three need a little bit of work. And even Pierce Goransky is a little bit more technician, what have you. There are a lot of

people thinking he's not going to be a tackle long-term in this league because of the arm length. You might have to slide him inside to guard. Darnell Wright, of any of those guys, to me, is the one that I'm looking at like that guy could be a day one starter. Yeah, he's a rookie. There are going to be some growing pains. But you could put him out there week one and you could expect him to be able to hold his own. And eventually by the end of the year, you're looking at him like that's an all rookie type player. So to me, that's number one, number two, my man, say flowers, man. Look, you could talk about the, he's too small or what have you. I don't want a receiver in the first round because we need the offensive line figured out. I've been using this

analogy a bunch because somebody actually said it on air to me one time. I thought it was great. I'm flipping around though. People were like, you can't operate. It's like, it's like having a car and not having an offensive line is like not having wheels. Like you just can't drive the car. You're not getting it anywhere. Whereas, oh yeah, having a receiver or running back or good skill players is like the high performance engine. Like, yeah, you don't really need it. Well, if you want to play in today's NFL and you want to play with Kansas city and Cincinnati and what have you, yeah, you kind of need the performance engine. And the Patriots definitely didn't have that last year. They didn't not make the playoffs because of the defense or because of the offensive line.

They didn't make it because the offense just in general was an absolute mess and they don't have anybody anybody is afraid of. OK, Zay Flowers might not even necessarily be that guy right now where you're just like, oh oh my God, I got to draw the game plan around him. You think about the fact that he put up 1100 yards last year with like Phil Djurkovic as his quarterback, just throwing the ball completely off the field and just like not being able to find him consistently. He was the only thing that Boston College consistently had going for it. And he still put up numbers. To me, what more could you want from a guy than that? To be able to say, you know what? You know I'm

going to get the ball. And I'm still going to put up numbers on you. I'm still going to score. I'm still going to make plays. And again, the character could have gone into the draft a year early, chose not to, stayed for another year, and got better. Right? And then, of course, they had him at the Shrine Bowl, and he was down there running the Wes Welker and Julian Edelman-Haas-Juke type routes. He came in. They picked him up at the airport. And, you know, Tom Pellicero was like, he got there early to help to learn the offense with Bill O'Brien.

I'm sorry. Does that – how could you not think of a prototypical Patriot when you hear that? Absolutely. One hundred percent on the money. First of all, I love that you've mentioned both Wright and Zay Flowers, because in terms of prototypical fits here in New England, I am hard pressed to find two guys that are more really, I think, perfect for this offense and really from a knee perspective, but also from an attitude perspective. I fell in love with Dono Wright when he pulled out his phone at the combine

and started telling you how he broke down Will Anderson, how he defended DJ, how he got these guys, and he's giving you his notes, and they're right there. They're right in his hip pocket at all times really just studying and continue to be a student of the game um and not only the physical prowess that he brings to the table but also that mental preparation uh that just that ability to constantly want to get better what says more about the patriots than that and then say flowers is a guy that i continue to fall in love with more and more when it comes to his fit here in new england as well i was still am a huge jackson smith the jig the fan but oh yeah i would not be that's wide receiver one

yeah he really is jackson smith and jigba is wide receiver one don't care if he's a pure slot don't get caught up in that i'm sorry like when you go watch that guy play, he's a monster. Okay. Yeah. Zay Flowers. I mean, he's not quite that level to me. That dude is just, he's a dog. He's just a certified dog. He's just going to go out there and make plays. I don't know. I don't know what else you could want.

Absolutely. And Bill O'Brien is definitely salivating at the thought because, you know, he loves his yak. This is a kid that can get it for him. You mentioned he did it in one of the worst offenses sorry to all my boston college brethren well you know what i'm not that sorry i'm a pc guy so you know i'm not going to be too complimentary about boston college not just kidding i'm only kidding folks but uh no it really is i mean he really did not have a whole lot on offense to work with even the staunchest eagles fan can admit that.

And, yeah, to see him do it here and to see him do it on the other end, Mac Jones, I think, would be something special here for the New England Patriots. So did we check all of your boxes, folks, when it comes to prototypical Patriots? Who did Kyrie and I forget today? Or do you completely agree with what he has to say? I think you'd be hard-pressed to disagree. But you know what, folks? Variety is the spice of life and the name of the game.

And we always welcome your feedback here. But the one thing that we always welcome is Kyrie Thompson on these airwaves here on Locked On Patriots. You're a true asset to the beat, my friend. And it is my honor, my privilege, not only to share the microphone with you, but also to share this endeavor that we both, you know, keep going after each and every day. So my best to you, my friend, and I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join me here today. Before I let you go, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, what they can expect coming down the pike. And, you know, maybe a little hope that you'll be back here on these airwaves really soon. Oh, I mean, you can have, you can have me on here anytime. All you

got to do is ask. You don't even, you even got to worry about that. You can follow me at Katie Thompson five. I'm not doing quite as much in the writing department yet. I mean, we'll, we'll see, we'll see how that goes. Might be, might be some podcasting stuff going on down the line. But right now, I'm over at WBUR. Every once in a while, you will catch me doing some sports roundups on there. And I'm definitely going to be pushing for a sports roundup when the Patriots make their draft picks and going in on that and doing that for Radio Boston. But otherwise, you can always catch me on Twitter. That's football's mo, like, I don't know, like 98% of the stuff I tweet about. And I would love

for your feedback on this episode, guys, that you're excited about for the Patriots around the league or what have you. Football is, you know, definitely one of my favorite things to, you know, to monitor out there. It's one of my favorite things to cover. And in the words of Ian Malcolm, there it is. What better way to end the show, folks? I'm not even going to try to go beyond that, just other than to say thank you very much for joining me today. You always have a welcome seat here on Locked On Patriots.

We can't wait to have you back on again, Kyrie. And folks, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule all week long. All of you Locked on Patriots everydayers out there, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for all of the support you provide to the show. And don't forget, Monday is Mock Draft Monday. So if you haven't done so yet, there is still time to send in your mock drafts to LO underscore Patriots.

You can drop me a line as well at MDABATENFL. Feedback on this episode when it comes to prototypical Patriots. Give my man Kyrie a follow at KDThompson5. Definitely check him out and let him know what he may have missed or what he may have got right on the money. Folks, once again, we appreciate all of your support. Thank you for joining us on Locked On Patriots. On behalf of Kyrie Thompson, I am Mike DeBate. Continue to stay safe and stay well and be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone,

and a great weekend. We'll see you Monday here on Locked On Patriots.