Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Michael Wilson at wide receiver? Anthony Richardson at QB? Mock Draft Monday

Episode Date: April 11, 2023

Could the New England Patriots look to Stanford wide receiver Michael Wilson as a low-risk, high-reward option in the 2023 NFL Draft? Host Mike D’Abate gives his thoughts on the possibility before welcoming Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy for Mock Draft Monday. The duo break down listener-submitted mock drafts featuring some aggressive trades, Florida’s Anthony Richardson at quarterback and some potential diamonds in the rough at several positions of need.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

New England Patriots recently hosted a low-risk, high-reward potential solution at wide receiver, and there's a lot to like about this one. Stick around. You're about to be locked in to 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. Please 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 at LO underscore Patriots.

This 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 slash locked on today to get 10% off your first month. Patriots fans, welcome back to the pod. I hope that you had a great weekend. And of course, today is Mock Draft Monday. That means a visit from our good friend, the monster master of disaster himself, Thomas Murphy of E2GSports.com. As we break down your mock drafts and we have a prolific pair in store for you today.

You're not going to want to miss this. One of our favorite aspects of doing this show is really breaking down all of the great work that you send in as listeners of Locked On Patriots. We were proud to be one of the innovators of this concept here in Podville, and this is something that always, always brings a smile to our face. So you're not going to want to miss this. You're definitely not going to want to miss the Mocs, but some great prospects to discuss. So stick around, folks. But if you were holding out hope that Odell Beckham Jr. was going to find his way to Foxborough, well, that idea went sour on Sunday evening.

Beckham announcing himself that he was signing with the Baltimore Ravens. Deal was reportedly for one year up to $18 million. And that's fans for once I don't think anybody can say that the Patriots cheaped out on this one as electrifying as Odell Beckham Jr. is Bill's not about to commit that kind of money to Odell Beckham Jr. so the buzz surrounding him really I think took a little bit of a nosedive as time went on. Had significantly cooled, let's face it. It wasn't as hot as some of the rumors surrounding DeAndre Hopkins, Jerry Judy. Those rumors are still out there.

Not sure exactly how realistic those are at this point from what I'm hearing. But at the same time, you can definitely cross Odell Beckham Jr. off the list. But I don't think any of us are looking at this signing and saying he was the one that got away ultimately though it is one less option for the patriots that means they're gonna have to probably look to the draft if they want to help fill that void at wide receiver and on friday i talked about boston college's zay flowers we've talked about him several times here on the pod he would look good in a Patriots uniform. So would Ohio State's Jackson Smith and Ajigba. Both of these guys would be game changers

coming in off the bat. But if the Patriots are indeed serious about trying to upgrade their defense, meaning going with a cornerback or possibly an edge rush, or if they're going to fix that offensive line, go for one of the bona fide tackles that we have here in this draft. That means they might look to the mid rounds for some depth pieces and maybe even a project type of player with some questions, but a lot of upside. I know I can hear the groans as you're watching this. You don't want a project that wide out. The team needs help now.

That's what you want i understand and honestly i agree with you on that but there is one player that fits this criteria somewhat and he really intrigues me and even though he's the definition of hit or miss i still think the patriots need to give this one at least a sharp look and that's Stanford's Michael Wilson. Wilson was hosted by the Patriots for a pre-draft workout earlier last week and at the outset I do want to set the expectation I'm not suggesting that Michael Wilson is coming in here to be a game-changing pick. He's not going to be the final piece of the puzzle either but there are a lot of reasons to think that there is some upside as a potential mid-rounder here first of all sizable you definitely want a sizable receiver this kid fits the mold 6'2 213

size strength physical to be able to play at the pro level I like that about him he also has a pretty good amount of speed he can make things happen after the catch. We all know that's what Bill O'Brien values most in his receivers. And I think he'd like this former Cardinal. Has the ability to run routes, create separation from his defender, got a really quick move and a lot of fluidity out of his breaks. One thing that is so important about receivers at the pro level and something that unfortunately a few years ago when the Patriots decided to bring in another sizable physical receiver that they didn't quite

cater to that much it's moving fluidly and that's something that Michael Wilson does possess as opposed to someone like a Nikhil Harry for example now once he's in his routes he does show a lot of patience he really is the type of player that I like to say has wisdom beyond his years. He can see things that are going to happen and he's able to control his body. He's able to control his physicality in order to allow not only the blockers to seal the edge, but also give the quarterback an opportunity to hit his throw in stride. So all of that, you look at what he brings to the table and you say, wow, this is going to be a great fit. He can sell his vertical routes. That makes him a good fit in

Bill O'Brien's offense. During his time when he was at Stanford, he was really on the receiving end of a lot of wide receiver screens. He can do the quick outs. He's got crossers that he's very adept at being able to complete. When he gets the ball in his hands and he can quickly create space, that allows the offense to operate, especially given what Mac Jones is very good at, the underneath options, leading the defender under the defense and being able to throw the ball and complete it accurately and on time. So again, this really sounds like a great opportunity for the Patriots. Well, there's a reason why Michael Wilson is being discussed as a mid-rounder, folks, and that's

injury. And I know you're screaming at the screen saying, injury history, I'm not going to deny it. It's there. Throughout his five-year collegiate career, he had his share of injuries. His 2020 season came to a premature end due to a foot injury that also limited him to a only handful of games in 2021. Just last year in 2022, suffering an undisclosed injury against Notre Dame, he was out for the remainder of the season, and he finished his senior campaign having caught only 26 passes for 418 yards and four touchdowns. But he did that in six games. So if you're concerned about injury, yes, there is an injury concern when it comes to Michael Wilson. But if any of you watch the senior bowl in February, you'll know that he looked pretty good out there. Um, it's

four catches, 76 yards, uh, also a 44 yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. If you haven't seen that it's all over YouTube. I encourage you to go and check that out. Very, very good movement by Michael Wilson. And if any of you are worried about whether or not this kid can move at the present, he can definitely do it. I think it's more long-term or maybe fragility that I think a lot of people are worried about with him. I think right now they're looking at someone that can come in and do the job immediately. And the Patriots, without any question, have several needs on their roster. So they're going to be looking at multiple positions. But if they look to the mid

rounds to help solve some of the wide receiver issues, Michael Wilson checks a lot of the boxes, the size that you're looking for. He gives you the physicality that you're looking for. And he also gives you the yards after the catch that make you believe that he can be a strong contributor in a Bill O'Brien offense. Again, I think a depth piece over here, folks, that's what he's going to be in his rookie season. It's not the solving of the puzzle, but at the same time, it's a big piece of the puzzle in terms of building a sound of wide receivers for years to come. So I like this kid in a mid to late round flyer. And if he's there, I think the Patriots are going to have a hard time laying off of him. The more you watch him, the more you like him and leadership ability all over the place. Anyone that you talk to close to the Stanford program says this kid was one of the most vocal and one of the most exemplified leaders in that locker room. So a lot of good stuff to like about Michael Wilson. I like it. Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think about him. Is he worth a mid to late rounder or the injuries concerns just too much for you,

but who else deserves that look folks? Well, the Green King of Sting is about to join me in just a moment. Thomas Murphy is going to pop in here in a moment to help me break down more potential Patriots when we review your listener-submitted mock drafts right here on the Locked On Patriots Podcast. Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Folks, we live in complex times, and whether it be emotional stress, financial stress, health-related stress, or social anxiety, trying therapy can help you unload that stress, and it can help you move forward in gaining emotional healing.

Getting to know yourself can be a lifelong process, especially because we're always growing and changing. Therapy is all about deepening your self-awareness and understanding, because because we're always growing and changing. Therapy is all about deepening your self-awareness and understanding because sometimes we don't know what we want or why we react the way we do until we talk through things. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can help take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online,

designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Discover your potential with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash locked on today

and get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp H-E-L-P dot com slash LockedOn. Patriots fans, thank you once again for making LockedOn Patriots a daily part of your Monday to England

Patriots coverage right here on the LockedOn Podcast Network. Of course, we are a proud part of that network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, don't forget to check out our latest newsletter at www.lockedonpodcast.com slash newsletters. Sign up for your free NFL Draft newsletter with NFL Draft Buzz. You get a top story from the NFL Draft expert, Luke Inman.

You'll also get a top five ranking links to great draft content across the Locked On Network. Folks, you definitely do not want to miss this NFL Draft Buzz newsletter. Definitely check it out. And of course, it is hashtag Locked On Murph Monday and

Mock Draft Monday here on Locked On Patriots. And that means a visit from our good friend, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy. And Murph, we've got a couple of interesting drafts to share with our adoring public today. I don't know about you. Let's get right into this. Let's dive right into some of these interesting pathways to fortune and glory here for the New England Patriots. the first one that we're

going to showcase today is a first timer here uh the first time we're showcasing his draft on here jr uh jr can be found on twitter at jreillymw uh he's also a senior editor at metro weekly so definitely check out his great work there folks but uh jr took an unconventional approach to the first round but he had a conventional result basically folks that's just my fancy way of saying he traded down very much like a lot of people assume bill belichick is going to do in less than a few weeks time but uh jr's mock draft path to get the patriots to their first draft selection in the first round at number 30. Yeah, he took a little bit of a curvy road here. Let's take a look at his draft trade path scenario, Murph. We're looking at it right here. As you can see, that completely blocks out Murph and I. Some of

you are probably enjoying that right about now. But JR's mock draft draft path he was offered the trade for number 14 by dallas and dallas in return offered 26 58 and 90 and next year's second so he took that um yeah not a bad draft haul here i don't know if dallas would offer that much for the number 14 pick but you know what jr took his his um his blessings when he got him and he made that trade but then starting to trade down a little bit as well and continuing to fall down that pathway traded the number 26 just newly acquired and number 76 which is a legacy pick for the patriots um to cincinnati for 28 and 92 and next year's fourth rounder but jr was not done yet he traded that same next year's fourth rounder but JR was not done yet he traded that same next year's fourth rounder and a 28 to the Philadelphia Eagles for number 30 and number 94 and then he also traded down at the

end of the draft with the Minnesota Vikings giving them number 117 and number 245 in exchange for number 119 and number 211 so at the end of the day when you take a look at what jr had to work with here is the draft hall here is murph and i once again folks it's good to see you again right murph when you look from top to bottom patriots took a little bit of a convoluted path here to get to number 30 still a first rounder you look at dewan jones coming out of ohio state we've said an awful lot about him. If the Patriots are to trade down this far into the first round, are they doing pretty well for themselves here by getting DeJuan Jones here at number 30? If they're getting DeJuan Jones there, yeah, they are.

I don't see that happening in any way, shape, and form. You're killing me, Smalls. You've given me a headache with all these trades, okay? I need help this year. I don't care about the fourth round in 2023. I just don't. But no, this is a really good haul. This is a fantastic, if it falls this way.

I don't see DeJuan Jones there at 30. I do not see Emmanuel Forbes there at 46. Derek Hall could be there at 30. I do not see Emmanuel Forbes there at 46. Derek Hall could be there at 58, but this is one hell of a haul. And we've said it before, and we'll say it again, if the guy's there, you got to take him. Jay, he just enjoys this moving up and down and this and that. I mean, when you get to the bottom of the draft though, bro, it's, it's really, it's really counterproductive. And like I said, it gives me a headache because these are guys down here that are, that are not cracking this squad. Um, you know,

Scruggs could do something, uh, that I like, but I, it enough is enough. I'm sorry. I'm just going to lose it today with all of this. Don't pick on dyslexic people. Well, I'm glad that you mentioned Derek Hall because my good friend, Zach Blackerby, host of the Locked on Auburn podcast, obviously is a big fan for obvious reasons. In case you don't know, Derek Hall is an Auburn Tiger. And coming into this draft I think

there is tremendous upside here for this kid tremendous versatility leader on the field leader in the locker room sounds very much like a New England Patriot but there are drawbacks to his game as well when you look at Hall I look at first of all I look at the upside as a pass rusher I think there's still a lot of technique that needs to be developed, but the great physical traits, the great athletic traits. We hear the term high motor all the time. That definitely applies to Derek Hall. He plays with a high modal.

He's going to bring some physicality to your linebacking crew, to your edge, really, I should say. That's really where it's going to be. He's an edge. I mean, I think he has the ability maybe to start at outside linebacker if the technique is cultivated firmly enough, but he's going to be an edge right from the beginning. But I think edge rising to me is kind of the best way to put it. This kid's not going to be a difference maker right out of the block. Yeah, not, not really. But if you do move them out on the edge, you know, he can set it.

And that's what I like. He can push the pocket. You know, his ability is there. He's just got to be coached up. I don't want to say this is a bad pick, but I think he could have grabbed him a little bit later. I'm not sure who was still on the board there, but I think he could have grabbed him a little bit later. Yeah.

I've seen a hall going in projections in somewhere in the late sixties, low seventies, in terms of draft number overall 58, maybe a little bit overaggressive. But again, if you're drafting on potential and you're trying to bring in a guy here that might be able to maybe match some of the athleticism that you might who knows be losing with Josh Uche he's up at the end of the year uh you want to try to keep that position cultivated I'm not saying that's a like for like

he's not going to come in here to replace him but if you're looking to replace the athleticism um and Hall is sitting there at number 58, you know, it's possible that you take a flyer there as well. So I have a tendency to agree with you. I think it's a little early. Is Anderson there? Is Murphy there? Not to plug, not to plug the, the family Van Ness, you know, is, is, is somebody that, that, how about Smith out of, out of, out of Georgia? You know, I somebody that, how about Smith out of Georgia? You know, it's just, there's a lot of work to do here.

I understand what you did here and it is okay. But, you know, what are you going to do? I like his pick at 92 better. Yeah, the pick at 92, I'm glad that you mentioned that. With a pick 92 right now uh out of alabama henry to me is a i don't want to say a prototypical patriot type pick but there is so much that i think the skill set lends itself into the way the new england patriots love to employ a front seven uh when you look at this pick and you look at the typical value because

you know i'm a big fan of the one that he made before this at number 90 i've been beating the christopher smith uh drum since really since the outset here on locked on patriots but i really like this one as well if there is a program that really is ready made that he basically like manufactures ready-made and i and i understand the the difference, but I think Henry, you know, is it pronounced to do? Like I said, stop picking on dyslexic people, is listed as a linebacker, but I think he could play on that outside edge, and that's why we're here. Absolutely.

He stays on the Alabama front here for number 94, and this is a pick that I kind of hinted at the other day when the illustrious Klaasie Claire Cooper and I discussed tight endage here on Locked On Patriots. And that's Cameron Latu. And I think there's a lot of upside to bringing someone like Cameron into the fold. This is not a dynamic vertical threat at tight end, folks. He's not going to be someone that stretches the field. He simply doesn't have the speed. And I don't think that's ever going to be a part of his game. But if you're looking for an athletic guy that can work the middle of the field, the short, the intermediate routes, he's got the ability to be a pretty adept blocker, very, very high football iq and of course the bill o'brien connection there's

no question about it um i'm wondering why more people aren't looking closer at cameron lotto as a possibility for the new england patriots because he can come in and be a complementary piece to a tight end that is more of a vertical threat you've got henry to do that and even in some cases you've got gasecki to do that. To me, this really, I think, is a complimentary piece that could be a good solid depth addition. Yeah, I agree. I couldn't cut up that analysis at all. Thank you. I appreciate it.

And I've tried, people. I really tried. Oh, absolutely. No, no, no. He definitely does, folks. Don't let the simpatico thoughts fool you. We do disagree at times. And when we do, we do disagree.

But right now, it seems like we're in agreement. There's a big surprise, Murph. You mentioned Juice Scruggs coming in here at number 187. The Patriots right now looking at the bottom half of this draft, really, I think, complimentary pieces. Although, I'm a little surprised to see Garrett Williams slip to 135. I think he might be a little bit higher in terms of when he's chosen. There's a lot of athletic upside to this kid from Syracuse,

and I like Garrett Williams. But when you look at the rest of this draft from top to bottom, Murph, what are you seeing? What stands out to you? Who could have an impact on the New England Patriots? I really like the fact that you brought up Garrett Williams there. As much as it hurts me to pump up another Q Sky, but it really does. I mentioned Scruggs, and Bryce Ford Wheaton is a nice pick there at 107.

Yeah, absolutely. He's somebody that could come in here. There hasn't been a lot of luck in new england when drafting uh wide receivers but you know some of them coming in outside the top 100 you know when you get out of the third round you get into the fourth and fifth round it worked out okay they've worked out and i like bryce ford wheaton yeah i like bryce ford wheaton as well and coming from a program like west virginia used to moving the football, you know on the board is difficult to judge completely, but if he's going off of either best player available or potential fit or potential, potential, I guess is the best way for me to put it. I like what he's done here with a few of these

picks. Obviously Smith is one that I'm definitely partial to, but I think hall is good if you're looking to that direction for the draft um and again i um i'm a big fan of uh uh latu here uh as well so murph it's great time for jr what uh what say you uh for this all from uh jr this time um this is a solid b minus draft but i'm giving it a d giving it a d because I have a headache. I have a headache. Okay. Okay. You know, don't, don't give me a headache.

No, it's a good haul. I don't particularly like moving down this far. I like the draft and the fact that Jones was there and Forbes was there for you. And that's why I'm going to give you the B B for it. And, uh, but you get a D cause you gave me a headache. Yeah. I think the, uh, Murph is still recovering from, uh, going around all those sharp turns there and trying to get to, uh, to the end of this draft. But again, when you look at the hall and when you trade down as much as JR did here and still end up with DeJuan Jones at the offensive tackle position, and then you address the cornerback position by snagging Emmanuel Forbes, I think that's a little bit aggressive.

I think he's going to be gone before 46. He's going solidly up the ranks right now. In the 20s. Yeah, if the Patriots could ever pull that off. Yeah. But theoretically, no, it's true. And theoretically, if the Patriots could pull that off,. Yeah. But theoretically, no, it's true. And theoretically, if the Patriots could pull that off, it'd be an amazing call. I agree with you.

I think this is a beat wrap. Come back and remind me if I was wrong, please. If I was wrong and he goes outside that, please come back and let me know. Oh, definitely. I mean, anything that we do here on Locked On Patriots is just our somewhat informed opinion, and we'll do our best to share that with you. But we have no qualms about you coming back in and

letting us know where you think we were wrong or where you think we might have been a little off in our assessment. Call us morons. Go ahead. We are morons, tried and true, and we'll do our yell for you. Absolutely. Ask my wife. The Amalgamated Association of Morons, Local and true, and we'll do our yell for you. Absolutely. Amalgamated Association. Ask my wife. The Amalgamated Association of Morons, local 6th and 7th.

But in any case, a bonus point for anyone in the YouTube comments that knows where I got that from. And I know there are a few of you out there that do. Bottom line, Murph, yeah, it is. We always love my draft money. So JR, thank you for submitting that. Definitely a to the cat. Good stuff. And we appreciate love mock draft Monday. So JR, thank you for submitting that. Definitely a to the cat. And we appreciate all of your hard work.

Please keep them coming in folks, because last I looked, there's still time between now and the draft. And one of our favorites is back Murph and Murph's blood is boiling. I'm ready for this. I got my popcorn ready and this is going to be a lot of fun. Our guy LJ dives into the draft and comes away with a hell of a haul here. And yeah, Murph's got some feelings on that haul. We're going to get to those feelings in just a moment 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 FanDuel Sportsbook. Who better than our good buddy here to join me on the side to say that Grand Slams, no hitters, and double plays our back. And there's no better place to get in on the MLB action than FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. That's because right now, new customers can step up to the plate with a no-sweat first bet up to $1,000.

Just go to FanDuel.com slash LockedOn, sign up, place your first bet, and get up to $1,000 back in bonus bets if you don't win. You want to see Raffy go yard? Absolutely. You want to see Murph's guy Duvall go yard? Absolutely. And you can do so and maybe even enrich yourself a little bit by going to FanDuel to show your appreciation and your support.

Don't miss your chance for a no-sweat first bet up to $1,000 when you join FanDuel today. So just go to FanDuel.com slash LockedOn to sign up. FanDuel, official partner of Major League Baseball. Patriots fans, the legendary Thomas Murphy joins me here courtesy of e2g sports.com breaking down your great mock drafts here on mock draft Monday on locked on Patriots a proud part of a locked on podcast network your team every day and again folks the locked on NFL draft buzz newsletter is available locked on podcast.com slash newsletter. Definitely want to check that out.

Some amazing draft content heading into the latter part of the month, but Murph, it's always a lot of fun when we break down user submitted mock drafts. And it's been a little bit since we've showcased our good friend, but he is truly one of the great supporters of our show. Definitely love this man. And I love his courage and I really do just admire his zeal and how he is willing to put himself in the crosshairs. I'm just going to leave it at that, folks. LJ is back at show

underscore one on Twitter. And Murph, we've got trades to break down. So you might want to pop a Tylenol for this one. Not quite as convoluted as the path that JR took. But LJ starts off with this haul right here, folks. New England receiving a 2023 second rounder. Pick 53, another 2023 second rounder in pick 64 and a 2024 pick in round five of obviously chicago's getting the patriots number 46 pick in the second round so bill turns two from turns one into two and um you know not bad not bad for a little bit of a haul you definitely have to

admire that and here's what lJ came away with, folks. You can see the laundry list down the center strip here on YouTube. Number 14, he's going quarterback. He's going Anthony Richardson. High upside here in terms of this kid being drafted. But first of all, I think he's gone before 14. And second of all, I don't think the Patriots

have taken a quarterback in the first round. I really just don't see it. Your thoughts on this do i look happy do i do i look happy no uh somebody in the comments last week uh managed to say that that murph wasn't being nice something something to that that effect uh no what what the hell are you thinking, LJ? No, what are you doing? The Patriots are not walking away from Mac Jones. They are not selling on him in any way, shape, or form this year or next year. Taking Richardson here is a complete waste of everybody's time,

and you're killing – you're supposed to be my friend. You're supposed to be my friend. And, and no, with all of the talent in this, in this draft, that could be sitting there to take Anthony Richardson, a quarterback who, who completes just 50% more passes than I do in the NCAA. I really don't see the love for this player. I really don't.

One thing that you can't teach is accuracy, and I understand that he brings a lot more to the table than that. But no, Anthony Richardson will not be coming to New England. Whether, you know, Mac Jones goes and pouts in a corner and isn't playing, says he's not playing this year, unless you trade me or not, it's not happening. There was too much talent. Even if the Patriots are not sold on Mac in the longterm, Bill needs to win games now. This team needs to win games now. And Anthony Richardson does not help them win games now. Yeah, I have to, I do have to agree with Murph and his assessment here. And that's not so much

a knock to Anthony Richardson, who I happen to think has the highest upside, maybe the highest ceiling of any of the quarterbacks that are going to be drafted. Maybe CJ Stroud is someone that I might say, but I think CJ is much more NFL ready right now than Anthony Richardson. Richardson can project as a long-term project. You're going to need at least two or three years holding a clipboard, learning the NFL offense, kind of shaking the rust off of a lot of what he did over at Florida, and then being able to parlay that into a solid NFL career. I think all of those are possible. Dare I say, I think they may even be probable in the right system. I like the player. I like the athleticism and what he brings to the table. But I agree with you. If the Patriots are not sold on Mac Jones, and I happen to think they

are just like you are, at least for this season in trying to see what he can do under Bill O'Brien. If they are going to make a move other than keeping Mac in the slot that he's in right now, I don't think they do this at number 14 for Anthony Richardson because there's too much of a project there as well. Yeah, exactly. I mean, this would basically be waving the white flag with Mac and saying,

Nope, you're not our guy. You're not our guy. You know, take a seat on the bench and we'll figure out either a way to ship you out of here before the year end, or we're not picking up your option and you can go elsewhere. I don't see the Patriots doing that, not after investing the number 15 pick, especially when he had one good year and one down year. You've got to see what's there in year three to be able to balance it out and then make an

informed decision. So LJ, I like the athleticism that you're thinking with i like the ingenuity but i just don't see this one happening so right off the bat uh number 14 looks like it's probably a lost pick here i do like the redemption uh that lj brings to the table here at number 53 and number 64 i really like josh downs we talked about him last week as a potential slot uh candidate here in new england and tucker craft i think is a complete tight end that could really come in and maybe be your tight end of the future here in new england and then 76 you follow this up with matthew bergeron three guys we've talked about a lot here these three solid picks look yeah they are i mean, I will kill this draft when we

come to grade it, but what LJ was able to do here between 53 and I'm going to say all the way down to 135 is just some of the best work that we've seen this season. Josh Downs is a fantastic talent. He's not the talent that you would have gotten at number 14. Right. Okay. But still backing up that first pick with Josh Downs and allowing him to slide in here. Downs is one of the best, if not the best, is one of the best slot guys, strict slot guys. The only problem is he can't move outside. He can't. And the guys that you were grabbing there at 14 could. They could play in the slot. They could move outside.

Downs is fantastic, but he's not going to be able to do that. We just talked about Tucker Kraft. Fantastic pick here. He's somebody that could play in line, move him into the slot, or even out wide. You know, I like that. Okay, so that's a fantastic pick. Bergeron, we've gone all over. I'll get past the fresh squeezed orange juice and just root for him if he comes in here.

Jamie Robinson is a really interesting pick here at 107. What do you think of that one, Mike? Jamie Robinson, I think, is someone that I haven't given a sharp eye look to, and I think I should, because the more I look at him and the more i see what i see from him versatility reminds me a lot of a younger adrian phillips this kid can align all over the place free safety strong safety you've seen him align at the nickel and the linebacker and he's shown to be productive at all of those alignments got that quick twitch that explosive nature um again high motor you hear that talked about an awful lot pff uses it to

describe this kid draft network uses it to describe this kid i agree with it definitely there plays with a lot of passion a lot of uh a lot of help but i think he's at his best when he's aligning close to the line of scrimmage that's where he reminds me of a phillips he can use his instincts use his athleticism make tackles get near to the line of scrimmage and if you can do that you can be a solid type of safety it's a i don't want to say a duplicate type pick because i think that phillips and even jabril peppers possess a lot of the same traits that this kid does but if you value that and you know that one of those two guys is not going to be here for the long term and you really need to make sure you have someone to fill that role.

Jamie Robinson does it, and I think he can do it in short order. He doesn't have a lot of size. He doesn't have a lot of mass. He doesn't have the prototypical stuff, but this guy just brings football to the position. He loves to hit. He loves to get in there and make a play. I think this is a fantastic pick at 107 it might be a tad bit early for uh where he could go in this draft but

i have i have no issue none taking this kid at 107 and uh go ahead mike oh no i just i agree with you i really this was this probably was my favorite of this, of these picks in this draft. I mean, that's not to say the Bergeron craft and downs are not guys that I would love to see, but Robinson is not a guy we see in our mock drafts all the time. And I'm glad that someone finally put the, uh, the pieces together and fit him well within a new England Patriot system. Cause this kid does fit it. Well, the only drawback here is again, a logjam at the type of –

what's the word I'm looking for here, Murph? The type of prototype that he uses to play. The way he plays the position, I think, is a little bit more of a duplicate to what the Patriots have. But, again, if you're backfilling good, solid positions, there's not really an argument that you can make here. LJ continues your penchant for tackles. I think he grabbed a few good ones here. Warren McClendon from Georgia at number two, someone that, you know, I think could be a late round flyer. Ryan Hayes, Jarrett Patterson, he's

addressing the need for the patriots offensive line and back filling it with good solid prospects i liked all three of these i could see the patriots taking a flyer here on again if he had gone offensive tackle in the first round and then pick these guys up down at the bottom i would call this an a plus draft yeah i really would because these are some uh some these are guys, that you're going to put in on your, on your practice squad or, or fill in at depth behind. There's just, there's not the, the, the frontline guy right now, even though we, you know, you grab Bergeron at 76, I'm not sure if he's going to come in here and take a starting position in,

you know, in 2023. Okay. It's, it's good looking forward, but he's not that, how was it? He's just not the plug and play guy yet. Yeah. I'm not willing to go there with him, but he's a good, he's a good solid pick at 76. He's a hell of a pick at 76. Agreed. Yeah. I think in a lot of ways, you're right on the money there as well and you know whether it be a project or whether it be someone who can come in and plug and play right away then when patriots have to address that and you know they're going to uh last look before we grade here murph uh when you look

at this draft anybody that we're looking at right now that we haven't mentioned, the names that we haven't mentioned that could be a potential diamond in the rough here in LJ's draft? Jalen Jones. You know, just Jalen Jones. Kind of like that individual. Absolutely. When you can bring an Aggie in, it's always a good thing. And, you know, those guys are always NFL ready, and they're going to be ready to complete right off the bat.

Murph, it's grade time here. We're definitely looking forward to what the green man has and the wisdom and counsel he's about to bestow on us all. How are you looking at LJ's draft? Keep in mind that there were some redemptive picks after the initial pick, which neither of us were huge. B minus B minus. B minus. I'm sorry. I just can't overlook what you passed up at 14 to bring in a project

and blow up what's happening here in the quarterback room already. And this really would, LJ. I'm sorry, buddy. Like I said, we're friends. You know, we're friends you know you know we're friends and and keep on coming back and keep on sending in some fantastic drafts but what you did at 14 is a complete whiff in my in my opinion yeah i think at number 14 if you plug in a more quarterback needy team and i know we're probably going to get hit in the comments with this and say

patriots are quarterback needy mac is trash max we're going to to get hit in the comments with this and say, Patriots are quarterback needy. Mack is trash. Mack's the – we're going to see those. Folks, the Patriots are not in as bad of a quarterback position as a lot of people would have you believe. Whether you want to go with Mack or whether you even want to go with Bailey Zapp past his prime that's really just kind of playing out the string being a career backup or a youngster that really has been untested and you really don't know what his upside is if you're the jets okay you can you can gamble with anthony richardson okay because you're going to have a a veteran that's going to be here for a year or two, and then you see what happens. If you're, if you're, let's, let's say Dallas. Okay. And he falls to, I'm not sure where Dallas is picking in this draft. You might want to do this.

Okay. Out there on, on the left coast, if you're san francisco you may want to do something like this and and you know just to just to hedge your bets as to what but in new england no i'm not i'm not doing this not nope i'm not the uh the the that veteran type isn't here you have a young guy that is in probably you know virtually his second second year. I'm not counting last year. I'm really not. And this would absolutely melt down that room. Yeah, I think it would as well.

And look, bottom line, you know, I mean, it's not so much that we're coming at the player because, again, I don't know if I'm higher on Richardson's ceiling in the NFL than Murph is or whatnot. I think he has the ability to be a very solid, maybe even a very good NFL quarterback in short order, but I don't think this is the system to do it, and I don't think he's going to excel here the way he would elsewhere because of the fact that, you know, I think the Patriots are pretty well set with Mack, and the type of offense that they're trying to build here under Bill O'Brien

says that that's the type of quarterback that they're looking for. So, yeah, LJ, I'm going to give you a B on this one because I like downs. I like Tucker craft. I like version on it. I really, really like Robinson. I really think that's an excellent pick. Um, and top to bottom and Jones, what you did there in, in the, the, the low hundreds, you know, before one 50 is, is some really great stuff, man. Jalen Jones, I think you come in here. He's that press man guy, um, that, that could have a future here in new England and wouldn't be expected to be a game changer. Um, you know, right away. Right. Absolutely. And folks, let us know what you think. JR's draft. You can definitely look at LJ's draft. Where did we get the grades wrong? Where did we get them? Right? Let us know your thoughts and some of the prospects

that you're looking at heading into this 2023 NFL draft. And don't forget folks, keep those mock drafts coming in because there is still plenty of time and who knows, maybe Murph and I will squeeze in a Friday mock draft evaluation as we get closer to the draft to give you more of an opportunity to showcase some of your great work, because we appreciate you. You are the lifeblood of locked on Patriots and you're what keeps us going. I always look to my good friend here on the other side of the screen and thank him for all of his contributions,

all of his wisdom and counsel and for always being there for the handoff before I let you go today, my friend, please let everyone know where they can find you absorb your wisdom and counsel, and what we can look forward to in the coming week from Thomas Brady. Airways before. He's not a media guy whatsoever, but he is one of the most entrenched SEC and college football fanatics that I know. And so Andrew Caraway is going to come in and bring it. This is a man that could work in this industry anywhere from the athletic to all he would have to do is put himself out there, but he loves coaching and that's what he does. Of course, you can go over to e2gsports.com and check out all my Red Sox stuff. I've got a nice piece on Adam Duvall out there today and what his injury could mean to the Red Sox going forward into a very important four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays.

I can't believe I'm saying that. Yeah, absolutely. Really a very, very important set. And, you know, the Rays are red hot, but the Sox are coming off a sweep, folks. So definitely, definitely. It's a quartet. We've got four games here, and they've got to take at least two of them.

Absolutely, folks. And definitely not only check out Merv's great work that he does for the Red Sox each and every day for E2G Sports, but give a lesson to our good friends over at Locked On Red Sox, because they are keeping you covered here on the Locked On Podcast Network, as are our good friends, who, if you've made us your first

listen, folks, make these guys your second listen, and that is Locked On NFL Scouting with the Draft Dudes, my good friends, Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino. I say it all the time. I mean it more each time I say it. Two of the best guys in the business, two of the most knowledgeable guys in the business. And they will walk you through all the ins and outs of building an NFL franchise.

And they'll do it with a little flair and a little style. And even though they throw a little vitriol at you in a wing when Patriots, you still have to respect what they bring to the table. So listen, download, subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts. And know your enemies.

Absolutely. You keep your friends close and your enemies close. And definitely do so please by all means, continue to lock, subscribe and stay locked in to the locked on Patriots podcast, wherever you get your podcasts in on YouTube. On behalf of my good friend, that counter, Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy of E2G Sports,

I'm Mike DeBate. Stay safe. Stay well. Be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone. Deuce Vaughn. Could have had Deuce Vaughn there, Del J. What are you doing?