Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Open-Minded, Patriots’ Mock Draft Monday - 1/20/2020

Episode Date: January 20, 2020

The New England Patriots continue to turn their attention to 2020. An important step in that process is preparing for the 2020 NFL Draft. Locked On NFL is partnering with The Draft Network to bring you Mock Draft Monday. Host Mike D’Abate breaks down what the Pats might be planning with the 23rd selection. He also gives his take on the latest news surrounding Tom Brady’s ‘open-minded’ approach to free agency and the participants in Super Bowl LIV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. Welcome to your open-minded Mock Draft Monday episode here on Locked On Patriots, your daily home for news, notes, and analysis, adding in the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. My name is Mike DeBate. I am your host of Locked On Patriots, which of course is a part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Please feel free to reach out to me and follow me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC, and be sure to follow Locked On Patriots on Twitter as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, Super Bowl 54 is set. And even though your New England Patriots are not playing in this one, there is still a Super Bowl.

I know, folks, it's hard to believe. February 7th, 2016, the last time a Super Bowl was played and the Patriots were not a participant. Of course, in that one, a 24-10 victory by the Denver Broncos over the Carolina Panthers, Peyton Manning's last game in the NFL. And do any of you remember where that Super Bowl was held? Santa Clara, California, Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. And that's actually relevant this year because, as we all know, yesterday those 49ers punched their ticket to Super Bowl 54, as did our conference nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs. Without question, folks, this is going to be a great game. And here on Locked on Patriots today, I'll be giving you my opinion on the conference championship games that we saw yesterday, some of the early tidbits that you might want to keep an eye on as we head

towards Sunday, February 2nd, and a 6.30 p.m. showdown in Miami Gardens, Florida, Hard Rock Stadium. Once again, folks, Kansas City Chiefs versus the San Francisco 49ers. And over the weekend, yes, folks, Tom Brady did make some quote-unquote headlines once again. And it is becoming monotonous here, folks, Tom Brady did make some quote-unquote headlines once again. And it is becoming monotonous here, folks. But as usual, a lot of the hoopla surrounding this is much ado about nothing. And I'll tell you exactly why that is.

And last but certainly not least, it is once again Mock Draft Monday here on Locked On Patriots. And that means our friends at the Draft Network have published their weekly mock draft. And this week's draft is courtesy of an old friend of ours here at Locked On Patriots. You might recall him as the host of Locked On Bills. Joe Marino submits this week. And if you recall last week's show, folks, Benjamin Salix submitted that the Patriots would go wide receiver in the first round with the 23rd pick.

He chose that the Patriots would go after Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins. This week, Joe also has the Patriots going wide receiver, but in a little different direction. And in my humble opinion, I think this one makes a little more sense. So sit tight, folks. A lot of information coming at you today, and I sincerely hope you enjoy today's podcast. But before we focus our attention squarely on the Patriots, and again, folks, I get it. That's the reason why we're here. We want to talk about our hometown team.

But it would be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that Super Bowl 54 is about to be played by two teams that aren't the New England Patriots. We starred in the AFC, and last week on Locked on Patriots, I did say that the AFC championship game was being played by two teams that beat the New England Patriots. Kansas City Chiefs did it in the regular season. Tennessee Titans did it in the postseason. Tennessee enjoyed a great run in the AFC this year, riding a wave at the tail end of the season that had them playing some of the best football out there. But they ran into a very potent Kansas City offense yesterday and a defense that did just enough to contain Derrick Henry, which is something that neither the Patriots nor the Baltimore Ravens were able to do.

Kansas City made sure that they were making the trip to Miami Gardens, Florida in two weeks. Patrick Mahomes, once again, brilliant in this one. 23 of 35 passing for 294 yards, three touchdowns. For the second straight week, Mahomes also led the team in rushing. Eight carries for 53 yards, including a 27-yard run down the sideline that really showed off Mahomes' athleticism. Kansas City 35, Tennessee 24. The Chiefs are your new AFC champions.

They will represent the conference in Super Bowl 54. First time in 50 years that they will make a Super Bowl appearance. And Kansas City definitely got a good team effort, but this one was all about Mahomes, and he deserves a lot of the praise that he's getting. Most people today will talk about his 27-yard run, and look, this was a very athletic play. And to be honest, this was the one that turned the tide. Until then, the Chiefs and the Titans were playing a pretty neck-and-neck game. And credit Patrick Mahomes on this.

He did see that the seam up the sideline was open. He took it. He realized that it's so difficult for linebackers, edge rushers, or really any defender to tackle the quarterback along the sidelines like that. It was a really great display of Mahomes' athleticism. However, a lot of people are heralding this, and some in the national media, as one of the greatest plays in NFL history. I think you need to pump the brakes on that, folks.

It was a dynamic play, no question about it. But to put it up there in the Pantheon with the greatest plays in NFL history, I think might be a little bit getting caught up in the moment. To be honest with you, that play is not what impressed me the most about Patrick Mahomes yesterday. So what did impress me most? Well, it's the growth and the maturity that he's showing in his game, particularly in the pocket. Mahomes is known to be an escape artist.

He can get out of the pocket, make things happen, make off-balance, no-look throws, things that are very aesthetically pleasing. And look, the crowd loves them, as they should. They're dynamic, and it's amazing that he's able to do some of these things. But to be a successful quarterback in this league, you have to be able to make quick decisions and make the right decisions. Mahomes struggled to do that last year, maybe relying a little bit too much on his athletic ability. That's not the case this year. He's a smarter quarterback, he's more patient, and he's making the throws and the plays that he needs to when he needs to make them. That's why he's so successful, and that's why you're seeing the Kansas City Chiefs having

the success that they've had in the second half of the season. Mahomes has grown back into his confidence, and to me, that's the most impressive thing about him, and the reason why he's Super Bowl-bound, folks. Here in Patriots Nation, there's still some animosity when it comes to the Pats and the Chiefs. I get it. But to discount what Mahomes is doing simply because of a rooting interest? We're a better fan base than that, folks. Give the kid credit where credit is due.

He's playing at another level right now. And while I congratulate him on that level, he's going to need to play at that level because the other team that punched their ticket to Miami yesterday, they're playing equally as well. And that's going to set the stage for a great game coming up in two weeks. I mentioned Santa Clara, California and Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. That's where the NFC Championship took place, folks. And this was another statement game who is by far the best team in their conference. The Niners ran roughshod over the Packers. Raheem Moster rushed for 220 yards, four touchdowns, and really made our old friend and my paisan Jimmy Garoppolo look like he was along for the ride yesterday.

Nick Bosa got after Aaron Rodgers in the pass rush from start to finish. San Francisco 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 37-20. They captured the NFC Championship. And in the process, they punch their ticket to Miami as well. And the Niners really dominated this one from start to finish. The Packers did make a little bit of a run. And credit Aaron Rodgers. He made a couple of beautiful throws.

One in particular was a 65-yard bomb to Devontae Adams. Tried to get the Packers back into it. But ultimately, their run defense was as porous as it comes. San Francisco had their way with it. And believe it or not, the Niners did this without arguably their most prolific runner in Tevin Coleman. He was on the sidelines with a shoulder injury, did not return to the game. But credit Raheem Moster. He definitely came up with the big plays when the Niners needed it.

And because of that, Jimmy Garoppolo's final stat line in this one looked a little anemic, folks. 6 of 8 passing 77 yards.olo's final stat line in this one looked a little anemic, folks. Six of eight passing 77 yards. That's hardly going to raise any eyebrows. And Jimmy is coming under some fire for that. People are looking at it and saying, oh, all he did was hand off. Even I said earlier that it looked like he was simply along for the ride on this one. But here's my retort to that and why I believe that Jimmy doesn't deserve a lot of the

criticism he's getting today. The Niners running game was an absolute force yesterday. It was working with ease. Ease to the point where the 49ers were simply running the ball at will. Kyle Shanahan recognizes that, folks. He's not going to abandon a surefire way to make sure that your team is able to dominate the contest from start to finish. And that's exactly what the 49ers did. It doesn't mean that Jimmy wasn't capable of handling the load. It simply meant that the Niners were going to play to their strength. The strength yesterday was the running game. The weakness in the Green Bay defense was definitely the run defense.

And the 49ers made him pay at every single turn. So before you look at that stat line and make the assumption that Jimmy Garoppolo can't win a Super Bowl for you, he definitely can. If you're a Niners fan, you can feel confident in that. Jimmy's got that ability. If he didn't, then the Niners would have lost long before now, and maybe they're not punching their ticket to Miami. So as Patriots fans, Jimmy being a former Patriot,

most would think that Pats fans would be looking at this and saying, all right, Jimmy's in the Super Bowl now. Let's go for him. Tom can't be there. The New England Patriots can't be there. Let's see Jimmy get a ring. For the most part, that's really the sentiment that I'm seeing for most of Patriots Nation. But there are a few select, and I'm not just talking fans here, folks,

that are trying to stir the storm a little bit. And you know what I'm talking about. It's the decision by the New England Patriots to trade Jimmy Garoppolo and hold on to Tom Brady. Revisionist history can be a fun way to get attention. However, it really needs to be noted that the Patriots had no way of keeping Jimmy Garoppolo on this roster. Putting aside the large financial burden it would have had to keep Jimmy Garoppolo as a backup, mind you, to Tom Brady, as well as Tom Brady on the roster for an additional

two years, was something the Patriots simply weren't going to do. You're not going to commit over half of your salary cap to two players. But for sake of arguments, and for the benefit of the delusional that seemed to think that quote-unquote the cap is crap, the Patriots simply couldn't give what Jimmy wanted more than anything, and that's playing time. Tom was coming off of a Super Bowl-winning season, playing at as high a level as you could possibly imagine for a quarterback his age. He certainly wasn't on the decline, and he definitely was playing at a level that made

an open and shut case that he was the best quarterback for this team in the immediate future. People also forget the fact that Jimmy was an unproven at the time. It's nice to be able to look back and say, oh, well, Jimmy, look at how he's playing now. He's phenomenal. They knew what they had. They just wanted to jettison him. Belichick really wanted to keep Jimmy. It was Kraft that stepped in and made him trade Garoppolo. Even though that report has largely been debunked, and there is a lot of evidence to support the fact that Kraft left this decision in the hands of Bill Belichick and said,

you have to make it, choose between Tom and Jimmy, and Belichick went with Tom. Patriots went to the Super Bowl both years, and they won one. It's hard to argue with the decision that was made. But ultimately, what a story like this does is it makes you want to stick your fingers in your ears, folks. For the next two weeks, we're going to be hearing the fodder about how it was more beneficial for the Patriots to keep Jimmy Garoppolo

and let Tom Brady walk out the door. Hindsight being 20-20, pun intended, is nice to be able to raise the blood pressure of Patriots fans and get people to quote-unquote hate listen. That's not something I'm going to do here on Locked On Patriots. Folks, the Patriots made the right decision. They hung on to Tom Brady, and there is no arguing the converse. He was the right guy for the team.

He still is. And that's why I believe he'll ultimately be back here taking snaps in 2020. If Brady had declined, or if Brady had decided to retire after Super Bowl 51, the best and most logical choice to succeed him would be unquestionably Jimmy Garoppolo. And he would have succeeded very nicely here in New England. But the timing and the circumstances just didn't present it. Because of that, one of them had to go. And while I for one would have loved to have seen Jimmy stick around,

it just wasn't possible, folks. And no hot take or uninformed opinion can convince you otherwise. It was a win-win for both sides. Jimmy definitely lucked out by going to San Francisco. He's thriving there and playing very well in a system that he's very comfortable in. But even after that trade, Brady continued to deliver unparalleled success here in New England. To argue that point is just simply looking for attention, folks. Bottom line, nothing else. So in the final analysis in this one, folks, don't be afraid to root for Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl. I reiterate my point from last week that by doing that, you only let the hot takers win.

The Patriots are not in this game, so you have the right to cheer or boo for whichever team you'd like. But to let your rooting interest be dictated by the opinions of those that are simply trying to get a rise out of you? In my opinion, that's not a wise decision and probably not the best way to spend the next couple of weeks. So with that being said, we have our own house cleaning to do here on Locked On Patriots. And don't worry, folks, we will get into your New England Patriots in just a moment.

However, before I proceed with that, we at Locked On are proud to say here that this episode is sponsored by Blue Chew. Guys, now you can increase your performance and get that extra confidence. Listen up, bluechew.com. That's blue like the color blue. Blue Chew brings you the first chewable with the same FDA approved active ingredients as Viagra and Cialis. You can take them anytime, day or night, even on a full stomach. And since they're chewable, they work up to twice as fast as a pill. So you can be ready whenever an opportunity arises. If you could benefit from more confidence from where it counts, Blue Chew is the fast and easy way to enhance your performance.

Blue Chew is prescribed online by licensed physicians, so you don't have to go to the doctor's office or wait in line at the pharmacy. And it ships straight to your door in a discreet package. They're made in the USA, and since Blue Chew prepares and ships direct, they're cheaper than a pharmacy. And best of all, there's no more awkwardness. Right now, we've got a special deal for our listeners. Visit BlueChew.com and get your first shipment free when you use our special promo code LOCKEDON.

Just pay $5 shipping. Again, that's B-L-U-E-CHEW.COM, promo code LOCKEDON, to try it for free. Blue Chew is the better, cheaper, faster choice, and we thank them for sponsoring the podcast. Pats fans, as I stated earlier, today is Mock Draft Monday here on Locked On Patriots once again, and in just a moment, I will be getting to what Joe Marino has in store in his crystal ball gazing for the New England Patriots for the 2020 draft. However, before I get into Joe's projected 2020 pick for the Patriots, I just wanted to take a moment to address the headlines that happened over the weekend with regard

to Tom Brady. And look, folks, we're at the point now where Brady pretty much does anything, and there are stories written about it, it's headline news, and it's the subject of non-stop speculation. On Saturday, Tom set the social media world abuzz when he was spotted in Las Vegas for UFC 246. He was attending as a spectator, which ended up being a very quick fight between Conor McGregor and Cowboy. But what really made headlines here in Patriots Nation was the photos of he and Raiders owner Mark Davis. Keep in mind that the Oakland Raiders are moving

from Oakland to Las Vegas for the 2020 season. They're looking to fill seats in a new stadium, and what better way to fill seats than to sign the biggest free agent prize out there this year? And he also happens to be the greatest player of all time. Of course, the predictable buzz started. Brady's going to end up in Las Vegas. He's going to be the quarterback of the Raiders. And look, folks, at the end of the day, that could end up happening. I don't think it will, but there are some out there that do.

As a matter of fact, UFC president Dana White, who is a lifelong Patriots fan, and also someone that's relatively close to Brady, said that he believes that if he's not going to be playing in Boston, that Brady to Las Vegas has some legs. He could definitely see him playing for the Raiders. Again, nothing but pure speculation, but a story that will raise the eyebrow because it's Tom Brady and because it involves his future. But on Sunday, this story gained maybe a little more momentum than it should have.

In his weekly interview with Westwood One Radio, Tom Brady was specifically asked about what his thoughts were about possibly playing elsewhere for the 2020 season. Brady responded with what I believe is still a pretty predictable answer. Tom said, quote, I'm open-minded about the process. At the same time, I love playing football and I want to continue to play and do a great job. I'm looking forward to what's ahead, whatever the future may bring, I'll embrace it with open arms. Now, this is hardly a declaration that he's leaving, folks, but again, the weekend click machine was working overtime on this one.

There were reports put out on Sunday morning that Tom was, quote, highly expected to test free agency. And again, these reports are meant to sound ominous. They're meant to indicate that the sky is falling. That's hardly the case, folks. For those that take a level-headed approach to Tom Brady's free agency and his contract situation with the Patriots, it's long been expected that Brady would probably test free agency. In his 20-year career, he's never had the opportunity to do that.

He probably will do his due diligence. So hearing that he's quote likely to test free agency is hardly a revelation here. For the last couple of weeks, I've been quoting NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran pretty steadily. And look, again, it's an opinion that I trust, folks. Curran recently offered his own take on this, saying that if the Patriots were to offer Tom a contract and show that they were highly motivated to get things done before the March 18th deadline, then Tom would most likely be all for it. But so far, the Patriots have not shown that type of urgency.

So Tom is simply preparing for the fact that he may have to go out there and test free agency. And before you start directing your vitriol in the direction of the New England Patriots, it's also something that they're doing their due diligence on as well. It doesn't mean they don't want to offer Tom a contract. It doesn't mean they're not going to. It simply means there's time in the process. And both sides are going to take as much time as they need to make sure that they get this decision right.

Keep in mind, the Patriots cannot assign the franchise tag to Tom. That's off the table. That was part of the agreement between he and the team when he signed the extension last summer. But again, folks, the tea leaves being read here are not going to give you any type of magical map to the free agency plans of one Tom Brady. Quite frankly, he doesn't know what he's going to do yet.

And he doesn't have to. You know where Tom's head is at right now? To close out his Westwood One interview, when he was asked how he's been spending the last couple of weeks of the offseason, Tom Brady said, quote, I'm decompressing from the season and spending time with my family. That's where his head is at right now, folks, and I don't think there's anyone in Patriots Nation that can blame him. I do understand.

You're anxious. I'm anxious. We're all anxious. We want to know what Tom's going to do. We want to see him back wearing Patriot blue next year. But the fact that a decision hasn't been made, and the fact that a decision may not be made until either just before or after March 18th, is in no way indicative of where Tom's going to be taking snaps next year.

It may be just my humble opinion, folks, but I still say that where he's going to be taking snaps next year is going to be right here in Foxborough. So now that we've cleared out some of the emotional speculation, let's get into some logistical speculation, the fun kind of speculation. And once again, folks, we are partnering with our friends at thedraftnetwork.com, and they have offered their mock draft 5.0 for the 2020 NFL draft. And nothing's changed. The Patriots still hold the number 23 pick in this draft.

That will not change unless the Patriots trade it. So who will they select? Well, Joe Marino of the Draft Network, who also happens to be my colleague here at Locked On, you've heard him here on this show during our Bills crossover weeks. And Joe is a good friend and a great analyst. And folks, he's got a very interesting pick on the table this week, one that I liked and I think you'll like as well. But before we break down Joe's selection at the number 23rd pick for the Patriots this

week, if you've been a listener of this podcast, I'm sure you've heard all the great advertisers working with Locked On to reach sports fans. But you may not know that Locked On Patriots is a great way for your local business to reach passionate Patriots fans just like you. Unlike any other podcast, Locked On gives your local company the unique ability to reach local podcast listeners.

Not just any podcast listener, a Locked On podcast listener. If your company wants to connect with Patriots fans and a predominantly male audience that is well-educated with disposable income, then let's put your company right here on this Locked On podcast. Local fans love to support local businesses.

Text the word advertising to 33777 or visit lockedonpodcast.com slash advertising. Let us know who you are and we'll get our team to help you achieve locked on advertising success once again text the word advertising to three three seven seven seven or visit locked on podcast.com slash advertising we look forward to hearing from you patriots fans the time has arrived. Your New England Patriots are on the clock. TheDraftNetwork.com has issued its mock draft 5.0. And according to my colleague Joe Marino, the New England Patriots with the 23rd pick in the Draft Network's mock draft 5.0,

the Pats select KJ Hamler, wide receiver out of Penn State. Hamler is coming off of his sophomore season at Penn State. His size is not impressive. He's 5'9", 176 pounds. But it was Joe's opinion that the Patriots would be making this pick in hopes of improving the talent surrounding Tom Brady. Because, like myself folks, Joe also believes that Tom will be back in New England in 2020. The best way to do that is to find wide receivers that can separate, and KJ Hamler can definitely do that. He has rare speed and is a true three-level threat for Tom. His skill set is very similar to Brandon Cook's and Joe compares him in his analysis and I happen to think this is actually a very apt comparison. Hamler is very

quick in short situations. He has some of the best acceleration of any wide receiver in this upcoming draft. He also has great speed in the open field and this is something that the Patriots really lacked this year. Last week, if you recall, Benjamin Salik had predicted that the Patriots would select wide receiver T. Higgins out of Clemson. Higgins is a very physical receiver, but the one thing that he lacked was the ability to run crisp routes. That's not the case with K.J. Hamler, and one of the reasons why I'm more intrigued by this pick than what Benjamin had selected last week. During his time at Penn State, he was elusive both in his route running and as a ball carrier. That's very difficult for defensive backs to read because of his explosive and refined footwork. That's something the Patriots

could definitely use. He's capable of functioning with a diverse and developed route tree, and in New England, especially with Josh McDaniels returning to the fold, we know that that route tree in New England is going to be difficult to run. Hamler is a quick study and a great route runner. That will definitely endear him to Tom Brady if he's catching passes from him next year. One of the most impressive things to me, though, about Hamler is he's shown the ability to separate on in-breaking routes, and he can even win inside releases from the slot.

He's excellent at decelerating as well. He's got an accelerated boost, but he can slow it down when he needs to And that means he can drop his hips and sit his routes down That creates passing windows And that's something that is invaluable to a quarterback like Tom Brady He's physically gifted as Nikhil Harry is Route running was a weak part of his game this year That will improve as he goes through training camp

And develops more of a synergy with his quarterback But the learning curve for Hamler in this situation would be less. He's also been known to take off very quickly when running the slant routes because his footwork is very quick. Last but not least, don't discount the fact that he is also a very good high-energy blocker. He works hard to cut off the angles of defensive backs, and that's something that is very Julian Edelman-like. So on paper, he looks like a pretty good fit for the Patriots.

New England loves receivers that can create separation in man coverage. Hamler is a master at doing that. You know what else he's good at, folks? Punt returning. Explosive speed in that department, so that could be something that intrigues the Patriots as well. However, as good as he sounds on paper, there are some drawbacks to Hamler's selection as well. His size will definitely limit where he plays and what his availability is. He's primarily going to be a slot-wide receiver in the NFL. That on its own is not a bad thing in the least. However, when you consider his lack of size, it may initially hamper his ability to be effective as a blocker, at least in the initial term.

He will need to bulk up a little bit in order to be considered reliable when it comes to physical durability. The Patriots are one of the few teams in the NFL that would see his lack of size as anything but a strength. However, until he adds some weight, he will probably be beaten by some of the bigger, longer press corners, and that will give him some issues at the line of scrimmage. As a result in coverage, he probably won't be winning many battles in traffic or jump balls at the catch point.

At the end of the day, I still don't believe the Patriots are going to go wide receiver in the first round. However, if they do, I like the selection of KJ Hamler a little bit better than the selection of Tee Higgins. Higgins is probably going to be the better pro, but in terms of the fit for the Patriots system, his route running ability, his ability to return punts, and his quickness and speed in man coverage, I think makes KJ Hamler an intriguing possibility for the Patriots, and even though I personally think it's unlikely, I think it's a solid pick by Joe Marino here.

What are your thoughts on the pick? I would love to hear what you think about the potential of KJ Hamler becoming a New England Patriot, and if not, who do you have slotted in at number 23 for the Patriots? Once again, keep a sharp eye out on the Locked On Patriots Twitter account. Very shortly, I will be asking for your input on what the Patriots are going to do at pick 23 and in the subsequent rounds. You might even be asked to submit a mock draft or two. So stay tuned, folks.

If the NFL draft is your thing, these next couple of months are going to be very exciting as we lead to mid-April and the 2020 NFL draft. And before I close out the show today here on Locked On Patriots, we pause to remember the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As you all know, we celebrate his birthday today, and he was known as one of the most prominent spokespeople and leaders in the American civil rights movement. Dr. King remains one of the most inspirational figures in history for his pursuit of equal rights, for his nonviolent approach to civil rights protests, and his unending courage which remains such an indelible lesson for all Americans and anyone in any walk of life to this day.

Dr. King had so many inspirational quotes, but one of which I wanted to share with you today because it's my favorite and so poignant for today's society, folks. He was quoted once as saying, Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. The chain of evil hate begetting

hate, wars producing more wars, must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. And folks, while that might be a bit of a dark quote to share with you today, Dr. King's words could not be more poignant. In a society that's far too often driven by hate rather than love, perhaps those in all walks of life, particularly those on either side of the political spectrum, can heed Dr. King's words a little bit more when they're needed the most. Folks, I hope that you enjoyed today's podcast. I will be back tomorrow for Trending Twitter Tuesday, and we'll delve into the subject of the Aaron Hernandez documentary that has been making its way around Netflix.

My friend Ian Glendon will join me tomorrow to discuss this documentary and what it means for the legacy of Hernandez, for the NFL, and the impact it still continues to have on the New England Patriots. As always, please be sure to join me each and every day here on the Locked On Patriots podcast and subscribe and download via your preferred podcast provider. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank my colleague Joe Marino and all of our friends at the Draft Network for their inputs on the mock drafts here on Mock Draft Monday.

But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Have a great day, everyone.