Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Patriots Day, New Threads and Mock Drafts - 4/20/2020

Episode Date: April 20, 2020

The New England Patriots revealed their new 2020 uniforms on Patriots Day. As a new era dawns in Foxboro, host Mike D’Abate offers his thoughts on the Pats’ new threads, as well as his insight on a possible trade of OL Joe Thuney. Lastly, he provides his analysis on the latest submissions for #MockDraftMonday by the listeners of Locked On Patriots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you Foxborough football faithful. Welcome to your Patriots Day and Mock Draft Monday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, your feedback, always welcomed and appreciated. And you can always share that feedback by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're traveling throughout the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the

Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, it is a bittersweet day here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and that is because today is the final Mock Draft Monday before the 2020 NFL Draft coming up this Thursday. That's right, folks. This coming Thursday, April 23rd, the day we've all been looking forward to since the Patriots season ended back in early January. A new era is about to begin in Foxborough with a lot of new beginnings. But those new beginnings aren't just limited to the roster, folks.

Yes, I'm well aware for the first time in 20 years, the New England Patriots will have a new starting quarterback. Not on a temporary or injury-related basis, but no, on as permanent of a basis as you can have. But that new starting quarterback, in addition to all the other Patriots on the 53-man roster, will be wearing some new threads. And that will also be a first for the Patriots on the 53-man roster will be wearing some new threads. And that will also be a first for the Patriots because, as you know, they haven't undergone any major changes to the Patriots uniform, their primary home and away uniforms, that

is, for the past 20 seasons. So, a new dawn and a new day in Foxborough here on this Patriots Day edition of the Locked On Patriots Podcast. And of course, folks, as stated earlier, today is Mock Draft Monday, the final Mock Draft Monday before the big dance on Thursday. And that means you, yes, you, all of the amazing listeners of Locked On Patriots are today's stars because the mock drafts that you submitted over the weekend were among the most intriguing, realistic, and quite frankly, folks, among the best work that I've seen all season long.

Over the weekend, we received not only the highest number of mock drafts that we've gotten all year long, but also some of the most stellar work that I've seen, not just from the listeners, folks, from anybody. That includes experts, analysts, beat writers. The insight that Patriots fans have when it comes to the NFL draft, in my humble opinion, is vastly underrated. Because of your great work, we're going to change that.

And even though there were just too many mock drafts to share with you, I want to sincerely and humbly thank each and every one of you that took the time to submit a mock draft during both our Mocks of March exercise and our Profiles of April exercise. Not only has it been my honor to get a chance to see the great work that you all do and experience

your passion for New England Patriots football, but I had the opportunity to get to know several of you on a personal level. And that to me, folks, is the greatest reward. The podcast is only as strong as its listeners, and I'm so honored by the support I receive from each of you every single day. Whether you've submitted a mock draft, took the time to review the podcast on either Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just sending a quick note of encouragement on Twitter, I can't begin to put into words how much that means to me and how much I appreciate it. Even the constructive criticism that I receive is always well received and absorbed so that

way I can help to make Locked On Patriots a better listen for each and every one of you every single day. That's my mission. And even though Mock Draft Mondays are coming to a close here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, the interactive portion featuring your great news notes and analysis will not end. That will continue on throughout the offseason, into the preseason, and even into the regular season, folks.

So keep those thoughts and that passion coming. And as long as you invite me into your daily routine as a part of your New England Patriots coverage, I will continue to bring as many of you here into the fold at Locked On Patriots. Because much like our beloved New England Patriots did all the way back in 2001 in Super Bowl XXXVI, we want to be known as a team, and that's how we roll here in New England. But before we give way to my take on the Patriots' new threads which they revealed early Monday morning, as well as your great mock drafts here on Mock Draft Monday, I did want to take just a few moments to address some logistical news that broke over the weekend.

And in his Sunday column, ESPN's Mike Reese indicated that the Patriots might be open to trading second-team all-pro guard Joe Tooney. And this comes after reports that negotiations between Tooney and the Patriots have not exactly been too abundant since the Patriots placed the franchise tag on Tooney last month. And that did set off a great deal of speculation on Sunday. And as Sunday gave way into Monday, it appears that Reese set off a great deal of speculation on Sunday. And as Sunday gave way into Monday, it appears that Reese's initial report might be more likely than not. And Peter King of NBC Sports, in his latest Football Morning in America column, reported that Tooney is, quote, likely to be traded at some point during the 2020 NFL draft. And folks, as much as I love Joe Tooney

as a player and as a prototypical Patriot off the field, this is really not a surprise. Keeping Tooney under the terms of the franchise tag would handcuff the Patriots. They have less than $1 million in salary cap space as we speak, forking over $14.78 million, which is the amount that Tooney would be owed under the terms of the franchise tag, would be the team's second highest salary cap hit behind cornerback Stephon Gilmore. And folks, it really would make it near impossible for New England to address its other needs. Now, in addition to giving them some financial relief, trading Tooney could also help the Patriots bolster their draft arsenal. Don't forget, New England currently owns 12 total picks. That's a pretty good haul, folks. But over half of that collection is slated between the fifth and

the seventh rounds. If the Patriots decide to deal Joe, it could mean getting the return of either a 2nd round or an early 3rd rounder, and that could provide some additional extra motivation for the Patriots to get a deal done here. I also want to just throw this out here that this specific scenario is one of the big reasons why I made the decision to select Cesar Ruiz with the 23rd pick in the Locked On NFL 2020 Mock Draft Special. A lot of people that listened to that special series thought that I was taking Ruiz maybe

a little bit too high, or that offensive line wasn't as great of a need as the Patriots have, either on defense or the offensive skill positions. But folks, when I looked at the logistics of the franchise tag that the Patriots placed on Tooney, and the likelihood of whether or not a long-term deal would be able to get worked out, to me it always seemed like a remote possibility at best. Which is why I believe that a scenario such as the one we're hearing right now would end up playing out. Again folks, we don't know if this is going to happen. But if the Patriots do decide to trade Joe Tooney, what better way to replace that productivity on the interior of the offensive line than

to draft the top-rated prospect in the market? So many great draft analysts such as Mark Schofield, Evan Lazar, Isaiah Hull have all joined me here on the Locked On Patriots podcast to both sing the praises of Cesar Ruiz and also make me feel a little bit smarter for making that pick at number 23. So again, folks, as I like to say, keep a sharp eye on this one. If the Patriots see Cesar Ruiz there with the number 23 pick and they hold on to it, I just can't envision a scenario where they would leave him on the board for another team to take, especially if Joe Tooney is not a part of their 2020 plans.

Again, folks, that's just what I would do. What the Patriots will do, I guess we'll find out on Thursday evening. And speaking of Thursday evening, what would you all do? Not just Thursday, but into Friday and Saturday, all throughout the NFL draft. You have the authority to submit your mock drafts, and we will break those down here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And I'll provide you with a little bit of insight as to how the Patriots dipped into something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue when it came to their new 2020 uniforms. All that and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

Patriots fans, once again, it is Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And for so many of the previous Mock Draft Monday segments here, we have called upon our friends at thedraftnetwork.com, some of the greatest draft analysts anywhere in sports media, to help us with their prognostications, whether that be with mock drafts or draft profiles. And they have been an invaluable help to all of us here across the Locked On Podcast Network, as have you, our listeners, in submitting some stellar mock drafts, especially the ones that I received over the weekend.

And in just a little bit here on the pod, I will be sharing my thoughts and evaluations on the great work that you all did. But first, I would be remiss if I did not say that today in Massachusetts, we would all be celebrating Patriots Day. In most cases, a day off from work and school, a mid-morning Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park, and of course, the running of the Boston Marathon. Of course, seven years ago, on April 15, 2013, Patriots Day took on a whole new meaning, and of course I'm talking about the aftermath of the tragic Boston Marathon bombing. And while that tragic and horrific event will

always cast a bit of a pall on Patriots Day, the perseverance and optimism that makes all of us here in New England Boston strong slowly started to be felt a little bit more with each passing year. Well, this year Patriots Day is taking on a little bit more of a somber tone than in years past. For most of us, it's a day at home, but not really a day off from work or school. Both the marathon itself and the Sox game at Fenway have at least been postponed. And a global pandemic continues to remind us that at the end of the day, health is the most important wealth that you could possibly own. But because the football

team for which we are all so passionate, folks, shares the name of this very holiday, the team took it upon themselves to make this Patriots Day remembered for something at least a little bit more positive. And I think that even the most ardent Patriots detractors are likely to admit that revealing new threads on Patriots Day is both strategic and kind of clever. And yes, folks, as they had promised to on Friday, your New England Patriots revealed a new set of primary uniforms, and it's the first time they've done so in 20 years. And I'm sure you've all seen them by now. Just in case you haven't, I do recommend checking them out. They're all over Patriots.com, and there was a lot of speculation as to what these new uniforms would look like, folks. But in the end, the

information that the team released last month ended up being pretty accurate, and that the changes were subtle. In short, the team's most recent alternate uniforms, those Color Rush uniforms, well, they've been promoted as their primary home threads. The blue jerseys match with the new pants. Now, there are going to be some subtle differences here. For starters, the team made some minor adjustments to the fonts

on both the numbers and the nameplates. A little bit more traditional in both. In addition to that, red, white, and blue color blocked socks will be making their debut as part of the new 2020 uniforms. Again, the color scheme for the new home uniforms is going to be navy on navy, and then with a bold red and white stripe down the leg on the pant and on the sleeves, where the Patriots' Flying Elvis logo is continued to be featured prominently. But the more dramatic of the two changes comes to the Patriots' new traveling duds, and they're going to have an entirely new look for the upcoming season. The white road jersey is going to sport a strong red and white blue stripe on the shoulder,

and blue numbers that are going to be outlined in both silver and red. They're going to pair with the blue pants, which at this point, folks, appear to be the only Patriots option for legwear in 2020. So again, folks, blue on blue for the home, white on blue for the road. And as I look around Patriots social media on Monday, I saw a lot of mixed reactions. Some of you actually really like the new uniforms, a lot of vitriol being thrown at them. And I get it.

It's a matter of personal preference. As for me, I'm kind of walking the middle of the road on these. And I know, it sounds like a cop-out. I think the jerseys themselves are clean, they're neat, but I think the stripes on the shoulders just have an incomplete look to them. Again, just my personal preference, but I would have continued the stripe around the sleeve and under it to give it a more finished and polished look.

Also, I would have liked to have seen a little more continuity when it came to the Patriot stripes on the shoulders and the stripe down the side of the leg. But overall, I think they did a fairly good job here, and it comes at a pretty good time. The Patriots are moving on from the quote-unquote Brady-Belichick era and ushering in a new era with a new starting quarterback. One thing I did want to put to rest here, folks, and I'm seeing a lot of this pop up on social media, in that the Patriots did not decide to change the uniforms because they either knew Tom Brady wasn't coming back, or made the final decision

to do so once they knew Brady wasn't coming back. This has been in the works now since 2018. I can understand why many of you might have jumped to that conclusion. It makes sense, and to be honest, it does follow suit with the timeline of events, but the Patriots did begin this process more than two years ago when they released the Color Rush uniforms and they were met with such positive reaction from the fan base. Now keep in mind that the NFL only allows changes to uniforms every five years. And Jen Farron, who's the CMO of Kraft Sports and Entertainment, said in her statement at

Patriots.com on Monday that she believed that the team already had a strong foundation in place to begin the redesign and that's how they arrived at Monday's finished product. And I'll read to you her statement verbatim. Quote, as we started to think about the 2020 season in a new decade, we began to envision what we wanted our uniforms to reflect. The success of the Color Rush uniform that we've worn for the past couple of years had us thinking that we didn't need to make real substantive changes. Rather, we could make modest changes to our home uniform and then use a complementary version with those same aesthetics for our away uniform, end quote. And folks, that's a pretty complete and accurate statement. But one thing that was

conspicuous by its absence on Monday during the new uniform reveal was the presence of an alternate or a throwback alternate uniform for the New England Patriots. Over the weekend, a lot of people had speculated as to whether or not we might see a return of the Pat Patriot red and white era uniforms from the 70s and the 80s, or a return from the Bledsoe era blues of the 90s. And with all due respect to those 90s royal blues, the uniform that I think is most beloved within Patriots Nation are those red and white throwback uniforms of the team's early days.

That look that includes the original Pat Patriot logo. And as you all know, or some of you may not, Pat Patriot was created by the Worcester Telegram Evening Gazette's cartoonist Phil Bissell in 1960. And it's that look that's consistently praised among fans and football analysts alike as one of the most classic and one of the sharpest looks in NFL history. They're also among the most popular and best-selling jerseys in the Patriots pro shop. So knowing all that, the question becomes, why not just bring back Pat Patriot? Well, folks, it's a good question, but there is a good answer for it. And I assure you, it's not because team ownership is tone-deaf when it comes to what the

fan base wants. In fact, they're well aware that the fan base is so enamored with the old throwback Reds that they tried to incorporate some of that into the collar rush uniforms that we're seeing today. The bold stripes, the sleeves, these are both nods to the Red throwbacks, and you can see the similarities between the two. But ultimately, here's why the Patriots cannot bring back Pat Patriot at this time. Current NFL uniform rules state that teams can only use one helmet for the season, and this was enacted by the NFL a few years ago in order to promote more continuity when it came to headwear

and help promote greater safety in light of a lot of the research and the findings that happened when it came to CTE. Because the Patriots' helmet is primarily silver, that's the color they'd have to stick with for the remainder of the season. Now, in theory, folks, they could peel off the decal of the Flying Elvis logo, slap a Pat Patriot on the side of the helmet, but it would be a silver helmet. And And folks, it's just not right. To me, it would compromise the integrity of that early uniform. If you want that uniform, it has to be the red jersey,

the white pants, the white helmet with the Pat Patriot on the side. Anything else is going to look lost. It's going to look out of place. And that's the reason why you haven't seen the red throwback jerseys in quite a while. Yes, they sell them in the pro shop, but if the Patriots are going to wear those jerseys on the field, it would have to be with the silver Flying Elvis logo. And it just doesn't work. And actually, I give the Patriots some credit on this one for not simply throwing the throwback jersey out there with the modern helmet and trying to make it work. They understand the integrity of the original uniform. They understand the integrity of the current uniform, and folks, that's why, at least for now, they have to remain separate. But, I will say this, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, and Jen Farron,

when she spoke with Patriots.com, did leave the door open for this possibility. According to some reports that have been circulating this month, the NFL might be open to amending their one-helmet rule. A lot of people call it the, quote, one-she one shell rule if you hear that term thrown about as well. And what that means is with the advances in CTE research and the enhancement when it comes to construction of helmets and headgear, they might not have to be so steadfast in the one helmet one season rule. If that is the case, that opens the door for the Patriots to have an alternative white helmet. And that's where the door could be open when it comes to a return of the Pat Patriot red and whites. Theron's exact words were, quote, our primary uniforms in the

modern era have been blue and white and they will remain so. We do recognize that fans also have an affinity for the red throwback uniform and we hope to incorporate that into our uniform rotation in the future. So folks, if you're like me and you're a stark raving fan of the Pat Patriot logo and the old red and white throwbacks, they might have to remain on the shelf for just a little while longer, but they might not be extinct yet. And perhaps, in Foxborough, what is past just might become prologue. So Patriots fans, Monday's announcement marks a new sartorial era in Foxborough.

But who are some of the new players that will be wearing those new threads when the 2020 NFL season kicks off? And some of those new names being sewn into those new jerseys will belong to members of the Patriots 2020 NFL Draft class. What will those names be? Well, in just a moment, I will share my thoughts and insight on the submissions of all of you pseudo-GMs that submitted mock drafts over the weekend when Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

Patriots fans, once again, it is Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And as I said when I opened the show today, I do say that with a little bit of a bittersweet feel. The Mock Draft Monday segments have been among my favorites to produce since I started as host of Locked On Patriots back in August of 2019. The opportunity to interact with you and even get to know each of you that took the time to send in a mock draft has truly been an honor. And also, as I said to open the show, those interactions will continue.

A lot more interactive exercises will take place between now and the start of training camp, into training camp in the preseason, and of course into the regular season, and even beyond that into the playoffs.'s right folks I said playoffs the Patriots are still getting into the playoffs because you and I both know that the New England Patriots will not accept losing and with that being said I look forward to continuing that interactive relationship that we've been able to form and to all of you that have participated in both our mocks of March exercise as well as our profiles of April exercise I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I humbly remain grateful for your continued support.

But folks, if the Patriots are going to make it into the playoffs, like I just said they would, they're going to need to build a pretty good roster to be able to do that. And a big part of that roster building comes from the NFL draft. And some of the mock drafts that I saw this weekend would help to really improve this team. So, without further ado, let's kick off the final mock draft Monday of 2020 here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And I start today with a little Michigan flavor from Tyler at T underscore Force. That's F-O-R-S-S-1, as in the number one. And Tyler submitted not one, not two, but three impressive mock drafts.

And Tyler, great work. I was impressed by all three of them. In fact, if I wasn't bound by time restraints, I would want to feature all three of them. But the one I went with was his original submission. And in this mock draft, Tyler has the Patriots addressing some key needs, including right off the bat at pick number 23. Patrick Queen, linebacker out of LSU. Some might call Queen undersized.

We've talked about this several times here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, but his versatility, his athleticism, and his nonstop motor, to me, make him the type of talent at the linebacker position that the Patriots just can't pass up. So Tyler, right off the bat, I'm impressed. For his next pick, Tyler has the Patriots trading up to the number 69 pick, and he has them taking a tight end. And boy, would that make Rob Gronkowski proud. Nicely done, Tyler. He has the Patriots taking Adam Troutman, tight end out of Dayton. And again, folks, Troutman has been one of the Mock Draft Monday All-Stars when it comes to potential Patriots

picks. Of all the tight ends in the draft, I like Troutman as the best potential fit for New England. And the more I thought about this over the weekend, I don't think 69 is too early to take him. Troutman is an amazing fit in Foxborough, and if he's sitting there and you have the ability to take him, do it. And kudos, Tyler, on the courage to be able to trade up to get the player that you've targeted, and then putting it into action and selecting him with the next pick that you have available in the draft. Number 98, Van Jefferson, wide receiver out of Florida. We've talked about him several times here on the podcast as well. I love the Jefferson pick, but I will warn you, Tyler,

he's moving rapidly up the ranks as a potential pick higher than number 98. I do have a feeling that he might be gone by the time the Patriots go to make this selection at number 98. But if he is there in this number 98-100 area, I think the Patriots would be wise to take a player like Van Jefferson, who really checks a lot of the boxes of what they're looking for in a wide receiver. Number 100, Tyler has them addressing the edge rush position. Khalid Kareem out of Notre Dame. And I like this pick a lot. Solid value.

But again, Kareem is starting to inch his way up NFL draft boards. Nabbing him at 100 might be a little bit wishful thinking. But then again, I can see him dropping to this area, and if he does, the Patriots could do a lot worse than to pick up Khalid Kareem to help out with the edge rush. And speaking of that edge rush, it leads me to Tyler's favorite pick in this mock draft. At number 241, he has them selecting one of his hometown favorites, and that is Mike Dana, edge rusher out of the University of Michigan. Now, Dana is a name that some of you might recognize from my conversation with Isaiah

Hull of Wolverine Wire last Thursday here on Locked On Patriots. Isaiah identified Mike Dana as a potential late-round diamond in the rough for the New England Patriots, and I think he's really on to something here. I had the opportunity to scout Dana a little more over the weekend, and I did watch some clips on him. He's very athletic for a player of his size, he moves well, has decent lateral quickness, and he can get to the quarterback. In three seasons at CMU, where he attended before coming to Michigan, he registered 55 quarterback pressures, 42 stops, and during his time as a Wolverine, he was most effective as an edge rusher and I think he could

bring a tremendous amount of depth and late round value for the Patriots if they choose to select him with one of those later round picks. And if for no other reason, he would follow that Patriots-Michigan Wolverines type legacy. A late round diamond in the rough, which folks, if we remember and think really hard about it, we can remember a certain Michigan Wolverine that had a pretty good career after being selected in the sixth round of the draft. And this year's defense already has a pretty good defensive end from Michigan. That's pretty good at getting after the quarterback in Chase Winovich. So maybe that Michigan connection is the key to success.

Only time will tell. But ultimately, Tyler, solid work here. I do like what you've done. I might have used a couple of those mid-to-late round picks on either a quarterback or maybe a kicker because the Patriots have need at both of those positions. But I really do like the work that you've put in here. And because of that, I'll throw in a gold blue. So thank you, Tyler.

And on to the next mock draft submission that I received. And that is from a good friend and former colleague of mine, David Rogers at the David A. Rogers. And David's ingenuity here allowed him to have the Patriots move back out of the first round to pick up another third round pick and was still able to pick up the guy he wanted all along. How great is that, right? Well, by trading the number 23 pick in the first round, David was able to pick up the number 47 pick and the number 78 pick. And with that 47th pick, he chose Zach Bond, linebacker out of the University of Wisconsin. And again, Bond would be an amazing fit in this defense.

Prototypical 3-4 allows the Patriots to maintain that same type of defense that they had in 2019. The only problem I see with this, David, is I don't know if Zach Bond would be around at 47. Bond is another player that continues to rise in popularity as the draft gets closer and closer. In fact, some analysts are so high on him that they've even entertained the Patriots taking him at the number 23 pick. If they could swing this and Bond falls to that number 47 realm, this is a no-brainer and an excellent choice. But David wasn't exactly done. In fact, he wasn't even done addressing the linebacker position.

To play on the inside, he selected Logan Wilson out of Wyoming with the 78th pick. And David, I like this selection. If for no other reason, because we haven't really talked about Wilson too much on Locked On Patriots, but perhaps we should have talked about him a little bit more, because he is the type of physical, urgent, and standout tackling linebacker that the Patriots like to employ. I like his ability to defend short zones and basic coverage drops. He would need some work on his man coverage reps, but ultimately, I like his range, I

like his fluidity, and if the Patriots could get him in that 70 range, I think he has the potential to be a very good value at that position of the draft. I also like David's ingenuity at pick number 172, where he selected a name that we've seen in some mock drafts here on Locked On Patriots, but not a whole lot, and that's Thaddeus Moss at tight end out of LSU. We all know the pedigree with the Moss name, that being Randy Sonnenall, but I think this has a decent chance of happening, especially when earlier in his mock draft, David selected Cole Komet at tight end with the number 87 pick. Again, Komet has tremendous upside, and while I don't like him quite as much as Trotman as I do for New England, I believe Cole

would make a very good tight end here in Foxborough. Problem is, I think he's going to be off the board at number 87. But because Moss's draft stock has fallen due to injury, he might be there in that 172 range. And to be honest with you, David, if he is there, I don't think there's any way the Patriots pass him up. David also has some solid late round additions at number 204, safety Josh Metellus out of Michigan. And with pick number 212, defensive end Kendall Coleman coming out of Syracuse. Two unsung players with a lot of potential upside. I would say that the Patriots are doing their residual homework on at least one, if not both of these guys, and ultimately, I really like the work done here.

So thank you, David. I'm not surprised because you always submit quality, and I hope you're staying safe and well, my friend. Moving right along here on this Mock Draft Monday is another solid submission, this time by my man LJ, at show underscore one. And LJ has the Patriots addressing a number of needs in this draft, including quarterback and even the kicker position. But we start with the number 23 pick, where the Patriots address safety, and that is with Xavier McKinney out of Alabama. And if the Patriots hold on to the number 23 pick, and Xavier McKinney is still available, if safety is what

they're looking for, if safety is what they're looking for, this is a guy they should choose. He has great tackling skills in space, strong football IQ, and a knack for hunting the football in all phases. My feeling, LJ, is that the Patriots will address the safety position, but I don't think they do it at number 23. That being said, I think your pick is solid. I don't disagree with it, It's just a difference in opinion as to their priorities. Your pick at number 87 is one I like a lot, and that is Chase Claypool out of Notre Dame. This is a deep wide receiver class, but Claypool could come in here and be an impact receiver right away. He's got great size, great catch radius, and straight line speed that would make him

a great target for whoever is throwing him passes in 2020. Claypool is another one of these receivers that continues to fluctuate depending on whose draft analysis you're looking at. I've seen some projections that have Claypool going as high as an early second round pick, and some that actually have him dropping to near the fourth. As I always like to quote Aristotle, virtue lies in the middle, and I think he's somewhere in that middle part. Again, because of the depth at the wide receiver position, Patriots may look to address other needs here and wait a little bit down the line to pick up an impact wide receiver. But if we see Chase Claypool donning one of those snazzy new uniforms we saw earlier today on Patriots Nation, I certainly wouldn't be complaining.

And in a move that would make my good friend Thomas Murphy grin with delight at number 100, LJ has the Patriots taking Jake Fromm, quarterback out of the University of Georgia. And again, we've talked about Fromm as a potential great fit in New England. I didn't see it at first, but the more I look at it, and the more I look at the fit in New England, much thanks to my good green friend, I'm starting to like Fromm more and more as a potential fit in Foxborough. And down the line at 204, LJ has the Patriots selecting Rodrigo Blankenship,

the hot rod coming to New England as New England's new kicker from the University of Georgia. So LJ, thank you for the submissions. Solid work, solid logic, and I really want to thank you for always being a support to Locked On Patriots. You've been one of our big fans from the get-go, and it really means the world to me, so thank you for taking the time out and for making your submission to our final Mock Draft Monday here on the pod.

And last but certainly not least, and while I will stop short of handing out an All-Star Award for Mock Draft submissions here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, this man deserves an extra special shout-out, and he is Andrew Carraway at Carraway6. Andrew has been a Mock Draft machine

and really has put together some of the more solid work that I've seen. And in a phrase that I believe encapsulates the entire spirit of the interactive exercises we've done here on Locked On Patriots, he saved his best work for last. Because like LJ, he has the Patriots going safety at number 23, but he has them going with a different player, and that is safety Grant Delpit out of LSU. And as I've stated many times, I believe Delpit to be the superior fit in New England to even someone with skills as amazing as Xavier McKinney.

I just like the fact that Delpit is versatile, he's physical, he's urgent, he's smart, he's athletic, and I believe that his skill set is perfect for matching up against the pace and space present in today's NFL offenses. If the Patriots add Delpit at the safety position, they would have continuity there for a number of years. And that bodes well for a Patriots defense that's still likely to be strength of this team in 2020. And he continues that with the 87th pick and choosing edge rusher Jonathan Greenard out

of the University of Florida. And again, Greenard is not a name that I've mentioned here a lot on Locked On Patriots, particularly because he may not be the most dynamic athlete. But this would be a solid value and a solid pick for the New England Patriots. He does have flexibility, functional strength, hand technique, and length to help make up for whatever he lacks in desired athleticism. Now, he does profile as a base end in a 4-3 defense that has the versatility to rush the passer from the interior.

He would be a little bit of a project in New England, particularly if they maintain that 3-4 set. But again, folks, he is versatile, and I think he has the upside to factor into the Patriots' defensive line rotation if, in fact, they decide that he'd be a pretty good fit and use some third round draft capital to select him. But if I'm being honest, my favorite selection out of Andrews Hall that he submitted this weekend was pick number 125, linebacker Marcus Bailey out of Purdue University. And Marcus' logistical fit here is undeniable. I really like the way he fits into the Patriots' defense.

What really makes me like this pick even more is that apparently he's had some pretty good pre-draft meetings with current Patriots linebackers coach Gerard Mayo. Because much like Mayo himself, one of Bailey's biggest pluses is that he's a great processor. Our friends over at TheDraftNetwork.com are very high on Bailey because he has the versatility to play downhill and hold his own in coverage. If we're talking in terms of pure talent, I believe Bailey could be projected as high as a late first rounder, maybe even an early second rounder. The reason why he's falling so much is because he's had two major knee injuries in college, including in his final season. Because of that, he does come with some athletic restrictions.

Make no mistake about it, when he's healthy, Bailey is very physical in playing into the line of scrimmage, and he really is a natural in processing the run game. Bailey is not only a player whose name I hope to hear called when it's one of the Patriots' selections, but I think it's one that is likely to be called. He checks off a lot of the boxes when it comes to their needs and wants, and at the end of the day, he could be one of those late-round value picks that ends up paying dividends in Foxborough.

So, Andrew, what can I say? Thanks again for all of your solid work this season. I appreciate you being a fan of Locked On Patriots, but allow me to say that I'm a fan of yours. So, Andrew, as well as each and every one of you that has taken the time to submit great work during the Mox of March and Profiles of April exercises here on Locked On Patriots, thank you once again, and I hope that you continue to participate in many more of the interactive exercises that we will have right here on the pod.

As for me, I will be back tomorrow to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis, along with comprehensive coverage of the 2020 NFL Draft right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Be sure to subscribe to Locked On Patriots on Apple Podcasts. Follow on Spotify so you do not miss an episode. And don't forget, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots on your smart device. How do you do so? Very simple.

Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's pod, now tell your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank all of you pseudo-Patriots GMs who submitted a mock draft for Mock Draft Monday. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.