Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Pats Pre-Draft Prognostications: New England Patriots in Round One — 4/29/2021

Episode Date: April 29, 2021

The day has finally arrived. The 2021 NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Host Mike welcomes Keagan Stiefel of Pats Pulpit of SB Nation to discuss the New England Patriots potential plans for Round One of the 2021 NFL Draft. New England might look to fill needs at quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line, linebacker/EDGE and cornerback on Day One.Listen to The Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 presented by Audacy and the Locked On Podcast Network. April 19th-26th. Follow the feed today!Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.ManscapedGet 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code LOCKEDONNFL at Manscaped.com.NugenixText now, and they’ll include a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever with key ingredients to help you get back in shape, absolutely free! Text DRAFT to 2-3-1-2-3-1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. You are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm your host, Mike DeBate, and today is Draft Day here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Locked On Patriots is presented today by rockauto.com. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need.

Visit rockauto.com and make sure to tell them Locked On sent you. Patriots fans, the day we've all been waiting for since the end of the 2020 NFL season has finally arrived. It's draft day, and you all know what that means. The New England Patriots will do what's best for the football team. Whether or not that coincides with what the fans want or what the media wants is really inconsequential in my opinion. Bill Belichick has never danced to the beat of that drum.

He'll follow his intuition, his plan, no matter what. And yeah folks, in case you're wondering, that pun was intentional. I know a lot of us are going to be watching the movie Draft Day when all of this is said and done, but I wonder how many of you pulled out a post-it note today and wrote down player X no matter what. Which player is on your post-it note? I'll tell you what, if you did that, drop a line to me at mdabatefpc

or the Locked On Patriots account at LO underscore Patriots and show us who's the player you hope the Patriots select no matter what. And I'm not going to generalize, but I would say quite a few of you would write down the name of a quarterback on that post-it note. Probably Justin Fields of Ohio State, maybe some of you like Trey Lance out of North Dakota State, and some of you might be Mac Jones fans out of Alabama. All three players have definitely been on the Patriots radar, and in my opinion, will remain on the radar until this evening. Mac Jones is looking like the number three pick to

the San Francisco 49ers at this point, folks. For all of you that are Mac Jones fans, hoping to see him wear Patriot blue might be a little bit of a stretch right now, but again, not impossible. That would seemingly leave the Patriots to try to make a deal to move up in the draft to acquire either Fields or Lance. And at the time I'm recording this, it's apparently evident that the New England Patriots are doing their due diligence in making calls, trying to work the lines, see what's available and what might be the best move, but nothing is imminent at this point. We all know that the Patriots currently hold the number 15 pick in the first round,

meaning that tonight, the Pats will be on the clock to pick around the 9.45pm hour on the East Coast. And I want to thank Mike Reese of ESPN for putting that on his Twitter page to give us all a heads up. But any one of the major quarterbacks that are available in this evening's draft are likely to be gone by the time the Patriots pick at 15, which means if they want one of the blue chippers, they're going to have to trade up to get them. That means if the Patriots are not able to swing a deal to move up in the draft and draft either a Justin Fields or a Trey Lance or maybe even a Mac Jones, then they're faced with one of two scenarios, standing pat at 15 or maybe even trading back. I know that just sent shivers up

and down the spine of pretty much everybody listening to this. No, Bill, don't trade down. Please don't do it. I got news for you, folks. If Bill Belichick feels that trading back in the draft to maximize his draft capital is going to be the best thing for the football team, he's going to do it. Whether I want him to, whether you want him to, whether anyone else in the NFL universe or the Patriots fan base wants him to. If that's Bill's plan, he's going to stick to it. But the rumor mill isn't just churning along about the Patriots trading up to draft their

quarterback of the future. The Jimmy Garoppolo rumors continue to churn, and boy did they get sent into orbit last night. Late Wednesday evening, Dale Arnold, currently of Nessun and formerly of WEI, tweeted out that a source that he trusts, a source that happened to inform him that Tom Brady was indeed signing with the Buccaneers, had told him that the Patriots and the 49ers and Jimmy were all working on a new contract that could eventually set up a deal that would land Jimmy back here in New England. And as usual when it comes to news about your New England Patriots, some of you were enthralled, some of you were appalled.

But if you're a Jimmy G fan, the era of good feelings didn't last all that long when Jeff Howe of The Athletic subsequently reported that per two of his sources, nothing was imminent or being worked on between the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots when it related to Jimmy Garoppolo. Folks, my takeaway from all of this is that the Patriots are monitoring the situation. They're not going to categorically rule out a trade for Jimmy Garoppolo. It's not good business. The Patriots are always going to do their due diligence to maximize their roster, whether

that means bringing in Jimmy G, a quarterback, whether that means standing Pat with Cam Newton and Jared Stidham, or whether that means trading draft capital to move up and select their quarterback of the future. A lot of these concepts out there around draft time that become official rumors come from a place of truth, especially when it relates to the draft. So many of these quote-unquote deals that get worked on behind the scenes are contingency plans depending on how the draft board starts to fall. If the Patriots are serious about adding another quarterback, and they get to number 8, number 9, number 10, and all of their quarterback options are off the board, all of a sudden Jimmy

G is looking like a pretty good plan B. Or maybe he's plan A. Bottom line, only the Patriots know for sure. And the only thing that I can tell you for certain folks is that a lot of things can and will happen over the next few hours, leading into the next few days as well. But take this to the bank. Bill Belichick is heading in with a clear-cut plan. If you think he's winging it, then you clearly haven't been paying attention for the last 20 years. Belichick and the Patriots brass are going to be prepared for every eventuality, whether

it's realistic or whether it's pie in the sky. If they have indeed prioritized the quarterback position, as many of us in the media and the fanbase have, then they're going to make a move to upgrade that position, as many of us in the media and the fan base have, then they're going to make a move to upgrade that position, whether it be to bring in a veteran like Jimmy or whether it be to trade up and get their quarterback of the future. Also on the table is that they may address the quarterback in subsequent rounds. Kellen Mond of Texas A&M, Kyle Trask of Florida, these have all been names that have been mentioned as possibilities for the Pats. I know it wouldn't thrill a lot of you in the fanbase, but trust me when I tell you that the Patriots have done their due diligence on all of these quarterbacks.

And if you don't hear a quarterback's name called tonight, or at least a trade indicating that one will be coming back to the Patriots, don't be a bit surprised to hear one of their names possibly called tomorrow night on Friday or maybe even into Saturday. And if that is the case, believe me folks, there's no need to renounce the fan base. You can still proudly wear all of your Patriots gear. They'll be just fine in 2021. But because it's the opening night of the NFL Draft, round one happening all night long, today is the perfect day on the pod to break down which options the Patriots may pursue

in the first round of the NFL Draft. Yeah, that means quarterbacks, but it also means a number of other positions. Joining me today to break it all down is Keegan Stiefel of Pat's Pulpit of SB Nation. And the work that Keegan has done covering this year's NFL Draft prospects in tandem with Pat's Pulpit's Ryan Spagnoli has been truly remarkable. Some of the best draft coverage you'll find anywhere, not just in Patriots media, all over the NFL. And recently, Keegan and Ryan published their Top 50 Draft Board,

and today here on the pod, we're going to go over Day 1, Round 1 options for your New England Patriots, and which of them Keegan feels to be the most realistic options for the Patriots at positions like quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line, edge rush, linebacker, and cornerback. Folks, an action-packed agenda on the pod today. Keegan Stiefel will join me here on the hot seat in just a moment as we kick off our pre-draft draft day coverage right here when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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They're always there, folks. And I say the time for the talk is just about over because there is still time for one more round of pre-draft discussion here on Locked On Patriots. And who better to join me here on draft day than one of the very best draft analysts this season that you'll find anywhere, not just in Patriots media, in all of NFL media. And I truly mean that. This man has provided exemplary coverage for Pat's Pulpit of SB Nation.

Keegan Stiefel joins me here today on the pod. Keegan, welcome to Locked On Patriots. Happy Draft Day. Yeah, thanks for having me. It's the most wonderful time of the year if you're a draft guy like me. You know, me and Spagags uh one of my cohorts at pat's pulpit we started our coverage in september so it feels like we've been going for a year at this point but uh the day is finally here we can finally just sit back and

see what happens no absolutely you're 100 right and you know what bottom line um i'll apologize, folks, if we got the most wonderful time of the year song stuck in your head. But all kidding aside, I really think that the work that you especially you and Ryan Spagnoli have provided, but all across the pulpit landscape, whether it be Taylor Kyles, Bernd Buckmosser, Pat Lane, Mark Seale, who joins me here yesterday on the pod. So many great analysts over at the pulpit. And the coverage you guys provide is truly amazing. And I know I'm forgetting a ton of them right now, but Brian Phillips obviously included in that. Everybody, you guys do an amazing job. And Keegan, I've been so impressed by not only the draft spreadsheets, but the draft profiles and just you being all over all of these prospects. And there are so many to break down. I always say this, but there's never a dull moment in Foxborough. So before we get into a deep dive on some of these day one prospects that might come

off the board to our New England Patriots this evening, let's talk about some of the rumors swirling around the Patriots. And it does involve the draft because it does involve the potential for the Patriots to trade up, maybe for their quarterback of the future. There are other needs that the Patriots may address, folks, and Keegan and I will get to that in just a moment. But you recently published your top 50 draft board along with Ryan Spagnoli. And again, you guys did a masterful job of putting these all into context for draft viewers tonight.

So since today is day one, let's focus a little on today's discussion on the potential first-round targets for the Pats in conjunction with those rumors that are swirling around right now. We'll start at the quarterback position, Bud, and there seems to be a media consensus that Mac Jones of Alabama is going to be the 49ers pick at number three. Again, folks, not confirmed, but there seems to be that realization that's starting to come to fruition. And of course, there's also, you know, Trevor Lawrence coming off the board at one and Zach Wilson coming off the board at two. But that would lead Justin Fields of Ohio State

and Trey Lance of North Dakota State. You have each of these quarterbacks on your big board, Keegan, and you make a great case for each one of them. Now, obviously, the Patriots would need to swing a deal to move up to select either quarterback. Neither of them is likely to fall to 15, but that might not stop the Pats from finding that quarterback in this draft. If the Patriots do move up, do you think that it's going to be for Lance, for Fields, or are they going to go in a different direction when it comes to this? Yeah, so when we talk about draft stuff, you know, we often try to find ourselves falling into what we would do, which I think me and Spags have done. I think everybody's done it.

But if you're looking tonight, what we think the Patriots are going to do, I do think if they move up to get a quarterback, they want Mac Jones. But like you said, he's probably gone at three. And then second on their list, I would probably assume is Trey Lance. As much as I love Justin Fields as a prospect,

I think he's the number two quarterback in the draft. I just don't know if they feel like they're willing to put time in with a quarterback without having the ceiling that Trey Lance has. So meaning if they're going to develop a quarterback behind the guys that they already have, Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham or whoever it may be, they're going to want a guy with the highest ceiling possible who they believe can be, you know, a star, a guy who can leave the franchise for a while. And I think that they, they believe that Trey Lance is that guy. Um, but like I mentioned, Justin Fields is the number two guy for me. Um, but if I were a betting man, if I had to put money on it and they were moving up tonight, I believe it would be for Trey Lance. Yeah, and I think a lot of people would agree with you.

I've gone on record by saying if they're going to make the move, I think it would be for Fields over Lance simply because of the upside. But there are concerns, and people do worry about that Ohio State pedigree that Justin Fields is coming from, where Ohio State quarterbacks have difficulty translating into the pro game. I think the upside with Fields is a little bit better in order for him to be able to succeed in the NFL, but at the same time, it could be a concern. Lance is someone that can play all over the field. He's aligned in the pistol, the gun. He's shown the ability to run the offense from under center. He plays the position with such good athleticism, and you almost look at it and saying, well, someone like a Justin Fields or a Trey Lance

would benefit so well from learning a year behind someone like Cam Newton to be able to learn the way he plays the game, moving the chains with your legs, but also someone that needs to be accounted for in the zone read game as well. Play action is going to be a big part of what the Patriots do offensively this year. So either of those guys could end up fitting well here. And ultimately, you know, Bill's going to do what's best for the football team. It's funny that you mentioned Mac Jones here on the lockdown. We ran our ultimate mock draft recently, and I mocked the Patriots selecting Mac at number 15. Ironically, he happened to slip while the 49ers went in a different direction. ran our ultimate mock draft recently and i mocked the patriots uh selecting mac at number 15 uh

ironically he happened to slip while the 49ers went in a different direction and i was you know i don't want to say uh lambasted for it that's really the wrong choice of word but uh i received a little dirt on my uniform for that pick but i stood behind it for the value that it brought at 15 so ultimately my friend we'll find out what the Patriots have in store for the first round and if this is the year that they choose to target that quarterback of the future. Staying on the offensive side of the ball for a second, Keegan, this is a very deep wide receiver class. There are several players that could end up coming in, being pro-ready, and making a difference

in a lot of NFL offenses. And two of the players on your radar project very well in the Patriots' system. I know a lot of attention is put on Devontae Smith and Jalen Waddell of Alabama. Rightfully so. These two kids are NFL-ready. But I don't know if either one of them are going to be there at 15. And I'm not sure of the Patriots' willingness to trade up from 15 for a wide receiver. So two players I wanted to discuss a little bit that you have on your radar. Rashad Bateman of Minnesota, Elijah Moore of Ole Miss.

Moore being a solid weapon of the slot. Of course, Bateman being a complete wide receiver. I really like these two guys. I've really been turned on more to Elijah Moore in the last few days. Bateman's someone that I've had my eye on really since draft inception. So when you look at the wide receiver class, Keegan, if the Patriots go in this direction, first of all, do you think they might be willing to trade up for a wide receiver if the right one is available? And if not, and one of these guys is sitting at 15 can you see them using that middle part of the first round to draft a wide receiver here that could be an impact player for a number of years to come yeah so if they if they were to

make a move um and move up for not a quarterback say they move up for a wide receiver um it would probably be in a scenario where the Jimmy Garoppolo smoke is fire and they're making a move for him. But I'm not completely sold on that. We've had a million rumors come out in the past couple of days, so it's hard to really pick which one you're going to go with. But if we're talking about Bateman and Moore, I think Bateman is a true number one wide receiver at the next level.

He didn't have a great year last year. He opted out, opted back in, and kind of never really lived up to the hype that his 2019 season showed what he could be. But I think he could be a number one, and adding him to the roster would really help kind of solidify the middle class of that receiver group and let all of the chess pieces fall where they should go. So he could be your number one on the outside, and then you can have Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Aguilar split some time, Jacoby Myers and Bourne in the slot a little bit.

So it really helps the rest of the roster fill out if you get a guy like that at the top receiver position. You're having a true number one guy. And then Elijah Moore, he's a perfect guy to come in and replace Julian Edelman in the slot. Not the same player whatsoever, but they play the same position. Moore is a shifty, run around you, not through you kind of guy. And he was so versatile in the Ole Miss offense. Lane Kiffin likes to do a ton of different things, show a ton of different sets and all that stuff, and he played running back, slot receiver.

He played out wide, played a little bit of H-back. He did everything. So I think he would be a good option if they want to give Josh McDaniels a chess piece and let him have a weapon to manufacture carries and touches for. So that's why we had those two guys on the top 10, just because they provide different things for the offense. And as we got later into the process, thinking of when they do add a receiver, because this receiver class is so great, they're going to end up adding one.

What is the target share going to look like? You sign two tight ends who are going to see probably 40% of the targets. James White's probably going to take up another 25% of them. So if you're adding a receiver, it's going to have to be for a specified role, not just to add a guy to the group. And Bateman and Elijah Moore do that. They add specified roles to the offense. Such a great point. I'm so glad that you brought up the targets because I think that's something that's so often missed when it comes to not necessarily draft coverage, but when it comes to that desire that the fan base, that the media, even national pundits want to see when

adding players into a system, you want to always add that marquee name and you look at the marquee names and you look and you say, okay, Devontae Smith coming in here, Jalen Waddle coming in here, you know, that would be excellent. That would be great to see these guys come in and fill a role. But to me, Bateman, Moore, those types of guys come in even in later rounds and we'll, you know, project that out obviously over the weekend. But guys like Amari Rogers, even someone like a Demetrik Felton, come in and provide a specific role if they

are going to be the pick for the New England Patriots. So especially in this system, someone that can play in the slot, someone that can be versatile. I can understand why Elijah Moore is so high on your list. Again, he's become a prospect that has really caught my sharp eye over the course of the last couple of weeks. And Bateman's been on my radar for quite a while. I just love his game, his ability to line up in the slot but also to be able to be that

perimeter wide receiver that complete wide receiver and maybe even a true number one like you had said Keegan the Patriots could end up doing the high profile thing in the first round and probably the two more high profile positions of need for the Pats, our quarterback and wide receiver. But we all know that championships are won in the trenches. Bill Belichick knows that better than anybody. And two positions that are a staple of a Belichickian Patriots roster, folks, are offensive line and linebacker, and by extension to that, maybe edge rusher added to that.

In just a moment, Keegan Stiefel will tell us which players on his and Ryan's big board might be Patriots targets in the first round if they shy away from the quarterback or even the wide receiver position. More Patriots pre-draft preview with Keegan Stiefel when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, this week has tons of sports action on the go as the NFL draft begins tonight. The Kentucky Derby is back as the first leg of the Triple Crown begins this weekend.

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in the first round in this evening's draft. We've talked a little bit about the wide receiver position and how Julian Edelman's retirement may mean that someone like an Elijah Moore, who's a slot specialist, could come in here, or Rashard Bateman could possibly be a target, someone that could really fill a role as maybe a number one wide receiver in New England. But championships are one in the trenches as I said heading into the break and one of the areas where the Patriots always look for maximum talent maximum depth offensive line like the wide receiver position this is a deep offensive line

class there are a lot of good impact players and a couple really I think at the top of the list that could end up being major players in the NFL for many years to come. Players that can help be that anchor or that reliable piece on an offensive line for maybe even up to a decade. And two players that you outlined in yours and Ryan's big top 50 draft board are Christian Darasaw and Rashawn Slater. Two NFL-ready prospects, two can't-miss prospects. Obviously, Penny Seal is probably going to come off the board within, I would say, within the top five, but definitely within the top 10. Slater continues to rise up. He started out as a mid-level, mid-first rounder, and some people are projecting him into the top 10 now as well and darasaw i think

maybe the most complete lineman out of all three when you look at these two specifically that are on your board meaning darasaw and slater could the patriots throw their hat into the ring and could either one of them find them uh find their way to foxborough in 2021 i i could honestly see the patriots falling in love with rawn Slater. He's one of my favorite prospects that we've covered throughout the draft. He's a guy who could actually like conceivably and really play all five positions on the offensive line. He's that versatile. And all of the knocks in his game are the stuff that you see guys, you know, they overcome, the knocks, like the short arms and the low level of competition or whatever it may be.

But when Slater really got a chance to play left tackle and go up against the big dogs like Chase Young two years ago and, you know, the Michigan edge rush rushers like winovich and and uche and quitty pay um he played well and he he's a guy i think if the patriots are looking to draft an offensive lineman for depth he's the guy that they should they should do uh or they should draft this year because in year one he could he could be their number one swing guy at any spot you know say michael and when who goes down he can plug in at left guard. Trent Brown goes down, he can plug in at right tackle.

I think he's a guy who could really do that in year one, and then when Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown are off the books next year, he'll take over one of those spots, whoever it may be that goes. So he's a guy that I think if the Patriots do what they normally do, which they haven't done this offseason. They've completely gone against the norm. But if they go back to kind of the old way of doing things in the draft, I think Rashawn Slater is a good guy to look at for them to pick.

And then Christian Derrissaw, he reminds me a lot of Sebastian Vollmer. He's going to be on the right side for six, seven years. You're never going to have a problem with him. He's just going to be so solid and you're never going to hear his name, which is exactly what you want out of an offensive lineman. He's a mauler. He's got the longest arms I've ever seen. He's just a guy who can hold down the right side of the line for a long time. And it may be perfect for him if they end up drafting him in round one to sit for a year behind a Trent Brown and then say Trent Brown goes and cashes in again. He's a perfect guy to take over. So the offensive lineman, if they're going to be aggressive, they're not taking one in the first round.

But if they revert back to the old way of doing things, I would not be surprised at all if they take one of those two. Yeah, especially if either one of them is sitting there at 15. You have to think of the value that that provides. And I think your analysis is spot on. There are a lot of great names on the offensive line right now. There's theoretically on paper a lot of depth along the offensive line. But that swing position is something that I know Ted Karras was signed specifically for that role. But if you're looking for a guy that can come in and be your starter,

maybe in year two, maybe even as early as year one, like you said, if there's an injury, these two guys project so well, and they really are pro ready. When you look at both Slater and you look at Darasaw, these are offensive linemen that can come in, they can block, they can protect the run, they can protect the pass, and they can be a formidable, solid addition, both of them, for an offensive line for many years to come. So if the Patriots decide that strengthening that type of unit is something that they value very deeply, then they may take a look at them, especially if one of them happens to slide to 15. Keegan, staying on positions in the trenches, but flipping over to the opposite side of

the ball, we haven't really talked about the defense yet. And you hit on this just a little bit earlier about linebackers, edge rushers, and their importance to this Patriots system. We know how much Bill Belichick places a premium on strong, solid, stout defenders, especially at the linebacker and the edge rush position. Once again, going back to your top 50 draft board, you mentioned two players that I've really become enamored with throughout the past couple of weeks and months. One of them for selfish reasons, simply because he happens to have graduated from the same high school I have,

and that's Quiddie Paye of Michigan, a former Bishop Hendrickon High School hawk up here in this area. Quiddie is someone who we're all rooting for in Rhode Island, and we're really just so happy that we're going to hear his name on draft night on Thursday night. Whether or not that's in New England, I think, is an argument that is still going to be had. I happen to think that he's probably a better fit in another system rather than in New England. But there's so much to like about Quitty's game. You mentioned him as a first round possible Patriots target. The other is linebacker Zayvon Collins out of Tulsa. And Collins is someone that has really emerged as someone that I've loved really since the beginning of the draft.

Slots so well into the Patriots type of system, that 3-4 defensive system that they love to run, but he's also versatile enough to be able to play within a 4-3 set. When you look at both of these guys, obviously Saban Collins being more of the traditional linebacker, Quidipe being more of the edge rusher, and of course the wild card in all this is if Micah Parsons happens to slip to number 15, him being from Penn State, I think the most complete defender in this draft. Could the Patriots take a flyer on any one of these guys on 15, and which one do you think that they would make a move for in the first round,

the Patriots' most realistic target? Yeah, so I think the Patriots need to replace Dante Hightower sooner rather than later as much as we love him around here and as great as he's been he just missed a year and he's I think he's 32 headed into this this upcoming season so that's not a guy that you want to put all your eggs into his basket you know you want to start setting up for the future and if if you're going to do that, if you're going to pick one prospect to do that, I think it's Zayvon Collins. Built very similarly, they have a very similar style of play. He can play in the middle, he can play on the edge, he can play all three downs.

He's a guy who, he's going to stay in the middle of your defense on every down. In a perfect world, he's going to be out there on every play. So if you're looking to replace him and if you're looking to set up for the future, which is what they do in the first and second round usually, they look for replacements of the guys that they already have. I think Zayvon Collins is the pick, and I think he's the most realistic pick. But like I mentioned earlier, they haven't followed the norm and the status quo this

year at all. If Micah Parsons falls to 15, why not go and get the most athletic, maybe not the most athletic linebacker, but the most complete linebacker of the draft and a guy who can completely transform your defense, especially if you're going to be headed into this 3-4.

You're going to need a guy in the middle who can cover, who can play downhill, who can blitz, you know, you need a guy who can do all those things. So he's a guy who can do that. I think he's a, he's a really good fit. I just don't know if he's going to fall and then quitty pay. I love quitty pay as well. When you see what the Patriots usually pick in,

in like a five technique edge player, it's Quidipe. It's a guy who hasn't had huge sack production, but he's got all the base skills that you need to be successful in the pass rush, but he's a phenomenal run defender. He can set the edge. He can play up the field as well. Play like a zone run defense, meaning he can shoot gaps and and get after the running back um he's a guy who can do everything against the run which is exactly what the patriots like out of an

edge defender i mean they kept john simon on the roster for three years just because he knew how to set the edge so i i would not be surprised at all if they they drafted quitty pay um if i had a rank i'd probably say collins is the most likely pay a close second and then micah parsons probably isn't likely but uh i wouldn't be surprised i agree with you on collins i think if there are any realistic options at the linebacker or the edge rush positions he'd probably be the guy that would be there at 15 and the patriots are reportedly pretty high on him quitty pay again i would love to see him in a Patriots uniform, but at the end of the day, I think he's going to end up being a better fit for another franchise, and I really

wish him all the best. When it comes to Micah Parsons, I think the only way that they would be able to make that happen is if he somehow fell to them at 15. If he's there at 15, it's going to be really tough for Bill Belichick to lay off that type of talent, especially given how you laid it out, Keegan. The Patriots definitely have a need at the linebacker position. Dante Hightower is not getting any younger. One year removed from sitting out an entire season. You have to think the Patriots are looking to the future in that position. Last but certainly not least, we talk a lot about quarterbacks, but to me, I think

defensive backs may even be a bigger need for this team, and a need that the Patriots may look to address in this upcoming draft, maybe even as soon as the number 15 pick. The cornerback position is intriguing to me because Stephon Gilmore is entering the final year of his deal. Do the Patriots look to resign him? Do they look to extend him? Is there going to be some sort of contract dispute this season? If so, would the Patriots consider dealing him? We've already seen reports circulating even as recent as this week that they may be looking to move on from Stephon. I think it's interesting about J.C. Jackson as well. He signed the one-year tender, but does that make him a

long-term solution? Is J.C.'s contract demands going to be too high for the Patriots, and do they look to move on? If the Patriots look to this draft to upgrade the cornerback position, I think Patrick Sertan Jr. is probably a long shot. He gets taken off the board pretty quick, but J.C. Horn out of South Carolina, to me, is an interesting option. He reminds me a little bit of Stephon Gilmore in terms of he does his best work in zone and press coverage. Some concerns about him when he's playing off-man coverage, but the Patriots really know how to develop their defensive backs, and with the talent that J.C. Horn can bring to the table, I think this could be an intriguing option. Keegan, once again, you included J.C. on your top 50 board as day one potential round one options for the New England Patriots. Is J.C. Horn a prototypical fit here in New England?

And is he a realistic option as a future number one corner here in Foxborough if the Pats decide to take him? He's a Stephon Gilmore replacement. I fully believe that he can come in, fill the same exact role that Stephon Gilmore has filled for you the past four seasons, and do it well immediately. He's cornerback number two for me. Patrick Sertan's number one, but Patrick Sertan's not a great systematic fit

or scheme fit on the defense. He's a guy who you're probably going to want to play in zone coverage and kind of hide him with a safety a little bit early on. But J.C. Horn can come in right away. He's athletically, he is at an NFL level, and physically he is at an NFL level. And that's what you want out of a corner, a guy who's going to be in right away he's athletically he is at an nfl level and physically he is at an nfl level and that's what you want out of a corner a guy who's going to be playing right away um i think you know i've mentioned in the past probably a million times even when it happened in the

training in training camp last year uh stefan gilmore didn't just miss a couple of days of training camp and then all of a sudden get a bonus that That was a holdout. They won't call it a holdout. No one will say the words, but I will. He held out, and he's going to do the same thing this year. He's not playing for $7 million. And the Patriots, not only do they probably not want to pay a 32-year-old corner right now and give him four extra years and give him more money, they probably can't just fiscally. So this is a great opportunity for them to go ahead and

get his replacement right away ship him off for maybe an extra pick and then you can use that to either move back up into the first round or recoup a bunch of capital in between 46 and 96 to fill that gap and really set up the middle class of your roster for the next few years. JC Horn, if I were the GM of the Patriots this year, he would be the pick. I would pick him. I think he's a phenomenal option to replace Stephon Gilmore. Yeah, I completely agree with you when it comes to him being a Gilmore replacement. You see so much of what Stephon does well in JC Horn and the way he plays on the field. So I agree

with you. I think if the Patriots are prioritizing that position and there's a good argument as to why they should be prioritizing that position, I really think that JC Horn could be the guy. And whether or not it means that the Patriots might see him dangling there at 15 or whether or not they might have to, you know, either package a deal or move up a little bit in the first round to get him. That could be something that I could see. I definitely would not take that off the table. We both know Keegan, we can't take anything off the table when it comes to Bill Belichick. It's always interesting to see what he has in store and it's always interesting to see what he has on his table. But the one thing that I can guarantee, folks, is that anything that is listed on Keegan's and Ryan's top 50 draft board, whether it's the first round or any of the rounds here in the NFL draft,

it's something that you definitely need to keep your sharp eye on. I put a ton of stock into everything that these guys have to say. So, Keegan, thank you so much for joining me here today on Locked on Patriots, taking time out of your busy schedule to join me here on draft day. Before I let you go, my friend, please let all of our listeners know where they can find you, where they can find your great work, and what we can look forward to

in the coming days and weeks post-draft and also during the draft from the great pen and voice of Keegan Stiefel. Yeah, you can find me on Twitter. That's where I do all of my work. You can find all my hot takes on Twitter. It's at Keegan Stiefel, spelled K E A G A N S T I E F E L. You know, I, I give draft rankings,

all that stuff during this season and then throughout the off season roster news, all that stuff. So you'll be able to find that there. And then the Pats pulpit crew tonight during the draft, if you want to have a second screen, you want to hang out with some pals, you can come over to patspulpit.com, youtube.com slash patspulpit, twitch.tv slash patspulpit. You can hang out with us. We've got a live draft show.

We're going to be on all night. Reacting to picks, we've got about 15 guests lined up throughout the night. So it should be a lot of fun. A good opportunity for you guys to hear a more Patriots-specific draft coverage than whatever ESPN or NFL Network will be doing. So we'll be doing that tonight, and then post-draft profiles, all that good stuff, everything on the new draft picks, and the future roster, the 2021 New England Patriots. Always. And folks, I can tell you, if New England Patriots. Always.

And folks, I can tell you, if it's Patriots related, the pulpit is on it and they do an amazing job of covering that. Keegan is right in the middle of that. And again, my friend, I really appreciate you taking the time out today. Stay safe and well. Enjoy the draft tonight. We'd love to have you back here on Locked On Patriots post-draft within the next coming weeks to talk about the draft haul that went on here in New England

and what the Patriots ended up doing and how the 2021 roster is looking to take shape. In the meantime, best of luck with the draft coverage and we look forward to talking ball with you here again soon on Locked On Patriots. Yeah, thank you so much. Thanks for having me. Anytime.

And just like that Patriots nation, it is time to walk right up to the starting gate of the 2021 NFL draft. And don't forget tonight, the Locked On Podcast Network is partnering with the Draft Network to cover the NFL draft live. Get insight and analysis from Locked On local experts and the Draft Network's national experts. Subscribe to the Locked On NFL YouTube page to watch live three-day coverage of the NFL

draft tonight, April 29th through Saturday, May 1st. And if you tune in, you might just see a familiar face and hear a familiar voice. And don't forget that Locked On Patriots is back here tomorrow. You may have thought that we missed our resident voice of reason this week. Well, fear not, because Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com joins me tomorrow here on the pod to recap all of the Day 1 action and

preview Day 2 on Friday night and Day 3 on Saturday. So, to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, follow the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as the Odyssey app, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts, just make sure that you are staying locked

in to Locked on Patriots. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank Keegan Stiefel of Pat's Pulpit of SB Nation for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked on Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Pats Nation, stay safe, stay well, always be the change you wish to see in the world, have a great day everyone, and enjoy day one of the NFL Draft tonight.