Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Receivers and Reason: New England Patriots WR Options in the NFL Draft — 2/23/2021

Episode Date: February 23, 2021

The New England Patriots are in need of help at the wide receiver position. However, without a great deal of certainty surrounding the identity of the Pats’ 2021 quarterback, the team might be best served by looking for a wideout in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com. The duo profile Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, Florida’s Kadarious Toney and USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown. They also discuss Cam Newton’s recent appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast, and what it means for a potential return to New England for 2021.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 “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% 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. 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. All of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021, and it is once again time for our weekly dose of reason 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.

Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation, and thank you for joining me here today on the Locked On Patriots podcast. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of Locked On Patriots, which, of course, is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, your feedback are always welcomed and very much encouraged. Share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on

Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Tuesday traveling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, life without Patriots football is starting to settle in. I know, it's not a great feeling. I don't like it either. I, like you, miss the games each and every week. But if you're looking for silver linings, one thought of positivity is that each and

every day that passes is another day closer to the start of the 2021 season. And as we've said several times right here on these airwaves, this is going to be a big offseason for the New England Patriots. A lot of questions to answer, a lot of holes to fill on the roster, and every decision is going to be important. Now, I'm as guilty as anyone. We're all fans of the NFL. And if you're listening to this podcast, it's a safe bet that you're a fan of the New

England Patriots. And not all of you, I'm well aware that there are some who listen to keep their friends close and their enemies closer. We appreciate you listening and we welcome you always. But primarily, the Locked On Patriots fan base is comprised of Foxborough faithful. And it's exciting when the Patriots make that big splash. We all want to see them add to the wide receiver core, bring in some prolific tight ends, bring in some playmakers on defense, and last but certainly not least, we all want to see them start the quarterback we're coveting most.

But what we as fans want is not always what we get, especially when it comes to the New England Patriots. And because of that, sometimes it's nice to be talked down off the ledge a little bit by our resident voice of reason. And today here on the pod, folks, that's right, it's Tuesday. He is back. My good friend Steve Balistrieri joins me here today on the hot seat, and we will continue to talk about the big offseason that is looming large in Foxborough. If you listened to yesterday's podcast, and if you haven't yet, don't worry, it's not going anywhere. Download it via your preferred podcast provider. But our good friend, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy, joined me on the hot seat,

and we talked a little bit about Cam Newton's big weekend. Well, Murph and I started to talk a little bit about Cam's appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast over the weekend. And while we did scratch the surface, we really didn't take a look at exactly what Cam had to say. Steve Balistrieri and I will take a little deeper dive into that podcast appearance and whether what Cam had to say could just be his case to try to return to Foxborough. But fear not. For those of you draft fans out there, we are in the thick of 2021 NFL draft season.

And today, Steve and I will profile three wide receivers that might just catch the Patriots' sharp eye. Minnesota's Rashard Bateman, Florida's Kadarius Toney, and USC's Amon Ross St. Brown. Three wide receivers with unique skill sets, all very highly rated, and Steve and I will tell you which one we feel would be the best fit in Foxborough out of the three. So an action-packed episode today here on the pod.

I always love when Steve drops by to lend his wisdom, counsel, and most of all his reason to the pod. And even though today is Tuesday, we'll put the alliteration on hold for a little while and we'll talk some wide receivers. But first, those of you out there in the social media stratosphere have probably noticed that today is a significant day for the NFL as we head toward the start of the 2021 NFL season on March 17th. Beginning today and through March 9th, teams are able to use the franchise or transition tags to keep one of their unrestricted free agents in the fold for the upcoming season. Now, we all know that the New England Patriots are not exactly fond of applying this tag,

however they did so last year when it comes to starting left guard Joe Tooney. Rather than watch Tooney test the free agent market, the Patriots did apply the tag and assigned him a one-year $14.78 million tender on him. Now, whether or not the Patriots are going to use the tag again this year is really anyone's guess. I've seen some people make the assumption out there that Tooney is not eligible to be tagged again. That's not correct, folks. Tooney is a candidate for the tag once again. But from those that I've spoken to, and again, this is just my assessment and the research I've done, I think it's highly unlikely that the Patriots are going to be tagging anyone this offseason. Let's start with the obvious reason why, and that there's still a lot of uncertainty as

to exactly what the league cap is going to be, and therefore it's a little hard to determine market value right now. That league cap number will also help to determine the value of the franchise numbers. So this year especially, if you do tag someone without knowing what that cap will be, it might be a little bit difficult to determine exactly how much money that you'll be committing to a given commodity. I've seen rumors going around out there about the Patriots possibly tagging Adam Butler, maybe Lawrence Guy, and even though we don't know the exact numbers yet, I would estimate their tag being around $14 million. Some have floated the idea that the Patriots may tag Cam Newton. His tag would come at a really hefty price, probably north of $25 million. Again,

Tooney could end up being tagged. This time, he would cost the Patriots probably north of $17 million, seeing that because of the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, his franchise tag would have to go up to correlate with it, meaning that the tag number would either be the calculated average of the franchise tags at the position for the last five years, or 120% of a player's salary the previous year, depending on which sum is greater. In Tooney's case, he'd fall under the 120% of a player's salary the previous year, depending on which sum is greater. In Tooney's case, he'd fall under the 120% rule.

So, if the Patriots wanted to tag him for the second straight year, they would make him the highest paid guard in football, even if only for a year for the 2021 season. One name out there that could get interesting is kicker Nick Folk. If the Patriots would have tagged Folk, it's estimated that tag would probably cost around $4.5 million. Folk right now, believe it or not, folks, is probably the most realistic candidate to be tagged this year, even though he would be in line for a significant upgrade in the salary department. Don't forget, in 2020, he played on a $1.05 million base salary. A cap hit of $4.5 million would actually make him the fourth highest paid

kicker in the NFL next year. That is a lot to commit to a kicker, but don't forget, Patriots have used the franchise tag on kickers before. Steven Kostowski was hit with the tag, so was Adam Vinatieri. And let's not forget that Nick actually proved himself to be one of the Patriots' more reliable players when it comes to putting points on the board, so the Pats may want to think twice before letting Nick hit the open market. However, folks, all those things considered, I still don't see the Patriots using the tag this year. I think they'll end up foregoing that, go for more traditional methods of negotiation. After all, it doesn't make a whole lot of fiscal sense for them to apply the tag this year, especially when there's so much uncertainty surrounding the cap,

and given the amount of free agents and holes that the Patriots have to fill on their roster, I think they decide against applying the franchise tag in 2021. Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. But what the Patriots ultimately do with the franchise tag this year, folks, is just one of the burning questions that they'll have as they approach building a roster for the 2021 season. In just a moment, our good friend, the resident voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots,

Steve Balistrieri, will join me on the hot seat where we'll talk some Cam Newton and some Patriots wide receiver draft prospects. But first, Locked On listeners, football might be over, but the NBA, college basketball, and the NHL are in full swing. And of course, the NFL equivalent of the hot stove just starts to heat up more each and every day. If you would like to put your prognostication skills to the test, there is only one place that has you covered and one place we trust.

BetOnline.ag. BetOnline is the fastest and the easiest way to bet on all of your sports action. But BetOnline even covers awards, TV shows, and reality TV. They give you real-time updated odds and props on almost anything you can imagine. BetOnline has you covered for all the news, all the scores, and all the odds. It's the best way to place your bets, and what makes it even better is it's free to sign up. Head over to their website at BetOnline.ag or use your mobile device to sign up today and receive your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code

LOCKEDON. Don't sit on the sidelines anymore. Get in on the action. Go to betonline.ag today, sign up, and receive your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code LOCKEDON. Bet online, your online sportsbook experts. Locked On listeners, February is Black History Month, and the Locked On Podcast Network is honoring the challenges and success of black men and women in sports with a new series

called Locked On Presents More Than the Game. This week, Candace Cooper of Locked On Tar Heels and Ross Jackson of Locked On Saints discuss holding space and the balance of discussing blackness in sports. Subscribe to the Locked On Presents podcast feed on the Radio.com app or wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fans, my guest today is not only our resident voice of reason, but he's part of the family here at Locked On Patriots.

I love having him on for selfish reasons. I just love talking Patriots football with the man. One of the best and most knowledgeable columnists that you can find in Patriots media anywhere, you know his great work from patsfans.com, as well as being the co-host of not one, but two amazing podcasts, Patriots 4th and 2, and One Patriots Place. He's my Patriots Paisan, and despite what he will tell you, he is worthy of all the praise he gets and then some. Steve Balistrieri joins me today. Welcome back to Locked On, Patriots, my friend. Hey, thanks again, Mike, for inviting me, as always. It's always a pleasure. And I enjoyed the podcast yesterday with Father Murphy.

And, yeah, you know, sometimes you have to be the voice of reason, you know, because it's an old habit. I spent my life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless, but not men. We'll get there, Steve. We'll get there. I had to throw that in. Oh, you had to. I love it. I absolutely love it. One of my, if not my favorite scene in movie history is that scene between Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Michael Corleone, Don Vito.

Just great. I thought the acting in that is phenomenal. And we kick it off with a Godfather reference, Steve. This is getting better and better each and every week, which is why I look forward to Tuesdays. I love the Locked On Murph Mondays, of course. Father Murph here and, you know, confessions, you know, from morning till night. He does it, and he does it better than anybody.

But having you here is is truly like having a another family member along for the ride so thank you bud and as long as you'll keep coming back i'll keep having you but uh we always have something to talk about if things only continue to get more interesting in foxborough by the day and this weekend i don't know about you steve but i kind of got the impression that it had the aura of a Cam Newton press tour. Yesterday, our good buddy Murph and I discussed the social media buzz surrounding Cam's football camp and some of the backlash there. That seems to be put aside, but to me, the more interesting story was really Cam's appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast. And this was a great listen, folks.

I really recommend you checking it out. If you want some insight into what athletes really believe about free agency, start to finish, the season, things of that nature. Other players, there are a lot of subjects discussed in this. But all kidding aside, I really thought it was a great listen. And I thought Cam really opened up about a lot of subjects. He included his 2020 season as a whole. He talked about his struggles with free agency and the uncertainty of what was going to happen.

Then he talked about his struggles on the field, dabbled into his relationship with Bill Belichick a little bit, talked about the confidence that he has in his receiving core. I enjoyed hearing that. I thought that was pretty good. But finally, and really, I think most importantly for Patriots fans, he dropped more than just a few hints that he would welcome a return to New England. Steve, I know you listened.

We talked a little bit about it before we went on the air today. And what was your takeaway from this interview? And do you think that Cam is making a convincing case to make his way back to New England for 2021? your takeaway from this interview? And do you think that Cam is making a convincing case to make his way back to New England for 2021? Yeah, first of all, as we both mentioned prior to the podcast this morning, I thought it was a really, really good one. They covered some great topics on there. And again, I encourage everyone out there, if you haven't listened to it or checked it out, be sure to do that.

I thought it was really good. And, yes, I thought Cam, you know, and he made it clear. He had unfinished business. He didn't like the way, you know, the season progressed there with the Patriots. And I think he's making a big-time effort to get another shot at it, and he wants to make things right. Yeah, I do believe he wants to make things right too.

And look, when you look at what his 2020 season was as a whole from the time that he signed with the Patriots, late in free agency, late June, and coming on board without the ability to have any OTAs, any type of training camp, any type of preseason. We've said that ad nauseum here on Locked On Patriots on the airwaves, and you hear it all over the place throughout Patriots media. But it's a factor. Whether people want to acknowledge it or whether they want to ignore it, it is indeed a factor

and it does count for something. You also look at cam's production on the field and cam looked like he was having a pretty good time in new england for the first couple of games the miami game obviously era of good feelings uh he played well he was running the ball well went over to seattle and it looked like he was throwing the ball efficiently cam looked like he was on his way to being considered for maybe comeback player of the year. Obviously, it went to Alex Smith, and that should have. There's no question about it.

But Cam was looking like he could have been making a case. All of a sudden, the COVID-19 diagnosis hits. He starts to struggle. He regresses a little bit. And ultimately, I think that really soured a lot of the fan base on him. You saw a lot of errant throws, a lot of difficult throws, and a lot of people made the assumption that Cam was just not able to do it anymore. But the one thing that struck me listening to this podcast is Cam does still have a lot of star power.

He's got a lot of allure. He's got an aura about him that makes people respond to him. We saw it this year in New England. Despite all the difficulties that he had on the field everybody that covered cam most the vast majority of the fan base all give him credit for being a class act for being accountable for being affable very uh much a part of the team and his teammates absolutely love him and that led to doug kyatt of nesson a guy that we both know we both you know admire

very much in the work that he does with nesson made an interesting point on twitter and that point has since been echoed by a lot of others in the media but i called doug out today because he's the one that i saw make this point and i think he makes an interesting one essentially folks what we're trying to say is that cam star power might actually be a pretty good allure to marquee wideouts that might want the opportunity to play with cam either they grew up watching him or they've admired what he's done on the field and that can count for something maybe more so than a marcus mariotta or ryan fitzpatrick orrick or a Jimmy Garoppolo or maybe even a Jared Stidham on who's currently on the roster Steve do you think that Cam's reputation could be a deciding factor

in the Patriots making a decision a quarterback for this season if they want to try to attract some free agent wideouts or tight ends to pair with him for 2021. Yeah, yes. And, you know, it's funny. I totally agree with what Doug said on that. I thought it was a great point because, again, I mean, you know, you're looking at some of the other guys. They're not as highly thought of. And, you know, to your point, what you made earlier, it wasn't just the media and the fans.

It was the players, the players in the Patriots locker earlier, it wasn't just the media and the fans. It was the players. The players in the Patriots locker room, no matter how much the offense struggled this year, they believed in him. They were totally buying into Cam. You could see that with the way they interacted with him on a daily basis, be it practice or on the field during a game. Those players all bought in. And all the ones that we've heard so far,

I'm not going to say all of them, but all the ones that we've heard of have all said they would welcome him back. So there's something to be made there. And he does have a very good reputation around the league. And the way he conducted himself this year as a member of the Patriots, or last year I should say now, I thought he was impressive in a lot of ways, not necessarily always on the field.

But the way he conducted himself, the way he ran the practices and the way he talked with his the way he ran the practices, and the way he talked with his teammates, and he stuck up for his teammates. He didn't try to put any of the blame on any of those guys. He took it upon himself. I thought it spoke very highly of him. And I think Doug is right.

I think he would attract more star power than guys like Marcus Mariota or, you know, whoever the flavor of the day is, because it seems it changes every day around. Yeah, it really does. And I know a lot of fans out there and even some media are starting to trickle in and say, well, okay, well, you know, Cam has the star power, but it's not going to make a bit of difference if these guys are coming to New England to play with a guy that's essentially going to throw at their feet. I saw that thrown out around social media a couple of times yesterday. I don't think that's going to be the case.

First of all, I do think that Cam is putting in the time, the effort, and the physical, you know, grind that he needs to put in to be better than he was in 2020 now does that mean significantly enough better to see a marked improvement on the field i think the jury's still out on that murph and i have both talked about cam's production and we've talked about some of the physicalities and the things that we've seen in him that make us believe that maybe these problems are a little bit deeper. Maybe it is a little bit more physical than mental or lack of preparation. And if that's the case, it could end up meaning some difficulties on the field.

But ultimately, Cam Newton is a former MVP. He's a former Heisman Trophy winner, former national champion in college, holds so many records when it comes to the Carolina Panthers. Super Bowl appearance, he's been really, I think, a role model to a lot of young athletes that have come up, that have come up the way Cam has, and really been able to showcase and put his talent out there. He is. He's someone that I think a lot of people, a lot of wide receivers, a lot of tight ends would sign up to play with simply because they know that he's the type of player that even if he doesn't have what he once had physically, he has the emotional wherewithal to be able to elevate his talent. So this could end up being a selling point. to make a judgment call as to whether or not Cam Newton physically has the capability to be their

quarterback because I don't think there's any question that the emotional or the mental aspects of being the quarterback of this team are things that he can handle a lot of people talked about the playbook a lot of people talked about his difficulty acclimating into that I think a full off season would help him to me it's just more or less the physical question and ultimately the Patriots are going to have to make that decision. And they're going to have to make it quickly because if they want to get some guys in gear that can catch the ball, they're going to need to make a decision on who's going to be throwing it to them. And Steve, we've talked about Pat's quarterbacks a lot here on the program. But again, in order for the quarterback

to be successful, he needs competent receivers. And in just a moment, folks, Steve Balistrieri and I will discuss three wideouts, which he recently profiled for Patsfans.com. Which of these players would be the best fit in Foxborough? Find out when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, when it comes to repairing or maintaining your vehicle, why would you spend 30%, 50%, even 100% more for the exact same auto parts at a chain store or a new car dealership?

It's still possible to take pride in your ride and even save a little in the process. Visit my good friends at rockauto.com. Rockauto.com is a family business serving auto parts customers online for 20 years. Go to rockauto.com to shop for auto and body parts from hundreds of manufacturers. They have everything from engine control modules and brake parts to tail lamps, motor oil, even new carpet. Whether it's for your classic or your daily driver, get everything you need in a few easy clicks and they're delivered directly to your door. The RockAuto.com catalog is unique and remarkably easy to navigate. Quickly see all the parts available for your vehicle, and then choose the brands, the specifications,

and here's the best part, folks, the prices you prefer. RockAuto.com's prices are always reliably low, and they're the same for professionals and do-it-yourselfers just like you and me. Why spend up to twice as much for the same parts? Go to rockauto.com right now and see all the parts available for your car or truck. Make sure to put Locked On in their How Did You Hear About Us box so they know we sent you. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need.

Rockauto.com Locked On listeners, NFL analyst Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson host Locked On's Peacock and Williamson every Monday through Friday. Brian and Matt give you the national perspective all around the NFL covering the latest news and insight on every game,

every team, and every move around the NFL. Get your picks, previews, and much more every weekday with the Peacock and Williamson Podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Pats fan Steve Balistrieri joins me today here on the pod, our resident voice of reason talking to us about all things and everything patriots but steve one of the big stories of this time of year is the nfl draft and murph and i talked a little bit yesterday about whether or not bill would dare use early round draft capital

on the offensive line and as predicted a lot of fans were not happy about that again folks we're just making hypothetical predictions no one's saying it's going to happen we're just talking about guys that bill might target and recently i thought you've done an excellent job at profiling some potential patriots fits for patsfans.com with your draft profiles out there right now and it seems to be the consensus around the fan base that they want the shiny new wide receiver they want bill to finally hit on a wide receiver pick in the nfl draft and i think you profiled three quite nicely that might look pretty good in patriots blue let's talk about the first and that's richard bateman out of minnesota richard's ranked very high on

the board i think the patriots could have him at number 15. As a matter of fact, our good friends at the draftnetwork.com recently did a seven-round mock for the Patriots, and they had Rashard Bateman going to New England with the number 15 pick. He would be the first Minnesota player drafted in the first round since 2006 by the New England Patriots who selected running back Lawrence Maroney. You eloquently pointed that out in your column. And I think that's a pretty good correlation. But again, folks, we're talking about Bateman and what he brings to the table.

Steve, when you looked at Rashad Bateman, what about him makes you believe that this guy would be the ultimate and ideal fit in New England to move this offense forward in 2021 well you know when when I look at him it's not so much he's a speed guy he has he has a good frame he's like six to about 200 and you know uh was about 205 I think he's he's tipping the scales but he could fill out some. But what I like about him is he runs really, really good routes. He's got very competitive toughness. He's got ball skills. You know, he's got very, very good hands. And, you know, he makes yards after the catch, even though, you know, he's not the fastest guy.

You know, he's got, like I said, excellent balance and strength when people go to contact him. So, you know, he's got all of those things. And I just think, you know, again, the Patriots have never gone after that burner type of guy, but when you're looking at somebody who fits inside the offense, they need guys who run precise routes. He's one of those guys who has very, very good instincts. If the play breaks down, he knows where to find the open spots for his quarterback and come back.

Those middle-of-the-field routes in dangerous places, he excels in those. That's what they need. That's how this offense works. And, you know, again, and I'll bow to Daniel Jeremiah from the NFL Network and, you know, he's a former scout. And his exact words were, I see some similarities to Michael Thomas when he was coming out of Ohio State.

They have an excellent blend of size and strength. They have the versatility to play outside or in the slot. And that, to me, speaks volumes right there. Because if you get a guy, and again, Michael Thomas isn't a burner, but he's one of those kind of guys that when you watch him he always finds a way to get open with his moves yeah he really does that's a pretty good uh comparison in terms of Thomas and I know a lot of people are probably going to roll their eyes when they hear that and say those are big expectations to put on a kid but

look look at some of the film on Rashad Bateman. I think he's got a great blend of route running, ball skills, and that competitive toughness that really will allow him to work on the boundary. It'll allow him to work in the slot. That versatility is something that Patriots scouts, that the Patriots coaching staff have really coveted for quite some time. And for anyone thinking, oh, well, you know, they said the same thing about Nikhil Harry and whatnot, I think there is a much better blend when it comes to someone like a Rashard

Bateman. The Gophers used him a lot on those in-breaking patterns, and he would find first and second throwing windows via the run or the pass option. That's something that the New England Patriots can run, and I think that's why he'd be a very good fit here in New England. Fits very well into a vertical passing offense that the Patriots could run. So you did mention his speed. He's not a true burner, but there really shouldn't be a lot of concerns about his ability to separate. He's done that throughout his collegiate career. And I think he does a lot of the little things well, you know, that should real, that should realistically set him up for an early impact and be able to have early success. Something that Patriots wide receiving draft picks

haven't had a whole lot of lately. So I love Bateman as a potential pick here. And if the Patriots did go this route for a wide receiver, I can definitely see him being someone that they might want to take a chance on. Another guy that you have chronicled lately, Steve, is Kadarius Toney out of Florida. And Toney had a very good 2020 season, 70 catches, 984 yards, 10 touchdowns receiving. He also added 19 rushes for 161 yards with another touchdown. So this guy can carry the ball out of the backfield, maybe a little a la Cordero Patterson there for a little bit.

He can play outside. He can play in the slot. The slot really seems to be his best fit though. And you've chronicled this quite nicely. Great agility, great athleticism can really be a threat in all three if the Patriots were to decide that Bateman might not be the guy or he might be off the board put together a case as to why Kadarius Tony might be a good fit with this team and where might the Patriots be able to grab him yeah in fact uh you, when I look at Tony, and I mentioned this in the piece, he's something that none of the Patriots receivers are right now. He's absolutely dynamic with the ball in his hands.

He has that rare explosion. Again, he doesn't have that top-end speed, but he has that explosion when he gets the ball in his hand. You watch the highlight films of this guy, and he's just electric when he has the football, and he's very tough to bring down. He's not a big guy. He's only like 5'11", 190, but when you look at that speed, athleticism, and that quick acceleration, you know, that's one of the things that they lack. Opponents, they don't worry about the Patriots' speed on the outside. They don't respect that. So, you know, they tend to bring their safeties up.

He's a guy that you have to account for. And, you know, like I said, he might not have that top-end speed of like a Tyreek Hill type of guy, but he's still going to run probably, what, about a 4-4 or something close to that, maybe even a little bit under that. But, boy, when he gets the ball in his hands, he's really, really good. And the thing about him is if he gets that quick move right past that initial jam at the line of scrimmage, he can go the distance. And I just really like this kid. Again, you know, when we're looking at wide receivers, everyone wants Chase and the two kids from Alabama.

Let's be honest. Those guys aren't going to be there. So you have to start looking elsewhere. But when you're looking at a guy like Tony, I think his big playability and the fact that they used him all over the field in Florida, to me, speaks volumes of how good he can be. Yeah, I like Tony a lot, just like you do. One thing that's an interesting point on Kadarius Tony

is that he actually played quarterback during his final two seasons at Blount High School in Alabama. Threw for over 3,000, actually over 3,500 yards. Also rushed for another 8,996 yards. So you know the Patriots love these wide receivers that can play quarterback. They've had a few of them here, and they've done pretty good. I think in a lot of ways it does really endear you to getting a good relationship with your quarterback because when you know the position and you know how it's played, you know the type of routes,

you know the position and you know how it's played, you know the type of routes, you know the anticipation factor. So I think it makes developing a relationship with a quarterback, no matter who it might be, something good. So there's something to keep a sharp eye on when it comes to Kadarius Toney, but I'm so glad that you mentioned the word electric, because he is electric, with or without the ball in his hand. He's a pretty good route runner. I've noticed a little bit of limitations in his game

there. I think he can work on that, especially in a Patriots offense. Working with someone like a Josh McDaniels, I think would be a good fit for him. But he was very effective in what Florida asked him to do. He was very good at being able to do his job. That's something that can't be stated enough here in New England. You do your job the way it's expected and you'll succeed here in New England. And those are the ones that end up doing, you know, the best work in there. He can start at multiple receivers. I think the bulk of his reps are going to come in the slot because that's just the way that he's progressing, you know, in his career. I think, I think a vertically attacking scheme is the best option for him.

And let's face it, with Julian Edelman not getting any younger and there even being still some question as to whether Julian is even going to be back in New England in 2021, it's time to look for your next level slot receiver. And maybe Kadarius Toney comes in here and does that. I know a lot of people have talked about Jacoby Myers taking that on maybe he takes on another role I still expect Jacoby to be a big part of this offense this year folks but Kadarius Toney could make that type of argument

to be a weapon in the slot and really someone that could be an effective weapon and all over the field for the New England Patriots. Last but not least, but you chronicle the wide receiver that I think has one of the best names in this draft. I'm on Ross St. Brown out of USC. You put together a really strong profile on him. Typically another wide receiver plays from the slot, but he's got great athleticism and great body control and agility when i watch film on this kid that's the one thing that stands out with me is his ability to control his body manipulate his

body into making contested catches uh being able to get separation and also the physicality to be able to go up and rip the ball out of a defensive back's hands if he really needs to. When you chronicled Amon Ross St. Brown, Bud, again, what makes him a good fit in New England? Where might the Patriots be willing to draft him? And do you see him as a potential diamond in the rough? Or does he have enough light on him to be a major contributor this year for an NFL team? I think, you know, I really believe he could step right in and start on day one. I really do. I think, you know, this kid has a very high ceiling.

He also has a very high floor, as I mentioned. I just think that he's destined to be a really, really good wide receiver. He can return punts. He's actually returned a couple of kicks at USC. And he's only 21 years old. And it's very, very rare when you see wide receivers who run routes as good as he does at that young age. So, you know, when I look at him, again, he's versatile. He can do a lot of things. The Patriots love guys who can do more than one thing. He can play in the slot. He can play

outside. He's another guy that can adjust when the, you know, the play breaks down and run routes back to the quarterback. And he has that, again, he's not a burner. He's another guy that will probably run in the 4-4 range, but that's plenty of up speed. But his quick twitch ability and the way he makes cuts and he runs routes, he's very, very good as a route runner. He's a guy that I think is going to be outstanding in the NFL. And, again, I'll go back to Daniel Jeremiah. And he talked about one trait every elite wide receiver possesses is toughness.

One of the main reasons I love Amon Ross St. Brown, and that is a great name, by the way. He does the dirty work in the middle of the field, and he's a very angry blocker. He's fun to watch. He's truly fun to watch. And again, you mentioned the toughness, the competitiveness. That is rarely seen from a wide receiver,

especially a collegiate wide receiver that's coming into the NFL with those skill set or with the fandom. It's refreshing. It's, I think, a throwback in a lot of ways. But look, he can definitely do it all. And the film that i've seen on him 6195 pounds so decent size but not over the top size but he plays bigger than that he plays tougher than that i really like his ability to go in make the contested catch um and he's got big playability i know a lot of people are going to hear me say contested catch and they're going to start twitching and remembering last year what I said about Nikhil Harry when the Patriots drafted him.

I still think Nikhil is a good contested catch wide receiver, but this kid separates himself from the pack by having that big play ability. He's good between the numbers, and I also like his skill set to be able to play in the short intermediate passing game as well. That's something that the Patriots, I think, are going to utilize a lot more in 2021, whether it's Cam throwing in the ball or whether it's another quarterback. That's their bread and butter, and I think the Patriots are going to return to that. Good hand-eye coordination on this kid, too. So in terms of making catches when he needs to make them, he's got the hands, he's got the toughness, and he's got the competitiveness to go up and to make contested catches and be a factor so to be honest with you steve i like i'm on ross st brown

as a fit in this offense maybe better than even the two previous that we've mentioned and that's no disrespect to rashad bateman or to cadareous tony excellent wide receivers i think they're both uh stars in the making in the NFL, but St. John might be, I think, the best pure patriotic fit if you're talking from start to finish in the skill set that he provides. Do any one of these three guys stand out to you as the best potential fit for the New England Patriots? Well, like you said, I like St. Brown. I think Brown would be a great fit. But honestly, I think any of them would be. I'd be happy if they drafted any of those three guys.

If any of those three were to make it here, I would be pretty happy with that. But if you're asking me who I think would fit in best with New England's offense, I think it would be St. Brown. I think they love guys that can do a multitude of things, which he can. And I think that he'd be a really, really good addition to this team. I do as well. And look, I mean, you know, there's a lot of argument that can be made to, you know, to bring in, obviously, a guy like Bateman, obviously a guy like Tony. Those players are dynamic and they can change the way an offense works. And I really can understand the argument for both of those.

And I'm not saying that I wouldn't be satisfied or wouldn't be happy with either one of those. But I love Amon Ross St. Brown's ability to be a multiple facet receiver and not that the other guys don't have it they do but I really I'm just so impressed with the competitiveness and the toughness of this kid I would love to see what he can do here in New England and I think it's just what this wide receiver core needs maybe a little bit of a smash mouth type throwback to a wide receiver that's not afraid to get in there and mix it up with some of the defensive backs. So ultimately, Bud, we'll see.

But you are always our resident voice of reason, and you always make such great points. And again, folks, can't recommend the work that Steve is doing for Patsfans.com lately with a lot of these draft profiles. Go out there, check them out. In addition to that, my friend, what can our listeners, the benefit of our new listeners, and we do continue to get new listeners each and every day, and we thank them for joining us, but what can we look forward to in the coming days and

weeks from the great pen of Steve Balistrieri? Well, we're going to continue to do our draft profiles. I mean, I think we'll be doing those probably right up until, you know, the draft rolls around. And we'll be looking at different players that can fit. And, you know, eventually we'll start moving down the draft a little bit to guys in the mid to later rounds and what fits they would have. But we're also going to start, you know, with free agencies right around the corner.

So, you know, teams can start franchise tagging guys. And so, you know, that's going to be first on the agenda. And, of course, we'll all be watching to see what moves they make at the quarterback position because I think that's, you know, it's got to be their first priority. So we'll be doing that. But, again, thank you for all the kind words, my friend. But I'll leave you with one more quote

when you've given me all this praise where my head starts to swell. You think too much of me, kid. I'm not that clever. Well, Steve, all I want is a truce. And I'm not going to ask your permission to use the restroom either. And I'll tell you what, all kidding aside, folks, the praise that I heap on this man and all my guests really truly comes from the heart. I'm humbled by the company that I keep. And especially you and Murph have been so amazing to me in this business. It's always my honor to talk ball with you. We'd be doing this whether we were hosting a podcast or not, but the fact that we're able to do this and other people do enjoy listening to us, or at least some do, is really something that is truly humbling. And it's a great honor for me. So I look forward to you joining me here on the pod every single week.

We'll keep having you join us as long as you're willing to come back. And again, folks, like I said, don't let it fool you. He's worth all of that praise and then some. What can I say, my friend? Have a great week. Stay safe and well. And we look forward to talking ball with you again here next Tuesday and chronicling more as we head toward the 2021 NFL Draft. Right. Next week will be March. So it's amazing. February's just kind of flown by, and now we're getting into March. We're getting into free agency season.

And you know what that means. Things are going to start heating up. Absolutely. It continues to get hotter and hotter as the league year is set to begin on March 17th. And where does the time go, my friend? And before you know it, before you know it, we're going to be talking training camp.

We're going to be talking roster cuts. We're going to be talking 2021 NFL season continues to go. But as long as it continues to go, we'll continue to cover it for you here on Locked On Patriots. Thanks again, buddy. We'll talk to you next week. All right. Thank you, Mike. Just like that Patriots. Thanks again, buddy. We'll talk to you next week. All right. Thank you, Mike.

Just like that, Patriots Nation, we are almost halfway through your work week, but we are just scratching the surface when it comes to bringing you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough. And tomorrow here on the pod,

a special treat for all of you Patriots and Red Sox fans, because as much as we're all Foxborough faithful, we're all Boston strong as well. Tune in tomorrow to find out exactly what I'm talking about. Don't miss a second of the action by subscribing to the Locked on Patriots podcast

on platforms such as Spotify, Radio.com, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts, just make sure that you're staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate.

I thank my good friend Steve Balistrieri 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 making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, always be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.