Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Safety First? New England Patriots Draft targets; A Chance for Lance? — 4/20/2021

Episode Date: April 20, 2021

The New England Patriots continue to prepare for the upcoming 2021 NFL season. Today, host Mike D’Abate is joined by Steve Balestrieri Of PatsFans.com to discuss the Patriots’ observations of Trey Lance’s Pro-Day, Part II, the importance of offseason workout attendance in Foxboro, and possible Safety targets in the 2021 NFL Draft. 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. 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 into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Tuesday, April 20th, 2021, and it's 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. And greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation.

Thank you for joining me here on this Tuesday episode of the pod. 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, comments, and feedback are always welcomed, very much encouraged. So 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 that Twitterverse, please

be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots fans in just nine days. I feel like Ed Rooney from Ferris Bueller's Day Off saying that. But in any case, in just nine days, the 2021 NFL Draft will commence from Cleveland, Ohio. And again, as of the time I'm recording this podcast, your New England Patriots currently hold the number 15 selection as their initial pick in this draft in the first round. But as we get closer to the big day, anticipation continues to grow. Will the Patriots make that move up to draft their quarterback of the future? I say their quarterback of the future, folks, because I just don't see

the Patriots moving up in this draft to draft anyone else but a quarterback. And I don't even think that's a slam dunk. But there are a handful of quarterbacks that the Patriots have been keeping their sharp eye on over the past few weeks. Three in particular, in which the Patriots have sent some pretty impressive contingents to view their pro day workouts. Alabama's Mac Jones, Ohio State's Justin Fields, and of course, North Dakota State's Trey Lance, whom the Patriots did send a contingent yesterday to Fargo to watch Lance work out in his second pro day so far this offseason.

And at various points throughout this offseason, the Patriots have been linked to all three of these quarterbacks, despite the fact that their draft pedigree has all of these quarterbacks projected to be selected within the first 10 to 12 picks. That would mean your New England Patriots would need to trade up in the draft in order to procure the services of one of these coveted signal callers. Well, today here on Locked On Patriots, our resident voice of reason, Steve Balistrieri, stops by the pod.

And I'll be seeking Steve's wisdom and counsel on whether or not Trey Lance is indeed the guy for the Patriots to make that move up in the draft, trade valuable draft capital in order to make sure that he's in the Foxborough fold for quite some time. But Steve and I will not stop our discussion just at the quarterback position today. Now, we'll be taking a look at the other side of the ball, the defensive backfield to be exact. And here on Locked On Patriots, we've been doing a lot of positional breakdowns, draft

prognostication, but one position that hasn't gotten a whole lot of attention here on the pod is the safety position. And a lot of draft experts out there consider this to be a relatively thin class when it comes to talent at the safety position. But there are some talented players out there, some of which can make an immediate impact. Steve and I will discuss which players at the safety position might be worth high draft capital and which players might be had on a Day 2 or a Day 3 flyer that could end up being diamonds in the rough. Last but certainly not least, Steve and I will be discussing the very latest happenings going on in Foxborough as we speak.

Voluntary off-season workouts have begun. And even though several members of your New England Patriots have exercised their right to not participate in these voluntary workouts, which, don't forget, is well within their rights to do so, the NFLPA issuing a memo last week which encouraged their players not to participate in these voluntary workouts. However, several prominent New England Patriots have shown up in Foxborough and are looking to participate, including quarterback Cam Newton and quarterback Jarrett Stidham. And several more New England Patriots have either reported for duty or are expected to do so. Players like Brandon King,

Kendrick Bourne, have all made statements or given indications that they will be in Foxborough to begin the offseason workout program. And I know a lot of you are sitting out there saying, why are we making such a big deal about this? It's a voluntary workout. And a lot of us don't even know exactly what goes on in these workouts. Again, first and foremost, the most important thing to remember is they are voluntary. And this off-season workout program is split into three phases. The first is held mostly in a virtual setting. It focuses entirely on strength and conditioning work. A lot of players feel that they can do this on their own,

but several players feel that doing this in an organized team facility is the best bet for them. During this first phase, no in-person meetings or on-field activity is allowed. Only a limited number of people are even permitted into the facility at the same time. Only up to 10 players can work out in the weight room at once, with no more than 20 players present in total. This first phase will run through May 14th, with the off-season workout program in general ending on June 18th. Under the NFL's revised plan announced last week, the lone mandatory portion of it, which we all know is mandatory minicamp, will take place either in late May or early June. Until then, any type of workouts at team facilities are strictly voluntary. And again, even though several New England Patriots

players have exercised their right not to participate, it still looks like the Patriots are going to enjoy pretty solid attendance at these workouts. And before anyone starts conjuring up all these Bill Belichick coercion conspiracy theories, the reasons why a player would participate as opposed to not participating are purely their own. Some of them are for team building purposes, some of them are because players are competing for jobs or spots on this roster, and some of them are financial concerns. And here today on the pod, Steve Balistrieri and I will take a deeper dive into these off-season

workouts and we'll let you know our opinions on whether or not attendance in the offseason workout program is either overrated or underrated. Folks, an action-packed agenda on the pod today. Our resident voice of reason is here to keep us both informed and grounded when it comes to the latest on your New England Patriots. And in just a moment, Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com will join me here on the hot seat when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Patriots fans, football games on the field may be over for the 2020 season,

but here in Foxborough, we're on to 2021. And the question on everyone's mind is, will the Patriots eclipse their seven-win total in 2020? Well, our good friends at BetOnline.ag have set the over-under for the 2021 New England Patriots' win total at 9.5. What are your thoughts, Pats Nation? Do you think that's pretty much right on the money? Do you think BetOnline.ag is being a little over-generous? Or are you looking at that win total like

Don Vito Corleone and saying, what have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you want to put your prognostication skills to the test, there is only one place that has you covered and one place we trust. And that is BetOnline.ag, the fastest and 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. Simply put, 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 here's the best part, folks. It's free to sign up.

Head over to their website, BetOnline.ag, or use your mobile free to sign up head over to their website betonline.ag or use your mobile device to sign up today and receive your 50 welcome bonus on your first deposit don't forget to use the promo code locked on don't sit on the sidelines any longer get in on the action head over to betonline.ag today sign up and receive your 50 welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code LOCKEDON. BetOnline, your online sportsbook experts. LockedOn listeners, this year the LockedOn Podcast Network is partnering with the Draft Network to cover the NFL Draft live. Get insight and analysis from LockedOn 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 April 29th through May 1st. Patriots fans, once again, we are just over a week away from the 2021 NFL Draft and the Patriots continue to move toward that draft, whether it be sending contingents to wherever to scout players or whether it be players showing up for voluntary workouts. An awful lot of stuff going on in Foxborough, and here to provide his wisdom and counsel and to help us break it all down is our resident voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots.

As always, one of the best, most knowledgeable columnists that you'll find in Patriots media anywhere you know is great work from patsfans.com, as well as being the co-host of two amazing podcasts, Patriots 4th and 2, and One Patriots Place. He's my Patriots bison, and despite what he will tell you, he's worthy of all the praise he gets and then some. Steve Balistrieri joins me here today, but welcome back to Locked On Patriots for your regular Tuesday appearance here on the pod. Yeah, it's, you know, when you were talking in the intro only a week away, it seems so far away, the NFL draft, because this is the time of year we always get excited. There's so many things going on, and thanks for inviting me, as always.

I can't wait. I'm looking forward to it. Well, we're looking forward to it, too, and believe me, your wisdom, your counsel, and your insight has helped us get ready for the draft here on Locked On Patriots. But I look forward to Tuesdays every single week. You know I always look forward to Mondays. I look forward to Tuesdays as well.

I look forward to every day here on Locked On Patriots because great guests like you, Murph, and all the great guests that I surround myself with really help to make this show what it is. I'm humbled by it, and I'm always in awe of the information that you guys provide and help Lockdown Patriots to bring about as best of a show as possible. But let's dive right into the news of the day, or I should say half the news of the day, and that is the Patriots once again sent a pretty impressive contingent down to scout a pro day, and this time they're scouting for the second time,

North Dakota State's quarterback, Trey Lance. No members of the coaching staff were there this time around, but New England's front office was well represented for Lance's workout. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, obviously has been reporting each and every week, the contingent that the Patriots would be sending. And they sent assistant director of player personnel Dave Ziegler, scouting consultant Elliott Wolfe, both in Fargo, to get a look at one of the better quarterback prospects

in this year's draft, someone that's being very highly touted and for good reason. Trey Lance is definitely a great dual threat quarterback. This was not the first time that the Patriots got a look at him, though. Lance's first pro day in mid-March, already attended by Matt Groh. dual threat quarterback. This was not the first time that the Patriots got to look at him though. Lance's first pro day in mid-March already attended by Matt Groh, one of their advanced scouts. So in a lot of ways, the Patriots doing their due diligence on Trey Lance as they should. Steve, I'd say it's a safe bet, not a sure bet, but a safe bet that if the Patriots are interested in a quarterback, that they're going to need to trade up to get him and Lance is interesting because I've seen him projected as high as pick

three to the 49ers I've also seen him drop to the Patriots lap in at 15 in some drafts mock drafts that are out there I think that's highly unlikely I think if they're going to look to him they may have to get into the top 10 to do it obviously the Patriots have an eye on Trey Lance because they're sending significant scouts to be able to see what he can do. But based on what you have heard, how do you gauge the Patriots interest in Trey Lance? And is he the guy that you would make that move to trade up for well I mean if you look at it from a Patriots standpoint he doesn't check the blocks that Bill Belichick usually looks for he looks for three year starters guys who already graduated you know but I mean from a raw talent standpoint, when you look at this guy, I mean, granted, he was playing at FCS,

which is a little bit less competition than, you know, the top schools. But he absolutely dominated. You go back 2019, because he didn't play much last year. So you go back 2019, 28 touchdowns, no interceptions, 2,800 yards. He rushed for, I think it was 1,100 yards and 14 more touchdowns. I mean, the raw talent is just off the charts. And his work, again, yesterday was really impressive. You know, it was funny.

I was reading last night. It wasn't about the Patriots. A lot of people are thinking the 49ers are going to jump the shark, basically. You know, we've been hearing so much about Mac Jones for them. We're hearing now that, you know, the 49ers might be enthralled with them. They had everybody there yesterday, you know. So it'll be interesting. But from a Patriots standpoint, once again,

you look for a guy that plays a lot under center, which he does, a lot of play action passing, which he excelled in. You know, the arm strength is really, really strong. And, you know, he's very athletic. I don't know if he's going to be the guy. The Patriots are obviously doing their due diligence. I think if they're going to go after a quarterback in the, you know, one of the top five, he's going to have to be the guy that they go after

because I still don't think that the Niners are going to take him. I think they're taking Matt Jones. after because I still don't think that the Niners are going to take him. I think they're taking Matt Jones. Yeah, and I think a lot of people are starting to support that theory, although you're hearing a lot of rumblings about Justin Fields, maybe the guy in San Francisco, that a lot of this might be smoke and mirrors when it comes to Kyle Shanahan's interest in Matt Jones and that Matt may end up slipping. There's a lot of posturing going around, and this is a perfect time of year for it you're just a little over a week away from the draft and everybody is starting to speculate as to where these guys are going to

end up and really when it comes to the first two I mean there's no doubt there Trevor Lawrence going one Zach Wilson obviously going two to uh to the uh the J we think. I mean, this is all speculation at this point, but those seem to be pretty good locks. But then you look at the 49ers, and we've seen anywhere from Justin Fields to Mac Jones to even Trey Lance being a part of that mix. And then obviously Denver being in the mix, does Atlanta throw their hat into the ring

and decide they're going to go for one of these guys instead of going for a position player? You're hearing a lot coming from a lot of various camps when it comes to their interest in these three potential quarterbacks and I happen to think all of these guys are going to be gone and off the board by the time you reach 10 or 11 when it comes to picks which means the Patriots would have to trade up I think you make a really interesting point about him not checking off all of the boxes a a three-year starter, the seasoned ability He can align the gun. He's shown the ability to run the offense from under center. He's very athletic. You know, he can get out of the pocket. He can extend plays with his legs. That's really what the wow factor is in terms of some of

the film on this kid. But even within the pocket, I think he's shown some pretty good mobility, some good footwork that's developed over the course of his collegiate career. And again, because he's a threat to move the chains with his legs, you mentioned this, a lot of play action. He has to be accounted for in the zone read game. And maybe that is something that he can even pick up from one of the better quarterbacks in the league to be able to do it in the last 10 years. And that's Cam Newton. If he's playing under, we're playing alongside Cam, think about the fact that that could be a tutoring process for Trey Lance. So in the last 10 years, and that's Cam Newton. If he's playing alongside Cam, think about the fact that that could be a tutoring process for Trey Lance. So there's a lot of talent there, like you said. If the Patriots do make the trade up to make this move,

it might be a little uncharacteristic for them, but at the end of the day, it might be one of the better moves where they would make. So thank you for your insight on Trey Lance on that, and we'll see what the Patriots have in store because they have been scouting quarterbacks. I mean, we mentioned the fact that they were scouting, obviously, Trey Lance last week, Justin Fields.

Josh McDaniels was in attendance for his pro day. They've scouted Zach Wilson. They've scouted Trevor Lawrence. We're hearing rumblings that Josh McDaniels has been in constant contact with Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M they're keeping their options open as they should will it lead anywhere your guess is as good as mine we'll find out next Thursday at the very earliest in my opinion so good information there but speaking of cam newton my friend um there are a sizable portion of players uh that have essentially decided to stay away from voluntary workout um and off-season activities

at least early on uh the nflpa putting out a memo a lot of teams following suit the new england patriots were one of those teams that put out a note saying that many players had exercised their option not to partake in voluntary workouts. But the Patriots are one of those teams that do begin their off-season program and actually had some pretty good attendance, believe it or not. There are players reporting for these strength and conditioning workouts on the schedule. But the patriots are one of those teams that usually gets very strong attendance here how many players will ultimately attend we're still starting to see two of which have been the most high profile are cam newton jared stidham obviously the two quarterbacks getting in uh today in fact on tuesday kendrick bourne nelson

agalor taking the instagram indicating that they are in Foxborough taking part of these workouts as well. Steve, these workouts are always interesting to me. They're a very popular topic. Some of our colleagues, colleagues I guess is the right term to use, right? I think we'll be nice today. Anyway, some in the Patriots media realm have used them as a bar of judgment when it comes to determining how committed a player is to the team. He didn't show up for OTAs. He doesn't care. Whatever. Again, I'm going to be nice. I'm not going to judge anyone. But I think we all need

to remember these meetings are indeed voluntary. That's the nature of them. And my belief is that they are important, but not vital. Meaning that I think that there is value there to be had in showing up, but it's not a make or break moment in a player's season. In your opinion, my friend, is the attendance at these meetings overrated or underrated in your opinion? And what does player attendance say to you about the players or the team involved when you see either lackluster attendance or maybe robust attendance as the Patriots have typically enjoyed here? Well, you know, I'm going to kind of sit on the fence on this one, because I think for some of these guys,

especially the guys with families with young kids, they look forward to this time because this is their family time where they get to spend time with their family when the weather turns a little bit warmer, you know, before the drudgery of training camp and mini camps all, you know, kick in. So, you know, I understand that. And it is voluntary. And a lot of these guys work out really hard with personal trainers that they hire that tailor things to them.

So I don't have a whole lot of heartburn if a guy stays away because it is a voluntary thing. The Patriots have traditionally had pretty good attendance, and I think a lot of that has to do with Bill Belichick. I think it is important when you have a bunch of new players coming in with, you know, a quarterback they haven't played with in the past. And I think that it's really good to see Aguilar and Bourne showing up with Cam Newton. And again, with Newton and Stidham, you know, these guys are, you know, playing for their jobs.

I mean, we're all expecting the Patriots to take a quarterback at some point in the NFL draft. It might be early. And Cam wants to erase that 2020 season that was really one he'd probably like to forget. But at the same time, I think it's good to see him out there. He doesn't have to be there. But the fact that he is and these other young, you know, blah, blah, blah, not so much younger guys, but new guys to the team. The fact that they're out there as

well, I think speaks highly of the organization and you know, the the feeling that these guys have that, you know, they need to fit in and they have high expectation. Yeah, without any question. And I think you make an interesting

point, especially when it comes to guys like cam and jared showing up because they're essentially competing for their jobs and they're competing with each other i mean there is a good by all indications there's a very good very solid relationship between the two uh you know little to no acrimony i don't think there's any acrimony between these two at all from what I've seen. You never know for absolute certain. But when it comes to that, I mean, they are competing for their jobs, though. And I think Jared is looking at this season and saying, I'm as good as anybody. I can definitely contend for this, whether or not the team agrees, whether or not the fan base agrees.

That's a different story. But I think Jared has a lot of confidence in himself to be able to compete and hopefully, you know, try to be the starter of this team. And look, Cam Newton signed that deal knowing full well that he's betting on himself to have a much better season than he had in 2020. And I would tend to bet on Cam Newton when he bets on himself. This is not a guy that's going to have any type of false pretenses about his abilities to lead this team. If he feels he can do it, I believe he will be able to do it. And let's not forget the financial responsibilities here as well.

Patriots right now have eight players under contract with workout bonuses in their respective deals. So attending these voluntary sessions like the ones that began yesterday and are continuing uh throughout uh the the month here in gillette um in a lot of ways it's a requirement if you want to earn those bonuses so players that do have a financial incentive to show up they'll do that as well for anyone thinking that's bill belichick's you know sinister plan to get people to show up you look at the patriots 90 man roster and eight players have workout bonuses in their respective deals. So he's not coercing all of the team to show up, despite of what you may hear in some of the other, quote unquote, media realms.

And again, Steve, I'm trying to be nice about this, but, you know, it's just, it amazes me that this continues to be a hotbed of fodder for talk shows and things of that nature. I ran down earlier to open the show exactly what goes on from this period to the middle part of June when these workouts are going on to let you know exactly what's there and to let you know what's not there as well. And players are not missing valuable input time when it comes to the playbook or anything of that nature that's going to severely put them back. I don't know. I guess it's just the nature of the way you want to cover.

So have at it and go for it for what it is. But, again, I think that this was an interesting, you know, development that some of these guys are showing up. And I applaud the ones that are showing up. And I also applaud the ones that chose to stay away. It's their right to do so. And they've, you know, felt either for their safety or for, you know, their commitments to their family that their time is better, you know, used doing it either on their own or using this time more constructively. So good stuff there. Steve, as always, you know used doing it either on their own or using this time uh more constructively so good stuff there steve as always you know we keep an eye on the players that are working out and the players that will be on the roster but all eyes continue to be on the draft we opened our discussion

today by talking about trey lance but one position that i haven't had a chance to really delve into as much as i would like to is the base end of the defensive backfield, folks. I'm talking about the safety position. We haven't done a whole lot of scouting on the safeties, but today here on the pod, I'm pulling on the wisdom and counsel of my resident voice of reason to talk about the safety position a little bit. If the Patriots decide to go safety early on, who might be worth taking that chance? And if they

decide that they're going to wait until day two or day three, who could be a potential diamond in the rough? Talking more of the safety position with Steve Balistrieri when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, the ultimate mock draft 2021 presented by Locked On and Odyssey is happening now. Featuring analysis from NFL experts Michael Irvin, Jason LaConfora, and Brian Baldinger. Our local experts for every team making trades and picking their team's next stars. Search the ultimate mock draft 2021 on the new Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Odyssey is your audio home for all the sports, podcasts, music, and news that matter to you. That's A-U-D-A-C-Y.

Patriots fans, Steve Balistrieri joins me here today of Patsfans.com. And buddy, in the previous segment, we talked a little bit about the quarterback position we talked about the contingent of coaches and scouts that have been attending pro days most notably trey lances in fargo north dakota yesterday um and also talked a little bit about the voluntary off-season workout program beginning for the patriots and some players showing up for that and others choosing to exercise their option not to attend. But the draft continues to be the story of the day, and it really will be right up until the end of next weekend when the draft is finally in the books.

But one position I haven't talked about a whole lot here is the safety position. And yesterday, our mutual friend Murph and I mused the mock drafts that were submitted by the great listeners of Locked On Patriots. And one of the drafts submitted by Happy Guy, as he's known on Twitter, had the Patriots going safety in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft at number 15. I think that may be a little bit high, but he had them selecting Trevon Moerig out of TCU. And Moerig is really considered, I think, the top safety prospect on a lot of different boards. The draft network has him ranked number one in terms of safety prospects. And I'll be honest, Steve, one of the reasons why he hasn't gotten as much press here on Lockdown Patriots as maybe it should have is because I didn't think it stood out or stuck out

as a first round need, especially early on. But Patrick Chung's retirement and the uncertainty of Devin McCourty playing beyond this 2021 season means that the Pats could be in the market for a safety. This safety class isn't considered robust, but there are some players out there that can make contributions and can be difference makers. Steve, in your opinion, if the Patriots go safety early, meaning a day one, maybe by a trade back or maybe at 15 or, you know, or maybe early day two, who might be the best fit in your estimation of some of the more highly touted safety prospects out there for the 2021 draft? Well, I think they're set for 2020, 2021, excuse me.

You know, I'm looking at the roster and I think they're okay. So I was looking at safeties and I pulled up a couple of names because I think they'll be looking at a guy for 2022 and beyond. And you mentioned Devin McCourty, you know, probably going to retire and the, you know, for an early round, I'm saying second, maybe a late second round, maybe even early third round kind of guy, is actually a corner out of Georgia who's probably going to play safety in the NFL. That's Tyson Campbell. And, you know, when I look at Campbell, I think of a Devin McCourty type of guy.

He played corner in college. You know, he's going to be your deep safety guy. I think he's got that long, you know, that long frame. He's 6'2", and he runs sub 4'4". So, I mean, you know, he's got that top-end speed I think you need, and he's pretty aggressive with the football. So I kind of like him. And again, we're, we're looking at, you know, down the road, not so much this year, a mid round guy, a guy I really like, and he would be more of the Pat Chung type. And he's from USC.

And I know I'm going to butcher his name, Talanoa Hafanga. He's a big box safety. He played like that Jack linebacker. He's very explosive. He's very aggressive. You know, I think he could fit into that Pat Chung role. And then, you know, later on down the road, if you're looking for a small school guy, maybe later in the fourth round, James Wiggins out of Cincinnati.

Yeah, I think so. I think you make some interesting points. It's interesting that you went with Campbell as a Georgia Bulldog. I had my eye on someone like that in terms of who the patriots might look at as a potential diamond in the rough and i think you can make the argument that a lot of these guys uh especially the safeties in this draft you might be better off going value uh rather than going the other top half um murph and i talked about trayvon morey got a tcu a little bit yesterday murph was a little more um adept to him being potentially a

strong safety. I thought he fit into the free safety market a little bit well because I think he does his best work when he's roaming around the middle part of the field. But at the same time, I think you can make the argument for both. And I think that's really something where the Patriots may take a look at some of these guys and realize that the best part of their value is in the middle rounds. But someone that I think they might be willing to look at and someone that I think they might be willing to take a look at early if they look at the safety position might be Javon Holland coming out of the University of Oregon. This is a kid that I think has the skill set to become a starting safety in the NFL. He really is able to fit in. He has that schematic versatility to play in pretty much any scheme. Good leadership, good communication, especially on the back end. That's one thing that

you hear a lot of with his teammates from Oregon, his coaches, players and teammates that have played against him say that he's a very good communicator. And to me, that's something that's so important in a New England Patriots-type scheme. And especially when it comes to their defensive backfield, they've had guys like Chung, like McCourty, that have been such great communicators, letting people know exactly where they need to be on the field at all times. Holland is someone that seems to have that type of pedigree and something that I think the Patriots could really, really utilize. Tremendous versatility, again, I think great ball skills. I think he could be someone that the Patriots may look at and say,

well, you know what, if we're picking right around the 46 type area, this could be a guy that we may want to take a flyer on, and he could be someone that could either be a strong or a free safety in this system. Steve, you kind of tipped your hand a little bit, but I'm going to give you a chance to go back into it a little. If the Patriots don't address the safety position early and they really look toward the back end of the draft, who do you see as that potential diamond in the rough that may not be getting a whole lot of press in terms of his prowess at the position,

but someone that you think could fit nicely into the Patriots system? Yeah, I mentioned Wiggins, you know, from Cincinnati. He reminds me a lot of Deron Harmon. So, you know, he's that kind of, you know, I guess you could say a diamond in the rough, you know. And I think if we're looking later in the draft, you know, there's a kid from Rutgers, Brendan White, another big kid. You know, he signed with Ohio State. He followed Greg Sciano back to Rutgers. And, again, he's that big Pat Chung kind of guy, 6'2", 220.

So I think that's the kind of guy that they might end up targeting. Or if you really want to go like maybe late seventh round or even undrafted Dwayne Johnson Jr. San Diego State yeah and we all know who his dad is and he's another good size dude yeah without question yeah and he's one of those hybrid guys as well you know those are the kind of safeties i was looking at because i still have that feeling and i could be totally wrong on this but i i think they're going to move duggar to free safety um uh when devin mccordy hangs it up because you know one of the reasons they drafted him, I thought was, you know, we, we all know he hits a ton, but you know, that athleticism of his,

I think that's one of the reasons they drafted him. I still have that feeling that they're going to move him to free safety. So I've been kind of looking more toward those Pat Chung box safety types. Yeah. And I think in a lot of ways, I agree with you, and I think a lot of people are starting to come around to that theory as well. And I think watching how the Patriots utilize Kyle Duggar this year is going to be so interesting and such an intriguing case study when it comes to the 2021 New England Patriots

because you know as well as I from talking to members of the organization how high they are on kyle duggar the value they placed on him last year and what he can do in new england i think he's going to be a breakout this year for the new england patriots and i think you're really going to see what they saw in him last year where so many people rolled their eyes and said division two hasn't played against anybody uh he's not anything that's going to be uh you know uh valued in this league i think you're really going to see what the patriots saw in kyle duggar and i think he's going to prove it this year it's interesting that you mentioned uh you know guys especially you know someone like dwayne johnson jr and the middle part of the

rounds uh i tip my hand earlier by talking about the Georgia Bulldog, and then obviously I talked about Holland a little bit, but Richard LeCount III is a safety for the University of Georgia. I'm making our guy Andrew Carraway smile big right now because Andrew mentioned him a little bit last week, and the more I delved into Richard LeCount, he's another one in the backfield at the safety position that has great communication skills, displays a lot of leadership back there. And character is such an important part of what the Patriots bring to the table on the field. Guys that can communicate, guys that can lead by example, he does have that ability. And look, from a playing standpoint, I think the Patriots could do a lot worse. This is

a kid who plays with a lot of agility, very balanced in terms of the coverage that he provides. He can align in man coverage. He can play in the slot. I think he has the versatility to align in multiple places. But at the point of attack, that's something where he may need a little bit more of a thump. So I'm looking at him a little bit more as a free rather than a strong. But when you look at what he can bring to the table maybe this is someone who can be tutored um you know especially by uh you know someone like a mccordy or you know maybe even look at the example that a guy like kyle duggar can bring to the table even someone like my man adrian phillips that plays in the in the safety position play that hybrid linebacker a line go up line up in the box. There's a lot of different areas that he could align into.

And again, this is a guy that has a lot of experience playing in special teams. He can be a four-phase core special teamer, and we know the Patriots love those guys. We love players that are versatile and can play special teams, and LeCount does have a lot of experience in the kicking game as well. So, Bud, your guess is as good as mine. That's a great call because, you know, again, you know, you look for those intangibles. He isn't, LeConte isn't, I like him as well.

Georgia had a lot of really good defenders in the secondary this year. And LeConte, you know, you look at a guy, he isn't the biggest. He's not the fastest. You know, he's not the most physical guy. But, you know, when you look at him, what do you see? You see a coach on the field. He's got those intangibles. And, you know, that was the area that he stood out.

And I thought you made a great point there. I mean, I think he's another guy. I wouldn't be heartbroken if I saw his name on the Patriots pick list there because of that versatility you just mentioned. Yeah, and again, I mean, you look at, you know, the middle part, maybe the early to mid-100s. In that range of name there, it would not shock me. You're right. I mean, there is some, and I mentioned that, there is some question on the physicality. That's something I think he's going to have to work on.

But that is the type of things where you can add a little bit of stock, maybe not add height. He's listed at 5'11". I think that may be a little over generous but uh um maybe not uh you know perhaps not i haven't had a chance to scout him up close i'm going by film and by uh you know vid clips here but at the same time you can add a little bit of stock to yourself you can add a little bit of thump to your game it's those intangibles and you mentioned coach on the field something that's something that's very difficult to coach up or something to develop over time.

If you have that skill coming out of college, Bill Belichick and the Patriots Defensive Brain Trust love that. So keep a sharp eye there, folks. I'm not saying it's a done deal, but he's someone that I've warmed a lot more towards in the last few weeks, and I thank our good friend Andrew Carraway for turning me on to that as well. Steve, what can I say? Once again, the wisdom, the counsel, the reason that you provide here every Tuesday is something

that I can't thank you enough for. And we look forward to it every single week here on Locked On Patriots. Again, buddy, before I let you go, several new listeners this week, please let them know where they can find you and what you have coming up on the horizon as we come into the draft next Thursday from the great Penn and the great voice of Steve Balistrieri. Yeah, and again, thank you very much. I appreciate all the kind words and it's always the invite. You know, I've been going back and forth on a couple of different prospects. I'm going to do one more mock draft for patsfans.com.

That's where I write at. You can also find me on Twitter, at SteveB7SFG. I'm also Facebook and Instagram and all that stuff, although I'm not as active on those. But, yeah, I'm going to be looking at one more mock draft. I'm going to take one more shot at it. And then Derek Havens and I from Pat's 4th and 2, we're going to do a first-round mock draft on a show this upcoming week

where we're going to do our best to see if we can nail down who's going where in the first round. Absolutely. From your lips to God's ears, we'll see what happens. Mock drafts are always interesting, as all of us here on the Lockdown Podcast Network can tell you right now. The ultimate mock draft 2021 going on throughout the network, and our picks will be elated upon or they'll be deflated upon.

Poor choice of words, Pats fans. I'm sorry. But in any case, they will be scrutinized one way or another. But we look forward to that. I strongly encourage checking out the great work that Steve does alongside Derek Havens and Russ Goldman, you know, as well on Patriots 4th and 2. That is an excellent trio and one of my favorite Patriots podcasts. So I highly recommend checking that out. But, Steve, what can I say? In the meantime, we know we'll have you back here for one more draft prep before the big day on Thursday next week. So in the meantime, stay safe, stay well, my friend, and we look forward to talking ball with you once again here next Tuesday

on Locked on Patriots. And so, Patriots Nation, we are almost halfway through your work week, but we have only scratched the surface when it comes to this week's Patriots coverage right here on the Locked on Patriots podcast. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, follow Locked on Patriots on platforms such as the Odyssey app,

Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. And of course, don't forget that the Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 is live wherever you get your podcasts. Picks and analysis from over 75 experts, including Odyssey Sports insiders and Locked On Podcast local experts, including yours truly. It's the most comprehensive mock draft available.

So follow the Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 on your preferred platform. 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 continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Pats Nation, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world.

Have a great day, everyone.