Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Thought-Provoking Thursday: Patriots Draft Prognosis - 4/9/2020

Episode Date: April 9, 2020

The New England Patriots often provide the unexpected when it comes to their NFL Draft preferences. On today’s episode, host Mike D’Abate provides some alternative Draft takes from listener Clare Cooper’s latest Mock Draft submission, and some expert analysis from Robert Marcello of Full Press Coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. It is Thought-Provoking Thursday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the

New England Patriots. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback, always welcomed and appreciated. And you can feel free to send that feedback by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C.

And while you're out there doing some socially distant cruising through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, even though we're going through a time right now where days and weeks continue to meld together, it is Thursday here on the Locked On Patriots fans, even though we're going through a time right now where days and weeks continue to meld together, it is Thursday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and that means it's thought-provoking Thursday. Now, you're probably all wondering to yourself, what does he mean by that?

Anyone who's listened to Locked On Patriots before knows that I have a strong affection for alliteration. But because today is April 9th, that means that we are just 14 days away from the start of the NFL draft on April 23rd. And as I and my guests continue to infuse you with knowledge when it comes to the Patriots strategy, we hope it provokes some thought as well. And that's why I am calling today Thought-Provoking Thursday. And today, as we did Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, mock drafts and draft

profiles will take center stage. And because I know in my heart that all of you, the Locked On Patriots podcast listening base is the best in Patriots Nation, you all continue to send in some great mock drafts. And today, to whet your appetite for the main course, I have selected one of those mock drafts to share with you today, and I will do so in just a moment. But wait, there's more. You will also get the insight and opinion from a draft expert. My esteemed colleague, Robert Marcello of Full Press Coverage Patriots will join me today on

the hot seat, and he will give us his take on who the Patriots might be eyeing with the number 23 pick, and I'll give you a hint folks, one of those selections is one we have yet to discuss here on Locked On Patriots. I'll also get Robert's opinion on who might be a mid to late round hidden gem, and we'll conclude today by asking Robert to put on his GM sport coat and make his selection for the draft prospect he believes will be the ideal fit in Patriot Blue. So settle in, folks. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed today's podcast, and hopefully we're able to provide you with a little food for thought on this Thursday episode of the Locked On Patriots

podcast. But first, we may be nine days into April, folks, but it doesn't mean that we should not still be aware of the Mocs of March. And you all being the amazing listeners that you are, again, you continue to send in some great mock drafts. And as a precursor to Robert Marcello's analysis today, I was proud to select one of those submissions that caught my sharp eye, as I like to say. And today's mock draft comes to us from one of our most valued supporters. You know her as Miss Hey Girl. She is Claire L. Cooper, at Clazzy, with two Z's, not two S's, folks. Claire.

C-L-A-Z-Z-Y-C-L-A-R-E. And Claire is definitely one of the most passionate Patriots fans that I've ever met. I say that with great sincerity and affection. However, she is a lot more knowledgeable when it comes to Patriots strategy than she'll give herself credit for. And the three-round mock draft that she submitted this week was definitely intriguing, to say the least. With the number 23 selection, Claire goes in a direction that many mock drafts have gone in before, and that is edge rusher Zach Bond out of the University of Wisconsin. Now, we've talked about Bond's pros and his cons here on Locked On Patriots for the last couple of weeks now.

And Claire, this is a solid pick. If the Patriots are to prioritize edge rushing, Bond is one of the best, most likely prospects to snag with the number 23 pick. But what raised my eye about Claire's submission is that she said she went with Bond over A.J. Epineza. Up to about a week ago, I would have said Epineza was the wiser choice. But the more information I watch on Bond, I'm starting to believe that he might be as good a fit in New England, maybe even a little bit better. As I've said here on Locked On Patriots several times, A.J. Epineza is really a tailor-made fit for the Patriots' style of defensive lineman. Length, heavy hands to control at the point of attack, and a tremendous amount of length, which is something

that Vaughn does not possess. But what's really made me warm to Zach Vaughn as a potential fit in this Patriots defense is his versatility to win as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the run game, the ability to rush the passer, and also his ability to drop back into coverage. Epineza can definitely do all that, but he's more comfortable in a 4-3 set. Not to say that Epineza can't play the 3-4, or vice versa, that Bond can't play the 4-3. I just think in terms of comfort level, Bond may actually be the better fit for the Patriots if they choose to remain in a 3-4 primary alignment.

So again, Claire, I like this pick, and I appreciate you giving us a little bit of a different way to look at it. Claire really didn't work the trade wire too much, so at number 87, which is the next progressive pick that the Patriots would have in the third round, she has the Pats taking a tight end. And anybody that knows Claire knows that this is her favorite position on the football field. Your choice at number 87, Adam Troutman, Dayton.

Love the pick. Can't argue with it. I've been singing Adam Troutman's praises pretty much since the 2019 season ended. So this pick, A-plus grade for me, Claire. At number 98, Claire has the Patriots addressing offensive line. And you all know from listening to Locked On Patriots that I'm a pretty big proponent of the Patriots seeking help on the O-line, even early on in the draft. And at number 98, Claire has the Patriots taking offensive tackle Josh Jones out of

the University of Houston. And even though I like Jones as a player, this is a pick, Claire, that I happen to disagree with for two reasons. First, and to Claire's credit, she did allude to this when she submitted her mock draft, I don't think he's going to be there at number 98. Offensive linemen as a whole are in high demand during draft time, and when a prospect comes along with Josh's upside, it's so tough to pass that up. So if the Patriots were to use any type of draft capital to draft Josh Jones, they would

have to do it a lot higher than number 98. But that aside, if they were going to use high draft capital to draft an offensive lineman, I don't think it would be for Josh Jones. Yes, there is a tremendous amount of upside here, but as I said Monday here on Locked On Patriots, I think there's too much technical work that has to be done before Jones can be a contributor. And I am aware that the Patriots do have some young talent on the offensive line, including two guys that did not suit up for the Patriots last year in Yanni Kajusti and Yelda Frohold, but I still think they'd be looking for a guy that's a little more

NFL ready, especially taking under account the retirement of Dante Skarnecchia. So on this one, Claire, I like the player. It wouldn't shock me to see him end up in New England. I just don't think it's that likely. And last but certainly not least, at pick 100, Claire has the Patriots dipping their toe into the tight end pool once again. And she originally mentioned two possibilities, but eventually settled on one. We'll start with the odd man out here, and that was tight end Harrison Bryant out of Florida Atlantic. And I think this pick could make sense for the Patriots. He had a pretty good year in 2019, and he's a versatile receiving option that can execute from a variety of alignments. That's really one of his best traits, his versatility. He has enough athletic ability, route running technique, and ball skills to create matchup problems. He does lack some

physicality, especially in the blocking game, but that can be taught. If I'm being honest, I probably wouldn't like this pick so much if the Patriots were planning on using Harrison Bryant as their primary tight end option. However, if they pair him with a guy like Adam Troutman, like Claire did here, then I actually do like this pick for the Patriots. But Claire's second option with the number 100 pick was the one that really raised my eyebrow, and that is tight end Steven Sullivan out of LSU. Now Sullivan is being described as that hybrid type of tight end that the Patriots have been known to employ in the past.

And please folks, in no way am I comparing these two on or off the field, but we did hear those same comparisons in describing the athletic skill set of Aaron Hernandez. According to our friends at thedraftnetwork.com, Sullivan best projects as a, quote, developmental receiving specialist. And from my scouting on Sullivan, I believe he has the necessary athletic tools to be an effective route runner and a contested catch target.

The thing that I like most about Sullivan from a physical standpoint is he has a massive wingspan. He can go up and snag those throws up the seam. If he's going to be an effective tight end, however, he is going to need to increase his power at the point of attack. Right now, he lacks that needed power in the lower half to uproot defenders in the box. The Patriots would need to work with him and maybe help increase his mass so that he could anchor and hold ground in traditional in-line sets. But all in all, Claire, I like your choice of tight ends in this draft. You know I love Troutman at 87, and at least to me, your two choices at number 100 have

a chance of happening. So thank you once again for your submission. I really appreciate the stellar work that you put into this mock draft, and as always, I remain humbled by your support. And of course, before I forget, hey girl. But Claire is not the only one playing the mock draft game in Patriots Nation. In just a moment, Robert Marcello of Full Press Coverage will join me here on the hot seat, and he will detail his plans for your beloved football team in Foxborough

when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, my guest today continues to do amazing work for Full Press Coverage Patriots. In addition to his enemy profiles each and every game week throughout the season, he provides stellar insight when it comes to the NFL draft. You can also find his great work on platforms such as NSNSports.net, Dean College Athletics, and handling some of the play-by-play and color commentary duties for the Brockton Rocks baseball team, as well as the Hyannis Harborhawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Today on Locked On Patriots, my friend and colleague Robert Marcello joins me. Robert, it's my honor to share the microphone with you today. Welcome to the Locked On Patriots podcast. What a pleasure. Thank you for having me today. Oh, my pleasure. Absolutely. And Robert, as we speak, we are exactly 14 days away from the 2020 NFL draft, which, as we now all know, will be conducted virtually by web conferencing.

And the New England Patriots find themselves with numerous needs. And here on Locked On Patriots, I've spoken about their needs at length, whether it be on the offensive line, in the defensive pass rush, or the quarterback position, which, let's face it, Robert, might just be a bigger need than we hoped it would have been maybe at this time last month and a little bit beforehand. But I digress. We're not going to talk about Tom today. We're going to keep it in the present and the future. In your recent draft analysis, which can be found on fullpresscoverage.com, folks, and I highly recommend checking it out, you've recently identified five potential fits for the Patriots assuming of course that they hold on to the number

23 pick and some of them we've talked about here on the podcast but a couple of them might be new to some of our listeners but we'll start right now with one of the familiar faces and that is Justin Jefferson of LSU the buzz around the Pats taking a wide receiver in the first round has significantly cooled. And there's some reasoning for that. Maybe players or, excuse me, either fans think that there's going to be a better need at another position or they've kind of latched on to the name of the moment. But my take on Justin is that if he's there at number 23 and the Patriots intend on using that pick, I have a very hard time passing on him if I'm Bill Belichick. Robert, you identified him as your number one selection in your piece for FullPressCoverage.com. What specifically do you see in Justin Jefferson that makes him an ideal fit in Foxborough?

I just think Jefferson, he's played in the biggest moments in the biggest games. Obviously, he's coming off of winning a national championship. He had an older brother who was a quarterback at LSU. He's played in a lot of big games. He can stretch the field. He might not be the biggest receiver coming out of the draft, but he is physical. He's fast, and he can catch the ball in traffic. He's really impressive. So I think he's my number one guy. I think it's a slam dunk. Patrick Queen as well, a teammate of his at LSU.

I also think could be in that number one spot. But Jefferson really impresses me over everyone. I'm not really sure if he's going to be there come pick 23. But if he drops down on the draft, I don't see any reason why bill belichick wouldn't take a chance on a guy that has proven um he caught over 111 catches um last season which was really impressive he was uh joel burrows go-to target so um he's definitely a top wide receiver in the draft besides jared judy and Lamb. Absolutely, and I think you make some great points on Jefferson.

First of all, I'm glad that you made the point that he may not even be there at number 23. I think a lot of initial draft prognostications had him going earlier, or I should say had him going later. I think a lot of what we're seeing now is his ability, what people are extracting from him on film. One thing that caught my eye about Jefferson without any question is his ability to run routes. He's one of the fastest, smartest route runners that I've seen come through the college ranks in quite some time. He has that ideal fit in New England, whether it be in the slot or maybe even moving a little bit

and playing on the outside. He's so versatile in terms of his skill set. That's one of the big reasons why I think he's so indelible to look at if the Patriots see him over there at number 23. But again, it's not a slam dunk that he'll be there. So again, I think you've made a good case and I think you've made a strong case for him. I know you mentioned Patrick Queen, his teammate at LSU, and he's someone that we've chronicled here on Locked On Patriots as well. I think a type of linebacker that may be a little bit against the grain in what the Patriots have normally

taken at the position, but he's the type of player that can really get in and revolutionize a defense right away. You talk about immediate impact, this guy's ready. A lot of the LSU products are immediately ready to make an impact this year, and I think you're going to see a lot of those guys go off the board pretty

quickly. Speaking about Patrick Queen, he is something that the Patriots potentially, as you said, an impact player, he could be an impact player right away on this defense. So I want to say for the past six or seven years, the Patriots have been looking for a linebacker who can cover tight ends. Patrick Queen's that guy.

He honestly could cover some guy outside the numbers if he really could. He reminds me a lot of Isaiah Simmons out of Clemson, who just is so physical and fast and isn't a ginormous linebacker, but he's very fast and he's very physical. So I really think that if he's there also, I think he also could get picked early along with Jefferson. But if either of them there, I'm seeing the reason why Belichick couldn't snag one of them.

A lot of teams right now that need that type of infusion of youth, speed, and strength at the linebacker position, and Queen provides them all. So again, I think it's definitely worth the Patriots keeping an eye out for him, seeing how his draft prospects progress as we move toward the NFL draft. A lot of people are thinking, well, they shouldn't go defense early. They shouldn't go offense early. Who knows? Only Bill Belichick and the Braintrust are going to make that decision.

But I think they'd be hard-pressed to do better than guys like Justin Jefferson and Patrick Queen, depending on what direction they want to go in. And switching gears now to a power position, Robert, that's the offensive line. Now, I've been a big proponent of the Patriots going O-line early in this draft. Your selection of Austin Jackson out of USC is intriguing to me. I think he'd definitely fill a hole at tackle, especially if the Patriots part ways with Marcus Cannon the way we're hearing that they might. He also could be a very effective weapon in facilitating the run game.

And in your piece for full press coverage, I think you did a great job of outlining this. Here on Locked On Patriots, believe it or not, we actually haven't talked a lot about Jackson as an option at pick 23. So tell us a little bit more about him and why his presence on the offensive line could pay dividends for the Patriots this year and beyond. Well, I think he can really solidify that position on the offensive line if he plays tackle, guard. He can do a lot of things on the offensive line. He's a big guy.

He's 6'6", and he ran a 40-yard dash at 5.07 seconds. He is definitely built, and he's very strong, but he's also very fast, and you don't see that in many offensive linemen. I can't think of 10 to 15 linemen in the NFL right now that can run as fast as Jackson does. He has a lot of speed. As I mentioned before, he can play multiple positions on the offensive line. And our run game last year wasn't very good. You know, percentage-wise, I think it was just a couple of yards per game.

And Sonny Michel and James White and Rex Burkhead had a hard time finding those running lanes. So I feel like Jackson also has been staying pretty healthy. He comes from a Pac-12 school, USC, one of the prestigious colleges in the country that comes to college football. So I think he could do a very good job of that,, I think he's an all-around good player. Yeah, I like Jackson. And a lot of the film that I've been watching on him, and admittedly so, you actually kind of lit my pilot when it came to looking at Jackson as a possibility at number 23. I'll be very honest. I projected him a little bit lower than that, maybe even into the second round as an option for other teams. But I really think he's got some appealing components to his game and his projection to the next level. I love the blend of length, mobility, and a frame to me

that is capable of adding more muscle to improve his play strength. And I really like that about Austin Jackson is he has the ability to add muscle mass that's going to help him in terms of overhauling his footwork and take advantage of his length and quickness, sort of like growing into his own body, so to speak. I think he needs a little bit better control to develop the technique needed to play with a little bit better bend and body control and his contact balance. If there is a knock on him, I think that might be one of them.

The Patriots place a premium on offensive line play, and without Dante Skarnecchia in the fold this year, I think they're going to need athleticism, and they're going to need players that can build toward their offensive line play. And without Dante Skarniecki in the fold this year, I think they're going to need athleticism and they're going to need players that can build toward their offensive line of the future. So admittedly, I didn't look at Jackson as an option early on, but I credit you with that

because you kind of turned me on to him. And I'm starting to like this pick a little bit more as we go on. So again, great insight. And I think in terms of the number 23 pick you've given a lot of patriots fans something to watch for and we have talked about some intriguing options for the pats with their first round selection but robert we know the gems of the patriots draft scorecard is more than often than not found in the later rounds i will ask robert about his prognosis for

the pats in those later rounds and wrap it all up here today by asking him who his ideal selection would be when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Once again, Patriots fans, Robert Marcello of Full Press Coverage joins me here today. And Robert, while most eyes are on the first round and the big names, the Patriots have made a pretty good habit of turning some mid-to-late round, meaning those third through seventh round picks, into some pretty good players. And as I've often said here on Locked on Patriots, I know a pretty good player that they selected at 199 about 20 years ago that worked out pretty well. But not to say that the Patriots are going to find the next Tom Brady in this draft. In your efforts in putting together

mock drafts, who do you see as a potential selection or selections in the mid to late rounds that would be an asset to the Patriots immediately? I honestly think it's Randy Moss's son, Thaddeus Moss. He's a tight end, but he basically is a wide receiver. He doesn't have the exact build as a normal tight end does. He's a little bit smaller, but he's very strong. I know it's like the third or fourth round, but I think he can make an immediate impact. And he'll pretty much already know the Patriots system.

I know he was a lot younger when his father played for the Patriots, but not much has changed since Randy Moss has left. And I think that he can make an immediate impact for the Patriots is the tight end position last year was basically nowhere to be found. Yeah, Thaddeus is somebody that I think would be a sentimental pick for a lot of Patriots fans, but I think it's actually a solid and smart pick from a football standpoint for the reasons that you've just outlined. Look, first of all, you know, I love the Godfather, you know, from working together and from reading my work, you know, I look at every opportunity to quote that movie. Who's a better consigliere than his father?

I mean, really, who better to know what the Patriots like to do in a Josh McDaniels-led offense than Randy Moss, who ran it prolifically for the number of years that he was here? Albeit, I wish he was here a little bit longer, but we won't get into that. That's a comment and a discussion for another day, buddy. But I like Thaddeus' game. He isn't a traditional tight end. You're right about that. His blocking skills have been a little bit maligned. Some people will look at it and say, well, he's not a crisp route runner the way his father was, but these are traits that can be learned. I think he has good instincts and I think he does possess the ability to be a strong

contributor in this offense, and especially the Patriots' void at the tight end position. Probably the biggest void on their roster right now. I know a lot of people look at pass rush and linebacker and offensive line and even quarterback, but when you take a look at the depth chart, tight end right now is a really tough position for the Patriots, and there aren't a whole lot of options free agent-wise. The trade market is drying up, so you have to think they're willing and and very eager to look at the NFL draft for that and I think Moss could be an intriguing later round selection his injury

and those problems that he's had coming out of the combine and things of that nature I think could drop his draft status and he may be a late-round steal. A lot of people were talking about him as a potential third-rounder, maybe even a second-rounder before the injury. Now he might be slipping to that fifth, sixth-round window, and I think the Patriots could pounce on that if another team doesn't give him the opportunity. Robert, lastly, and probably most prolifically, I would say today,

I like to give my listeners and my guests the opportunity to play GM of the New England Patriots. And let's face it, everyone else in the media does it. Why not us, right? We have to give our chance to do that, too. And at the risk of putting you on the hot seat, let's say you are the Patriots GM. You are given the chance to draft the player of your choice, of the players that you've scouted,

that you've identified as a good fit in New England. I can't say don't pay attention to the draft board because I think obviously everyone would probably say, well, if I had the opportunity to draft any player, oh, I'm going with Burrow, or I'm going with Tua, or I'm going with Justin Herbert, or I'm going with Chase Young. These players are probably going to go one and two, three, you know, in that range. We know the Patriots are not going to be there unless they trade up.

But if you've identified a player, even if it's to trade up to get him, who do you believe is the ideal fit that you would want to get in a Patriots uniform for 2020? I honestly like Isaiah Simmons from Clemson. He can do it all. He's very similar to Patrick Queen. Of course, he's much better than Patrick Queen. But I honestly don't think it's by very much. I think Patrick Queen is a fantastic player.

I think you put them up against each other. I think Isaiah Simmons is a fantastic player. I think you put them up against each other. I think Isaiah Simmons is a little bit better in coverage, and that's something the Patriots are looking for. Patrick Queen lacks that slightly, just a little bit, but I think if he could work on that, he could be as good as Isaiah Simmons. So I'd say Isaiah Simmons. He's a fantastic player. You know, we have that relationship with Matt Patricia with the Lions.

I'm sure he could help us out potentially. Maybe give us a hometown discount a little bit. It could be. There are guys that tend to work well with Bill Belichick in terms of trade partners, and you have to think that his old buddy Matt Patricia would be one of them. Look, I love Simmons in this draft. There's a reason why he's consistently ranked as one of the top, if not the top linebacker in this draft class. I don't think you're going to find a more versatile defensive prospect than him. And he's capable of playing multiple positions, filling numerous roles. Like you've said,

he functions in all of them at a high level, uh, from his size to, to, to his athleticism, excuse me, and how he applies it on the field to make dynamic defensive plays. There just aren't other players like him in this draft. And even though guys like Queen and you've mentioned a few other linebackers that give you that option, I think Simmons to me is that neutralizer. And I think he has the ability to become a very unique defensive playmaker. So if the Patriots are going to be on the move and try to trade up, I think he may be one of the guys that they're looking at and one of the guys that they may want to target. Obviously, Patrick Queen, Kenneth Murray, even Malik Harrison out of Ohio State. These have all been players that have been rumored to the Patriots at the number 23 pick. Isaiah Simmons, to me, is the guy that they're definitely going to have to trade up to get.

Because if Queen or Murray were to slip to them at number 23, I don't think it's too far-fetched to think that I think Simmons would be and I think that's going to be an issue for them so Robert what can I say thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to join me today here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast and folks due to some technical snags at the tail end of my interview with Robert he himself was unable to inform you as to where you can find him on Twitter and his great work. And it's my honor to do that for him right now. Find Robert Marcello on Twitter at Robert Marcello five. And you can always find his great work and coverage for your New England Patriots at fullpresscoverage.com slash Patriots. Robert is a valued colleague, a valued friend, and his work always speaks for itself, folks.

I can't recommend it highly enough. As for me, I will be back tomorrow to wrap up the week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And if you've enjoyed our draft coverage this week, folks, I have a special treat for you tomorrow. Evan Lazar of CLNS Media provides some of the best, not just in Patriots media,

but all sports media when it comes to draft coverage. Will join me here tomorrow on the Locked On Patriots podcast. It is definitely an episode you won't want to miss. And wait, folks, that's not it. Starting tomorrow on our flagship of Locked On NFL, we kick off our coverage of the Locked On NFL 2020 mock draft. Stay tuned tomorrow for our introductory mock draft special.

And all week next week, our network-wide mock draft continues with tuned tomorrow for our introductory mock draft special and all week next week, our network wide mock draft continues with your new England Patriots making the pick on Wednesday, April 15th. So please be sure to subscribe on Apple podcasts, follow on Spotify, get us on Google, but whatever you do,

do not miss our mock draft coverage. And don't forget that when it comes to locked on Patriots, you can always listen on your smart device. How do you do that? Very simple. Simply ask it to play the latest episode Locked On Patriots, you can always listen on your smart device. How do you do that? Very simple. Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, now ask your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL Draft.

Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank Claire Cooper for her mock draft submission today. I thank Robert Marcello for his time, his insight, and his appearance today. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.