Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Tiger Kings? Stidham, Hastings, Coe add Auburn Flavor to Patriots - 5/1/2020

Episode Date: May 1, 2020

The New England Patriots might be taking on a bit of added Auburn flavor in 2020. With Jarrett Stidham likely to become the heir-apparent at the quarterback position, the Pats are bringing in WR Will Hastings and DE Nick Coe. Zac Blackerby of Locked On Auburn joins host Mike D’Abate to talk the Stidham-Hastings dynamic, Coe’s potential and what makes that Auburn ‘flavor’ so appealing in Foxboro. 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, and welcome to your Embrace the Future Friday episode here of the Lockdown 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. To ensure that you never miss an episode of Locked On Patriots, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, and download via your preferred podcast provider. And because all of the great pods here on the Locked On Podcast Network are proud to bring you your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback are always welcomed and greatly appreciated here on Locked On Patriots. And you can share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter

at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there responsibly practicing your social distancing but wandering around through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, as the great Emmett L. Brown once said, from one of my favorite movies, Back to the Future, and you all know if you've listened to the show before how much I love this movie, Doc said to close out the trilogy, no one's future has been written yet. Your future is what you make it, so make it a good one. But for some, that future sparks feelings of

negativity and bitterness too. I know, I see it every day on social media. We hear things like they have no quarterback, Bill can't draft, it's gonna be terrible, we're clearly tanking for Trevor. I've even heard some people suggesting that Nike Belichick was better off making those Bill can't draft. It's gonna be terrible. We're clearly tanking for Trevor I've even heard some people suggesting that Nike Belichick was better off making those picks than Bill and Some even believe that maybe the dog was making those picks instead of Bill So in the vein of M&L Brown, are we really doing our due diligence folks to embrace the future and make it a good one? Well, it's been my experience that most of us in Pat's nation are trying to do just that But for a lot of you there is still some reluctance and look folks for those of you that have a great deal of uncertainty make it a good one. Well, it's been my experience that most of us in Pat's nation are trying to do just that.

But for a lot of you, there is still some reluctance. And look folks, for those of you that have a great deal of uncertainty, I'm not coming at you, pointing the finger at you, or telling you you're wrong for feeling the way you feel. But at the same time, I implore you to let the future have its day before you judge it. And that starts at the quarterback position. For all intents and purposes folks, Jarrett Stidham looks to be Patriots' choice to be the man under center

when the 2020 season kicks off, whenever that may be. And whether you love it or you hate it, I think we can all agree that it's at least bittersweet. You don't move on from 20 years of Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, and expect there to be no melancholy feelings of nostalgia. It's just not possible.

But what is possible is to recognize that maybe we don't have all the answers, myself included. Have some faith that the Patriots' brain trust knows what it's doing. After all, the Patriots have yet to find another viable option at quarterback, and despite what people will tell you, they did have plenty of options to choose from. Thanks to Doug Kai Adam Nessen, who posted this on Twitter on Friday morning, the Patriots have effectively passed on free agents or trade targets such as Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater, Case Keenum, Phillip Rivers, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, and most likely, based on all of the reports out there, Andy Dalton is included in that list as well. They also chose

not to draft quarterbacks like Jordan Love, Jalen Hurts, Jacob Eason, James Morgan, Jake Fromm, and even late-run options like Anthony Gordon and Cole McDonald. Bottom line, folks, if the Patriots had no faith in Jared Stidham, they would have gone with at least one of those options, maybe even a couple. They didn't go with any, and that proves something. To me, it proves what I've been trying to say here on Locked On Patriots all along. That's safe for Tom Brady, who I still believe the Patriots would have liked to have had back this year, but only on their own terms. And if that still upsets you a little bit, folks, I can definitely understand it.

But with the exception of the greatest of all time, they feel Jarrett Stidham gives them the best chance to compete and win in 2020. Again, folks, I said it before, I'll say it again. They are not tanking for Trevor. They are not losing for Lawrence. Let me repeat that. They are not tanking. Jarrett Stidham may not be Tom Brady this year or any year,

but what he can be is an effective and maybe even an exciting quarterback here in Foxborough. But again, don't just take my word for that. Take the word from someone who has covered Jarrett from his days as an Auburn Tiger. In just a moment, Zach Blackerby, host of Locked On Auburn here on the Locked On Podcast Network, will join me in the hot seat, and we'll talk about Jarrett Stidham,

what he loves about Jarrett's fit in New England, what still concerns him heading into 2020, and we'll also talk about some of those other Auburn weapons that the Patriots have brought in, namely wide receiver Will Hastings and defensive end Nick Coe. And lastly, I'll wrap it all up on the pod today by asking Nick what is it about that Auburn flavor that the Patriots seem to be craving as of late? Zach will tell you everything you need to know.

So sit tight, folks, and prepare to absorb the wisdom and counsel of Zach Blackerby right here on Locked on Patriots today. But first, another work week is about to be put in the books. And lately, folks, if you're like me, it's so difficult to keep track of what are work days, what are weekends, days, weeks, months, they're all melding together. Because of that, it can be hard to keep track of meal time. If you're like me, you probably start thinking about what to eat for dinner while you're still eating lunch. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I love food. And that's why I love using Postmates. But I kind of love them even more right now because I can get food delivered without leaving

the house. If I'm simply just not up to utilizing my culinary skills today, Postmates is the perfect opportunity for me to get the foods that I love. Given what's going on in the world, they created non-contact deliveries, so now when I order from local restaurants, everything gets left right outside my door. They also have Postmates Pickup, which I have been using to order takeout from my favorite local restaurants. Listen up. You guys need to be supporting your local neighborhood spots right now. They need you more than ever. I've only been ordering local because it's a great way to support my community.

And Postmates doesn't just deliver the burgers, pizza, and sushi that I love. They actually make my life easier by picking up everything I need from stores like Walgreens and 7-Eleven and dropping it off right outside my door. Just download Postmates on iOS or Android, find your favorites, and get anything you want delivered within the hour. For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners $100 of free delivery credit for your first seven days. To start your free deliveries, download the Postmates app and use code LOCKEDONNFL. That's LOCKEDONNFL, L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-N-F-L, for $100 of free delivery credit for your first seven days when you download the Postmates app.

Anything you need, anytime you need it, Postmate it. Patriots fans, the last time my guests and I spoke on these very airwaves, we discussed the possibility of a New England Patriots offense led by then-backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Well, what a difference a few weeks can make. Tom Brady is now trespassing in Tampa. Rob Gronkowski may or may not have an advanced copy of the Buccaneers playbook. But meanwhile, here in New England,

the Patriots are seemingly about to embark on the era of Stid the Kid. But Jarrett might not be the only Auburn Tiger raising an eyebrow in Foxborough this season, and who better to enlighten us on that fact than my guest today. He is the program director of the Auburn Network, the host of Locked On Auburn, right here on the Locked On Podcast Network. It is my pleasure to be joined today by Zach Blackerby. Zach, welcome back to Locked On Patriots. Mike, how you doing, man?

Always a pleasure to chat with you. Always a pleasure to be on the show, listen to you a ton, big fan. So, yeah, looking forward to talking to some Auburn guys in the league today. Absolutely, and I'm a big fan of yours. The last time you joined me here on Locked On Patriots, it was a great conversation, always had a blast. And who better to welcome in today to absorb the wisdom and counsel than someone that knows that Auburn program better than anyone. And again, buddy, last time that we met, it was only speculation. But barring any directional changes, it seems

to be the dawn of the Jarrett Stidham era in New England. Now, the Patriots did not draft a quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft, and they've seemingly shown minimal to no interest in any of the trade or free agent options out there. From everyone I've talked to in and around the organization, Bill Belichick and company are pretty content with Jarrett. Played well last year in the preseason, and the Patriots seem to love his maturity and his consistency during his rookie season as Tom Brady's backup, particularly in practice.

Now we've talked about his strengths and his weaknesses here before, but again, it seems to be official that he is the guy now from your time in covering Jarrett at Auburn, what should make the Patriots optimistic and what should concern them as they hand the ball over to Jared Stidham for 2020? Yeah, I think Jared's strength is preparation. And I know that's a big part of what Bill Belichick takes a lot of pride in. You know, you want to know the game plan going into it. And so he's a guy that loves watching film. He loves the game of football and he always seemed to be prepared.

You know, Auburn, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn talked about Jared a lot in a positive way as far as, you know, nothing ever really threw him off. So I think that's something to look forward to there. I mean, and just, you know, in this neck of the woods around Auburn, I mean, people are slowly migrating from all being Panther fans based on, you know, how how the Panthers treated Cam Newton over the last 12 months. You know, they're they're following the New England Patriots now. So you may have more listeners coming from Alabama, Mike. But yeah, as far as what to expect with Sittem on the positive side, I think he's accurate. I think he's prepared.

I think he understands the football, just kind of what defenses are trying to do to him. I think the biggest thing is you want to be better under pressure. I mean, you know, the, the big thing is, you know, how do, uh, how do quarterbacks respond when you send extra guys there? And, you know, you only have four seconds or three seconds to throw and, you know, and Tom did that so well for the last 20 years or so up at his time in new England. So that was something that, that Stidham really, really struggled with. Once he kind of got pressure a few plays in a row, you saw his accuracy go away.

You saw him leave the pocket kind of for no reason, even though he had time. He had a really hard time being comfortable. Now, Auburn didn't have a very good offensive line when Jarrett Stidham was there, especially his second year. But you saw when he was given time and he was given tools to work with around him and carry on Johnson in 2017.

He was SEC Offense Player of the Year. Now kind of, you know, can't really stay healthy for the Detroit Lions, but they made it to the SEC Championship game. So he's been able to make the most out of his weapons. And I think, you know, you saw Darius Slayton have a good rookie year with the Giants. You know, he was he was one of Stenham's main guys, his two years at Auburn. So I think the biggest thing is accuracy consistently when under pressure. And so we'll see what, we'll see what New England does to protect Stidham. I know they drafted some guys just from listening to you this weekend and following the draft, they drafted some guys

that I think a lot of people are excited about. And so I'm sure they did that with protecting Jarrett Stidham in mind. They truly did. And I'm so glad that you brought up the offensive line, because to me, drafting a guy like Michael Onwenu out of Michigan in the sixth round, just a few selections later, they draft Justin Heron out of Wake Forest, and then their final selection of Dustin Woodard out of Memphis. This clearly shows to me that what their priority is, is providing a competent, stout offensive line to protect Jarrett Stidham. You mentioned very clearly when he has the protection, he's capable of doing some big things. And honestly, I think that's one of the big reasons why they want to work out a long-term deal with Joe Tooney, if they can make it work. Because with Tooney and Isaiah Wynn starting on

the left side, which is where you need to protect Jarrett Stidham, that can provide him with the time and the protection necessary to be effective and maybe even great in some spots. Even something as similar as bringing in a guy like J.J. Taylor out of Arizona as an undrafted free agent. I think this kid bolsters their running core. At the end of the day, what I see the Patriots doing a lot of is diversifying the offense, making it very versatile, and like you said, giving Jarrett options. Creating an offense that can do a lot of things well.

I'm not saying that this is going to be the second incarnation of the 2007 offense, far from it. I think in a lot of ways they're going back to the basics that worked for them in 2001. I see that comparison being made an awful lot throughout Patriots media, and I agree with it. And that leads me quite nicely into my next question for you, my friend, and it's a player that you know fairly well, and it's also a player that Jarrett Stidham knows fairly well, and that is former Auburn Tiger Will Hastings, who was signed as one of the first

undrafted free agents by the Patriots following the 2020 NFL Draft. Now, in Auburn, this did not come as a surprise to anyone. As a matter of fact, I've seen a lot of Auburn fans and even a lot of Patriots fans lately saying that Hastings is kind of like the Julian Edelman to Jarrett Stidham's Tom Brady. They're close, know each other well, and great things can happen when these two take the field. Now, Hastings had a great 2017 season, collected 26 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns, all with Jarrett Stidham throwing him the passes. But Hastings missed all of Jarrett's last year with Auburn, the 2018 season after tearing his ACL. And when he returned to the field in 2019, he had only 19 receptions for 222 yards, one touchdown. Now, most would blame his

ACL injury, and I think that's probably more of the truth, but it also could be because Jarrett wasn't the one throwing him the ball any longer. Whatever the case may be, Zach, tell us why Will Hastings could be a low-risk signing that could end up paying dividends for the Patriots, not just in 2020, but beyond. Yeah. And you hit on some of it. I mean, it became a joke among the Auburn beat, uh, you know, the Auburn media and Auburn fans just on Twitter. Every time Stidham would throw the pass to, uh, you know, the, the, the short shifty guy

out of the slot, it was like, you know, Auburn's version version of of Brady to Edelman or Brady to Welker and it's it's crazy that they're um they're together now and they're best friends I mean those two were attached to the hip with uh with Chandler Cox who's now with the Dolphins but I mean they're extremely close I think they lived together while they were at Auburn as well I think they were roommates so I mean these guys super close film together all the time, and I'm sure Jared is stoked. Auburn's posting graphics of Hastings signing with the Patriots, and Jared Stidham's commenting under it like, let's go, War Eagle, go Pats kind of thing.

And so he's excited. He's excited that his guy is there. And so it's going to be cool to see how that translates. Belichick and the Patriots, they love to get these guys that can do more than one thing. And I think Hastings can be more than just a slot guy. You know, before he tore his ACL, they moved him around in the offense a little bit. And kind of whenever he was on the field, opposing defenses had to kind of recognize, okay, where is Will Hastings? Will Hastings started his college football career as a walk-on kicker,

and he worked his tail off so much and improved his athleticism and worked on changing direction and all of that to where they had to put him on the field because he was so athletic. So he went from a non-scholarship walk-on kicker to a scholarship slot receiver in the span of two seasons. And I think that is an incredible story. And that's something that even Auburn folks forget a lot about, just kind of his path and his journey to where he is now.

Now he's on an NFL roster. So as far as what he does on the field, they put him in the slot a lot of the times. They moved him around. He was kind of the motion guy, similar to what New England does with Edelman. And he was really good at this double move that he did, kind of, you know, act like he's going to the outside. Then he turns it into a seam. And so he took advantage of a lot of SEC safety's tendencies doing that.

And Jarrett always hit him in stride. You mentioned his production going down. I mean, he tore his ACL pretty bad. And he kind of got worked his way back into the 2019 season. But you're right. I mean, it wasn't Jarrett throwing the ball. They went from an experienced quarterback with Jarrett Stidham, who was a senior, to a true freshman quarterback. So, I mean, there's going to be some of that there. And then also, I think Auburn's done a better job of recruiting wide receivers. So, I mean, there's just kind of more guys to spread the ball around. So, don't look at the stat drop, you know,

just and think, oh, okay, you know, he didn't really, he didn't really, you know, get all the way back to where he was pre-injury. I mean, his three-cone drill was very good. I mean, this guy can change direction really well and he's going to work super hard. Like I said, he's a former walk-on kicker and now he's an NFL receiver.

I think that is uh that is fascinating but yeah i mean stedham and hastings they're going to work their tails off together i think they're going to do uh everything that they can to kind of keep that chemistry that they had in auburn going uh for the new england patriots that is such great insight on hastings and look you've covered him at auburn you know him as well as anyone the comparisons to edelman are going to be there and look folks no one is suggesting that Will Hastings is going to overtake Julian Edelman on the depth chart. Far from that. But I think he could find his way into this offense, and again, I think it's another big piece of the puzzle in proving that the Patriots are doing their best

to build a team that maximizes Jarrett's potential. Not only does he have a good rapport with him on the field, these two are friends off the field, you made mention of the fact that they were roommates together at Auburn. I'm sorry folks folks. You can roll your eyes at it all you want, but it does count for something. The personal closeness that Tom Brady and Julian Edelman had here for a number of years contributed big time to how effective they were on the field. But something else that you mentioned about Hastings also caught my ear, and that was he was a walk-on kicker at the Auburn program. That reminds me a little bit of Edelman, too, who was drafted here in New England as a backup quarterback,

ended up becoming one of the most prolific wide receivers in team history. Again, these guys are adaptable. They do what's required of them, and they make it work. And sometimes working at your craft, refining your craft, can make you the type of pro that you didn't expect to be. And in Julian's case, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Who knows? Maybe we see the same thing with Will Hastings. I wouldn't let the fact that this kid is an undrafted free agent prevent you from believing that he can make the roster. The Patriots have

brought in undrafted receivers before that went on to great careers here. And don't forget, Wes Welker was an undrafted wide receiver. He's another guy you're going to hear Hastings compared to. Albeit, Welker had some NFL preparedness when he came in here, I recognize that. But he also vastly exceeded expectations when he came into the right system and the right fit for his skill set. So, who knows folks, maybe another undrafted free agent hidden gem for Belichick and company. And Zach, I think it's safe to say that the Patriots have been dipping into that Auburn talent pool a little more so than in years past.

But will that Auburn flavor that is seasoning Foxborough lead to big things in 2020 and beyond? And what can we expect from that Tiger influence on the field and in the Patriots locker room? And no, folks, I promise I'm not going to make any other Tiger King references besides this one. We discuss this and more with Zach Blackerby when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, once again, I am joined by Zach Blackerby, host of Locked On Auburn. And Zach, a lot of the fan base's attention is on Jarrett Stidham and even a little bit of Will Hastings. We talked about them a little already. To me, that's understandable. But they're not the only ones. The Pats are reportedly bringing in another Auburn Tiger to the fold,

and that is defensive end Nick Coe. And folks, I will preface this by saying that his signing has yet to be confirmed by the organization, but it does appear that they will be bringing him in as an undrafted free agent. And logistically, I mean, Coe seems to be an amazing fit. Had a tremendous season in 2018, 15 solo tackles, a whopping seven sacks during that 2018 season. So all in all, a tremendous upside here for Nick Coe. His production did take a dip in 2019, only recording five solo tackles. And we have heard some rumblings about potential behavioral problems that might have contributed to his drop-off in production. Now, we all know that behavioral problems just are not going to fly here in Foxborough,

but it's obvious the Patriots see something in this kid. Zach, in your estimation, can Nick Coe be an asset to this Patriots team under the tutelage of one of the greatest defensive minds in football in Bill Belichick? Yeah, I think when you look physically at what Nick Coe can do, just as far as an athletic freak, a guy that can kind of move around the defense, I think he kind of fits that mold of what Belichick likes. I think he can rush the passer. I think at times you could see him put his hand on the ground and possibly, you know, play that defensive end role. Auburn has a buck position, which is essentially a three, four outside linebacker that they use just to rush the passer. And Nick Coe did that really well. He floated around on defensive end. And I believe

in, you know, you mentioned his better season. They scooted him inside from time to time. You didn't really see him play off the line a whole lot. He was pretty much always engaging the offensive line. So, you know, I don't think he's really necessarily a guy that could drop back in coverage. Physically, I think he has the athleticism to keep up with some of these guys if you want to get him to cover the flats or something like that. But we didn't really see that. His understanding of what to do with his body and his leverage and his body control and his balance and his strength, explosiveness, all fantastic. I mean, this guy was a state champion

wrestler. So, I mean, he understands leverage. He understands how to use his body and get the most out of it. You mentioned the character issues, and I don't necessarily think it's like he had a bad attitude or anything like that, but a few weeks into the season, I mean, Auburn had, Auburn's strength the past two or three seasons has been the defensive line. I mean, Derek Brown went top 10 to the Panthers. Marlon Davidson, another defensive lineman, went to the Falcons in the second round. So, I mean, they're putting defensive linemen in the league like crazy. And so there was kind of the situation where Nick Coe was seeing less playing time

and reports started coming out of practice saying that hey he's it's becoming an effort thing he's kind of taking reps off and so you know you're trying to instill this competition and saying hey you know let's let's kind of get this going and so he kind of he really didn't play for the rest of the year he was buried on the depth chart at that point but physically was probably the most athletic player on the team outside of Noah Gronogany who uh who went to the first round of the Dolphins. But when you look at what Nick Coe's potential is, and if he can get his head on straight and not take plays off,

I think the sky's the limit. You talk about low risk with Hastings. This is a low risk signing. There were people saying that Nick Coe could be a late first, second round pick going into this season. And so then, uh, you know, once he got benched and you didn't really see him anymore, there's a lot of rumblings like, okay, he's not going to be back at Auburn next year. Now, a lot of people thought he was going to transfer. He ended up obviously declaring for the NFL draft.

It's going to be interesting to see, can, can Belichick and, you know, the coaching staff at new England, can that culture. I mean, you see so many guys that have issues somewhere else. They go in that culture and they, they turn it on. Nick co's in a great situation and new England,

bring him in. I think there's a solid chance of this guy physically gives you everything you absolutely want. Just that athletic outside linebacker mold that you can kind of move in different places. He's got that speed where you can kind of move in different places. He's got that speed where you can put him on special teams if you need to. All assuming that he kind of figures out, hey, I can't take plays off. And, you know, Belichick's not going to keep up with that.

So I think I think he's in a great spot. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I like first of all, I was intrigued by the kid's size when I first saw it. Six foot five, two hundred ninety one pounds. You know that as a defensive end, someone that can get after the quarterback. Bill Belichick loves these guys. It is a low risk, high reward signing. And look, if there are any underlying character issues, and again, I'm not saying that there

are. There are always reasons why certain players react in certain situations in certain seasons. It can change from year to year. People change all the time. certain players react in certain situations in certain seasons. It can change from year to year. People change all the time. Giving him the opportunity to absorb the wisdom and counsel, I like to say here on Locked On Patriots, of a guy like Bill Belichick, also someone like Gerard Mayo, who guaranteed is a linebackers coach, but he does understand the complexities of the playing defensive end and being a pass rusher for the New England Patriots I think absorbing that type of tutelage is something that could really help

him so again I think a lot of people are enthusiastic about this signing I'm one of them and I'm really looking forward to seeing what Nick what Nick Coe can bring to the table in New England both this year and maybe even beyond if he does make the teams. And that leads me quite nicely into my last question for you today, my friend. And that is assuming Coe and Hastings do make the squad, the Patriots locker room in 2020 could have a distinct Auburn flavor this year. And, you know, after all, people forget that Brandon King and Jonathan Jones, two very valuable members of this team on defense and on

special teams, they're former Auburn Tigers as well. And by and large, these are guys that are versatile and they're so valuable in Foxborough. Zach, you know this program better than anyone. What about being an Auburn Tiger best prepares you to be an effective pro? And more specifically, what prepares you to be an effective member of this New England Patriots organization? You know, it's so interesting because head coach Gus Malzahn, the biggest criticism that he gets from fans, and it's starting to turn a little bit because he's had six guys drafted in the past two drafts. It's the best three-year run of draft picks in the history of the program. His biggest critique has been he can't get guys to the league

or the program doesn't translate to the NFL. Then you see guys that go undrafted like Brandon King, like Jonathan Jones, and me covering these guys. It's funny. My senior year was the same year as Brandon King's. We had a class together, our finals group project. He's like, hey, guys, I'm not going to be in class on Wednesday. And I'm like, Oh, okay. Well, what, um, you know, what's, what's going on? It's like, I got, I'm actually working out for an NFL team. I'm like,

cool. What team? And I'm wearing a patch shirt at the time. So I'm actually working out for new England. And I'm like, Oh, that's crazy. And I'm like, this guy's shorter than me. And I'm not that tall. And you know, he looks small and he didn't really play at Auburn. He just did special teams at Auburn. I'm like, surely new England doesn't want a guy like this, but they bring him in and he can do so many different things in practice because, you know, he played, he played safety for Auburn's defense and scout team. He played linebacker. He played defensive end. He just could do it all in practice. And then they just like, okay, well here play special teams. And so that's what he's doing at New England. And then you look

at Jonathan Jones, who was, you know, he was a solid corner in the SEC for years and years. And then he runs this like four, three unofficial 40 at his pro day. And then he doesn't get drafted. And so like, you look at that, it's like that, that was weird to me. And then he went to New England. And I mean, he, I think he's got his second contract. And so both of those guys have. And so they, they, I don't know. I mean, you see Belichick sign these guys and they say hey do your job and they're doing the exact same thing they did at Auburn play consistent cornerback play not the number one guy but just be a consistent corner and then with Brandon King just kind of you know go down and make a tackle or you know help the team get better in practice and it's just it's interesting because when you think about the transition from the college game to the pro game you see okay it's this guy that was so dominant. And then, you know, when they go to the next level, it's your, your, your role changes a little bit, but with these guys,

they're doing the exact same thing they did at Auburn. And it's, it's pretty cool to see. I mean, me growing up a new England fan down here in Alabama, I was like, I was begging, I was begging for new England to take off. Then we went years and years and years for not seeing anybody. And now, now it's, um, I think new England may be the lead assuming, uh, Hastings and co make the team for Auburn guys. And so it's been, um, it's been pretty fun to watch, you know, covering this team and then, you know, pulling for new England. So that's been a lot of fun. Well, it's been a lot of fun up here as well,

particularly King and even Jonathan Jones. I mean mean these guys are always in the right spot at the right time that's not by happenstance folks that is by design these guys buy into the bill belichick coaching style and they do it in such a great way and again i like the uh the information that you give about the coaching staff at auburn and maybe they haven't prepared guys or got guys ready or have a whole lot of pros, or maybe they don't get drafted in, uh, in the traditional drafting sense and they have to hook on as undrafted free agents, but ultimately it prepares them well for this system here in New England. And it's hard to argue that a program in the NFL has had more success than the New England Patriots have in the last few years. So again, you know, we appreciate it here in New England.

We look forward to bringing in the Auburn guys because again, they're well coached, they're well prepared and they take direction well. And that's something that I think is such a key part of success here in New England. And hopefully Cohen Hastings can join guys like Brandon King, Jonathan Jones, and the guy with the new keys to the kingdom, my friend, Jarrett Stidham, taking snaps under center. Going to be a distinct Auburn flavor this year in New England, and we're looking forward to it. Zach, what can I say?

Thank you so much for taking the time out today to join me here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Once again, for those of our listeners that are unsure where to find you, there is a pipeline between Auburn and New England right now. So please, folks, I encourage you, listen to Zach. Zach, where can our listeners find you and your great work each and every day in addition to the Locked On Auburn podcast right here on the Locked On Podcast Network? Yeah, man, I appreciate it. Yeah, you can follow me on Twitter at ZBlackerby.

I kind of put all my stuff there. I write for College and Magnolia. Yeah, man, I appreciate it. Yeah, you can follow me on Twitter at ZBlackerby. I kind of put all my stuff there. I write for College and Magnolia, do some film breakdowns there from time to time. But, yeah, most of my stuff, like you said, locked on Auburn. Of course, your Auburn Tigers content every single day. I appreciate it, man. Anytime, my friend. The pleasure is all mine. Thank you so much for coming on today, lending your wisdom and counsel on all things Auburn Tigers,

especially, apparently, our new quarterback here in New England, Jarrett Stidham. Zach, thank you. Stay safe. Stay well, my friend. And we look forward to chatting with you again throughout training camp and throughout the season as Jarrett makes his progressions into the Patriots starting quarterback.

Thanks, Mike. Yeah, talk soon, bud. And with that, Patriots fans, we tie a knot into the bow of the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. From providing some pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Patriots draft selections, to reviewing and sharing some of your great draft report cards, to absorbing the financial wisdom and counsel not just one, but two days from my friend Miguel Benzon,. the Pats cap, and closing out the week with some undrafted free agent and quarterback talk with both Steve Balistrieri and today's guests,

Mac Blackerby of Locked On Auburn. I want to thank each and every one of you that continue to make Locked On Patriots a part of your weekly Patriots coverage. And folks, that great coverage extends into next week, because across the Locked On Podcast Network, we are bringing back the crossover concept. And that's right, folks. Monday through Thursday next week, I will be joined by the Locked On hosts that support

the NFC West channels. Don't forget, in this upcoming season, the Patriots will be playing the NFC West. That means the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Arizona Cardinals. So keep a very sharp eye on the Locked On Patriots account on Twitter. All of the upcoming action that you can get here and only here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Again, please be sure that you're not missing an episode by subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts, following us on Spotify.

And of course, don't forget that you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your own smart device. How do you do that? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's episode, now tell your smart device to play the latest episode of Locked On NFL. Once again, I am Mike DeBate.

I thank Zach Blackerby 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 weekend, everyone.