This has been a bad year to watch the Pats. The only solace for me was that I get to pay attention to draft prospects for the first time in my lifetime. We want a top 2 pick to get a QB, but this draft has immense levels of talent at the top. I threw together a quick prospect breakdown for people to see why we honestly shouldn't win another game this year.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr. WR – 6’4 205 lbs. Ohio State – Considered to be almost the perfect WR prospect. Moves like a 6’0 explosive wide receiver. Has some of the best body control and ability to adjust to the ball in the air that analysts have seen. Best separator in the class. His only criticism coming into the year was about his top end straight line speed. Most analysts agree he has answered those questions. He is a Jamar Chase level prospect coming out of college. You could make an argument his only flaw is that he isn’t 2 inches taller and named Calvin Johnson Jr.
2. Caleb Williams QB – 6’1 215lbs – USC – Free wheeling, free roaming QB who has all of the arm talent in the world. Talked about in the same stratosphere as Lawrence and Luck in terms of talent coming out of college. Had a difficult stretch recently to temper some of the hype, but rebounded. He tends to make young player mistakes once in a while, but when he is locked in his accuracy is other worldly. Can make any throw in the book. Main criticism is that he struggles to play in structure. Out of structure he is a pure savant. Williams or Maye will be the 1 and 2 picks in the draft. In a league that loves stars, Caleb screams star. Some concerns over statements he has made about team selection and having ownership in a team right away.
3. Olu Fashanu T – 6’6 320 lbs – Penn State – Tackle prospect built in a lab. Considered to have great or elite traits in every physical aspect. Great technique. Is the rare combination of Elite traits/potential and production at the college level. Elite pass blocker, technically sound run blocker. I have heard he could be more aggressive in his run blocking. His worst game was against Ohio, and he recovered almost every time he was beat. Fits the bill of a blue chip franchise tackle.
4. Drake Maye QB – 6’4 230 lbs – UNC – Would be considered the QB1 in most drafts. Big bodied QB with a cannon for an arm that throws a feathery ball to all 3 levels of the field. Insane arm talent, can make any type of throw. Even though he is a bigger QB, can get out and run. Dangerous with legs and arm in the red zone. When Williams was struggling, he made up some ground and made it a discussion for the 1st overall pick. Considered a grind it out worker. My personal favorite QB in the draft.
Brock Bowers TE – 6’4 240 lbs- Georgia – The best TE prospect to come through college in recent memory. Only reason he may go around 10 is Pitts ruined elite TE prospects. If he was in the draft, he would have been an early 2nd round pick as a true freshman. Was a roughly 1000 yard receiver, 10+ touchdown producer for back to back title teams. Elite separator, elite hands. Elite at after the catch production. Good run blocker who gives 100% effort. If he was listed at WR, he would be the 3rd highest rated WR in the draft.
Joe Alt T – 6’8 325 lbs – Norte Dame – Elite physical tools. Converted TE that gets better year after year. Elite run blocker, good pass blocker.
We need to build for the future and one of the top 2 QBs could jumpstart that for us in terms of talent. If the Patriots held position at 3rd or 4th pick, they would end up with Marvin Harrison Jr or Olu. Either would be foundational level building blocks.
Prior to the year, if we were around pick 10 or 11 I would have wanted to trade up for Bowers. Kid will be a stud. We are too bad to even consider taking him though. It just wouldn't make sense with assets.
Anyway sorry for the word vomit, but with each loss I get more and more excited for April.
