Now let’s take a look at some of the later round picks by the Patriots. These picks, although not as flashy, solidified some positions with question marks.
The Patriots certainly solidified the offensive line, at least for now. With Cajuste and Frohodlt, the Patriots now could very well contend for one of the best offensive lines in the league. Even with Trent Brown leaving for Oakland.
101. YONDY CAJUSTE, OT
WEST VIRGINIA
Yondy Cajuste said in interviews that West Virginia ran some Patriots plays in their offense. That might be one reason Belichick liked him so much. With Marcus Cannon getting older by the day, Trent Brown leaving, and Isaiah Wynn rehabbing from a gruesome achilles injury, it is no secret the Patriots needed to address the tackle position early. Cajuste is the quintessential Trent Brown replacement pick. He is a large man who will play the swing tackle role that we saw Trent play last year. This pick and the selection of Hjalte Froholdt indicates to me that if Isaiah Wynn’s achilles looks good to go, the Patriots will trade Joe Thuney or Marcus Cannon with no hesitation. Thuney is in the last year of his contract and Cannon is probably in the last year the Patriots could trade him. If Cajuste is solid and Wynn impresses, Patriots could flip either one at their max value for a defensive lineman or tight end.
What he does right:
-Wins with his length
-Balanced, well-framed stance
-Good hand technique
-Very powerful player, overwhelms rushers at times
-Good body awareness
-Does little things really well
-Displays strong football IQ
-Good functional athleticism
-Scrappy, angry player, is a bully on the line
-Strong effort and hustle
Some nuances in his game:
-Can look flat-footed against faster rushers on the edge
-Too many gaps of time of sliding feet in protection
-Not bendy, not flexible
-Struggles immensely at lateral redirection
-Has been ejected for some fights
Pro comparison: Jermon Bushrod
Instant impact: Will fight for starting tackle job, depends on Wynn’s health
Grade: B
118, HJALTE FROHOLDT, OG
ARKANSAS
This pick spells out Joe Thuney insurance. As mentioned before, Joe Thuney is in the last year of his contract and he will get paid big bucks. Hjalte is by no mistake one of the better guards in this year’s draft. Belichick figures he will draft Thuney’s replacement now and then get another third round comp pick for letting Joe leave. Hjalte will not have an immediate impact on this team unless one of our guards or David Andrews gets hurt. He will spend year one mostly learning from his colleagues and coach Scar. He will probably compete with Ted Karras for that swing guard role.
What he does right:
-Very solid in pass protection
-Good footwork, suitable for both guard and center
-Sturdy, wide base
-Can anchor vs power
-Sees twists and blitzes from mile away
-Under control on the move
-Effective puller
-Flexibility
-Moves well at 6’5, 300
-Good athlete
Some nuances in his game:
-Hand placement needs lots of work
-Leverage and drive can improve
-Not overly physical
-Never creates movement at point of attack
-Lacks power and tenacity
-Poor mental processing
Pro comparison: Sean Harlow
Instant impact: Will compete with Ted Karras for swing guard spot
Grade: B
133. JARRETT STIDHAM, QB
AUBURN
Well, I personally wanted the Patriots to draft Brett Rypien, but after doing some more investigating Jarrett Stidham’s game grew on me a little more. A very solid quarterback when he has the time to throw, he throws a great ball. Jarrett received a bad rap at Auburn for their terrible offense, but the people he had around him were really to fault for their poor performance and production. If Jarrett had some better guys around him, he would have been in the conversation with Haskins, Jones, and Grier. While I do not think Stidham is the answer in a post-Brady world, he might be able to develop himself into a starting quarterback in the NFL. This, however, would take a lot of work.
What he does right:
-Good decision-maker when given the opportunity
-One of the best in class at going through progressions
-Can run the option game, RPOs
-Nice display of anticipation, more at Baylor than Auburn (was previously at Baylor)
-Great touch on his footballs
-Looks off safeties, pump fakes
–Low interception numbers, safe with football
-Good footwork
-Strong in play-action game
Some nuances in his game:
–Ran a very prototypical college offensive scheme, will need to adjust to Patriots scheme and make more complex reads at next level. Year one might just be studying film and the playbook.
-Never asked to throw into tight windows, all routes and plays were simplified under offensive scheme
-Struggled when throwing into those tight windows, which was every blue moon
-He folds under pressure, which was frequent at Auburn
-Had limited opportunities to impress scouts, failed when had the opportunities
-Average arm
-Not prepared for NFL, although sitting behind Brady is exactly what he needs, according to scouts
-Hard evaluation because both offenses (Baylor and Auburn) did not put all his skills on display
-Loses accuracy when putting any force on his balls
-Not great poise
Pro comparison: Matthew Stafford
Instant impact: A year or two learning playbook, watching film, listening, and intense 1 on 1 work
Grade: C
159. BYRON COWART, DL
MARYLAND
Byron could play either play defensive end or defensive tackle, which is why he is listed as a DL. Many evaluators believe he will play more on the interior than on the edge at the pro level. Belichick loves defensive lineman who can move all over. Trey Flowers moved all over the line, Michael Bennett does that as well. Cowart by no means appears to be an answer to any big questions surrounding this line but he does posses some skills and flashes of ability that would indicate that he can be a contributor to this line. Much like Stidham, Cowart is another player who requires a lot more coaching and being placed into this system is the best news for him.
What he does right:
–Explosive for a man of his dimensions
-Powerful
-High ceiling
-Shows promise as a 3-technique player
-Good lateral ability, nice quick movement for a big man
-Violent tackler
-Powerhouse, stout
-Sheds blocks well
-Has potential to be a solid bull-rusher
-Good pad level
Some nuances in his game:
-Consistency, flash in the pan type player, technique holds him back from more consistent play
-Technique is very weak
-Football IQ is lacking
-Low floor
-Needs a lot more coaching
-Struggles at coming hard off the edge
-Attacking with hands can become more consistent
-Underachiever, was a number one prospect coming out of high school
-Has had it rough, apparently had off the field family issues during time at Auburn, ugly transfer
-Tight hips
Pro comparison: Willie Henry
Instant impact: Depth player, mostly developmental project
Grade: C
163. JAKE BAILEY, P
STANFORD
So, fans were infuriated with this pick. The reality is that Ryan Allen is a pricey punter on a one year deal, and any opportunity to save some money for close to the same production is something Belichick jumps on. Will Bailey beat Allen out for the job? Eh, we don’t really know. However, this right footed punter is very talented and could very well take Allen’s place next year.
What he does right:
-Very strong leg, had an 84 yard punt last year
-Flips the field
-Great hang time, lead NCAA with hang time in 2018
-Good direction
-Can handle kickoff duties as well
Some nuances in his game:
-Touch
-Can sometimes put too much on his kicks, high number of touchbacks
Pro comparison: Andy Lee
Instant impact: Practice squad for year one
Grade: B
252. KEN WEBSTER, CB
OLE MISS
This pick is very much similar to the selection of Keion Crossen last year. Similar skill set, falling down draft boards for similar reasons, and getting drafted in a similar spot to the same team. Webster got off to a great start at Ole Miss, but injuries plagued his college career. He never really was the same player at Ole Miss, but if he could encompass some of what he had there in the pros, he can be a solid contributor in the NFL that much like Crossen is put in for different specific assignments. He will certainly be someone to keep your eyes on during camp.
What he does right:
-Great speed and explosiveness
-Physical
-Redirects receivers in man and zone coverage
-Handsy player
-Great at coming up and covering the run
-Athletic
-Recovery speed
-Aggressive, gritty
-Upper body strength
Some nuances in his game:
-He is impatient in press coverage, press is not a strong suit
-Spacing
-Field awareness
-Football IQ is below average, pays price for mistakes rooted out of lack of awareness and understanding
-Inconsistent technique, especially at line of scrimmage
-Struggles to stay square
Pro comparison: Keion Crossen
Instant impact: Will battle to make team, could contend with Crossen for last cornerback spot
Grade: C+