All eyes are fixated on top prospects as the 2018 NFL Draft draws closer by the day. Big names like Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield headline almost every mock draft. A sea of cameras trail the NFL’s next most promising players. From now until April 26th, all that the media can do is sit and wait to see where college football’s brightest stars will land. From here on in they can only add to the hype and hysteria that surrounds NFL front offices.
The media in the past has brought forth stars like Carson Wentz into the light. Yet, they have done their fair share of over-hyping players. Teams like the Browns have fallen prey to such deception in the past. Though top prospects are always slated to stardom by the media, no one knows how things will play out. Because of this promising prospects can turn a team sour as easily as they can improve them.
A Good Magician Never Reveals Their Secrets
Since the dawn of the NFL, we have seen teams’ success waver over time The 1970s Steelers ruled the league with an iron fist, as well as the Cowboys in the 1990s. Since then, those teams have been remnants of their old selves. We’ve seen flashes of their former prosperity, but they have never fully returned to it.
In comes the 21st century Patriots. Since 2000 New England has made the Super Bowl eight times, more times than they have missed the playoffs (three). The only remaining figures from their Super Bowl run in 2001 are Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady. So comes the question that is lodged in the brains of fans, media members, and even front office executives: how the hell have the Patriots been elite for so long? The answer is simple, but at the same time it is not. The “Patriot Way” is what makes this team so special.
Like the 31 other teams in the league, the Patriots build for the future through the draft. The words “Patriots” and “rebuilding” have not been in the same sentence for quite some time. They have never needed to undergo a full rebuild that we see so often in the league. They haven’t needed to wipe the slate clean and start anew like the Browns have needed to do so many times in the past decade. Instead of starting completely over the Patriots slowly upgrade themselves with young prospects. All these microscopic changes over time fail to turn any heads because every team does the same. This whole process is not anything new, it’s the way that the Patriots execute it that makes it work. They bring prospects in to be the future, as any team.
Courtesy of SB Nation.
The Patriot Way
But why is it that New England’s prospects are different from anyone else’s? If anything, shouldn’t they be not as good due to the Patriots consistently having low draft picks due to their success? On paper that is true, but New England has a divergent way of bringing rookies up into the league.
Coach Bill Belichick hates the noise that the media emanates. Especially when they try to act like they know football. He refuses to buy into the hype for most top prospects. He does not look at prospects for their talent, but instead how they can help the Patriots. The bottom line is that football is a team sport, and though Tom Brady is talented he cannot win on his own. Thus, the Patriots’ mantra is “do your job”. Flashiness and highlights will only get you noticed by scouts. But, Bill Belichick is willing to pass up on anyone that cannot put their team ahead of themselves.
While the cameras surround prospects slated to be first round pick, Belichick takes the road less traveled. He scouts players that are overlooked by everyone else. Why? Because they are willing to give their all to play football. That kind of fire is what is wanted in New England. Lower draft picks will fight for their career, no matter what it takes. Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Elandon Roberts are a few examples of players taken on the back end of the draft. They fought tooth and nail to even be drafted, and that discipline and determination helped them become the starters that they are today.
That same principle goes for those who go undrafted. A whopping eighteen Patriots appearing in the Super Bowl back in February went undrafted. The most famous of them all is Malcolm Butler, who set a precedent around the league to not underestimate undrafted rookies. Every player starts their career the same way. Whether it is a DI or DIII school, players all must play at the collegiate level before going pro.
Courtesy of NBC Sports.
One Man’s Trash
The New England Patriots are successful because they know what it takes to win. Sometimes a team-first attitude is more important than talent. The Patriots bring in players who are widely disregarded and convert them into key role players. All these players share one common thing: they want to prove that they can play. With determination like that anything is possible. The “Patriot Way” is not a saying, it’s a mindset. Former Patriot Kevin Faulk learned about this approach during his career in New England. In an article for The Player’s Tribune, he writes,
“The Patriot Way ain’t about nothing but winning, man. That’s it. See, Coach Belichick is the kind of guy who doesn’t care what you do on your own time. He wants you to know football and he wants you to come to work every day and do your job to the best of your ability. Anything else, he doesn’t really care.”
It might be wise to watch the undrafted pool in April, because Bill Belichick could find himself a new shiny player to electrify his team with.
The 2017-2018 season came and went in a blink of an eye. Even though Super Bowl 52 was only two weeks ago, we’re already suffering football withdrawals. Taking things day by day at the start of the NFL offseason is too tedious, so analysts and reporters enjoy looking toward the future. There are 164 grueling days between us and August. The 2018 NFL Draft and today are separated by 67 days. The start of free agency, our saving grace to get us through the waning moments of winter, is only 24 days away. On top of that, we are just a whopping nine days away until the NFL Combine. The only thing to do until then is to dream of what teams will look like in September. What will transpire in free agency? Better yet, who will each team draft?
The Patriots are at an important crossroads entering the offseason. There will be very little panic going into the 2018 season, but the team needs to set themselves up for the future. Tom Brady won’t get any younger, even though we’ve all been convinced that he can play forever. But pliability can only help for so long, and both Brady and New England’s defense can only bend for so long without breaking. The Patriots’ pass rush cannot go on in its current state without bringing in new talent. Also with defensive starters like Malcolm Butler presumably leaving us for new homes, the Patriots need to act quickly. Free agency can only dictate the state of the 2018 squad.
This year’s draft class boasts the most defensive talent we have seen in a long time. The Patriots have a chance to draft prospects that could make a difference down the road with their early picks. These mock drafts might be premature, but it will be updated as April rolls around the corner. It’s impossible to get into the heads of every front office in the league, especially right now. Some teams will look to address problems in free agency, and the rest will utilize the draft. The big board won’t come together until the Combine finishes up in early March. However, it’s great to have a baseline prediction on prospects. The following mock draft is updated from the one I made back in December. Fellow BSE writer Andrew Lykins will also give his insight on potential prospects in his three round draft after mine.
Pass rush is arguably the Patriots’ biggest problem going into the offseason. Part of the reason that New England possessed the 29th ranked defense in the league was because of their lack of pressuring opposing quarterbacks. The defense looked lost against mobile quarterbacks to say the least. Ever since Rob Ninkovich’s retirement last year the team has not found someone to line up parallel to Trey Flowers on the defensive line. Deatrich Wise Jr. and Eric Lee were formidable defensive ends this season, but they were not perfect.
After Dont’a Hightower’s season-ending injury, the linebacker corp did not look any better. Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, and Marquis Flowers held down the center of the defense, but also struggled on pressure. Roberts seemed to primarily play coverage and Van Noy rushed the gap a few times. Flowers, who will be a free agent, shined when pressuring the quarterback. James Harrison’s stint in New England was instrumental as well. The only problem is that he is nearing the end of his great career. Pass rush is a group effort. It isn’t one position’s responsibility.
In comes Marcus Davenport. Listed at a 4-3 outside linebacker, Davenport made his presence felt in 2017 against opposing quarterbacks. He finished four years at UTSA with 185 tackles and 21.5 sacks. The Conference USA might not be the most rigorous conference in college football, but Davenport was able to steamroll his way through offensive lines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTyTQtQotzc
Davenport saw adversity at the Senior Bowl. He struggled a bit against the talent of other NFL prospects. However, he showed enough flashes of dominance to scouts to boost his draft stock. One of his highlights from the Senior Bowl was returning a fumble 19 yards for a score. The Combine will be his next test as he attempts to push into the NFL.
Round 2 (Pick 41): Mike Hughes, CB, UCF
Mike Hughes remains on my draft list. He’s been doubted by scouts due to his lack of consistency and experience in college. However, his speed helped him be a dominant number one cornerback for UCF during their perfect season. He can jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and has ball skills to pick passes off in man coverage. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein places Hughes as New England’s first pick in the draft surprisingly. In his first mock draft Zierlein writes, “Hughes isn’t the biggest cornerback, but he has tremendous speed and twitch. He’s also an outstanding kick returner.” Hughes’s speed makes up for his size to be a tough cornerback.
I believe that Mike Hughes could drop to the early second round for New England to take him. There are about five or so higher ranked corners, but Hughes could help the Patriots’ foreseeable problems at corner.
Round 2 (Pick 63): Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa
New England’s running back corps have fared well thus far. Josh McDaniels set up an offense last season that incorporated Dion Lewis as a primary runner and had Rex Burkhead and James White go wide for passes. Lewis had a career season in 2017, only making him more valuable as he enters the free agent market. Burkhead will be a free agent as well. Dion Lewis is more likely going to leave New England, meanwhile Burkhead might stay after having an under par year due to injury.
Akrum Wadley is the best of both worlds. At Iowa, he has exhibited his ability to excel in a passing offense. He also has the strength to push up the middle. What is most admirable about Wadley is his footwork and athletic ability.
Round 3 (Pick 95): Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond
Can Kyle Lauletta be the heir to Tom Brady’s throne? Possibly. Lauletta has been under the radar in Richmond, but has some great intangibles. In 2017, Lauletta racked up 3,737 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He only started in his sophomore and junior years after switching over from lacrosse. Most scouts will disregard Lauletta as just another backup, but he has a lot of potential for Bill Belichick. Belichick loves lacrosse and will likely scavenge Lauletta’s film from high school.
Lauletta put on a show at the Senior Bowl. He threw three second-half touchdowns and was named Most Outstanding Player. He might not have the best arm but his production has risen in the past few years as he becomes more accustomed to football. His leadership and his passing on the move makes him an admirable target in the third round. If any team were to take him it would be the Patriots. He will do wonders working under Tom Brady for a year or two.
The top four Patriots draft needs are: starting CB, tackle (either depth or starter depending upon Solder resigning), edge rush, and running back. The order of these needs will change depending upon the moves they will make in free agency. This pre-FA mock reflects on a few moves that I think will happen.
Round 1 (Pick 31) Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
I’m shooting for the stars with my first pick. The pass rush sorely needs to be upgraded. Derek Rivers, Trey Flowers and hopefully a veteran addition will be joined by the raw but talented small school product. I would also consider Sam Hubbard with this pick as well. I fully expect the Patriots to resign Solder for left tackle. If that doesn’t happen, this pick immediately changes to the best OT available. I would also consider cornerback, but the position is slightly deeper, so I opted for Davenport with this pick.
Credit to USA Today.
Round 2 (Pick 41 from 49ers) J.C. Jackson, CB, Maryland
Many people will think that this is a knee jerk reaction to losing Butler. I think we would be able to weather his loss with Cyrus Jones return as well as J.Jones returning. I want an upgrade though. If Eric Rowe and Gilmore are the presumptive #1-2 for 2018, I want a young talent to push them and provide depth for a strict outside press-man scheme. Would also consider a top flight RB if available (Guice, R.Jones, or Michel).
Credit to USA Today.
Round 2 (Pick 63) Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
Spending a day two pick on a quarterback has worked out well for us, and I see no reason to break this trend. The Patriots will continue to stock the talent at this position until Tom Brady makes it clear as to when he is hanging them up. I understand if you are not thrilled with this particular prospect, but the need is undeniable and I would rather get a good prospect sooner rather than later. I would go with best player available if he doesn’t test well and look to pick up a quarterback on day three.
Credit to The Seattle Times.
Round 3 (Pick 95) Ronald Jones, RB, USC
There are tons of high level running back prospects in this draft class, and that means that there will be some sliding of starting level talent. Free agency and the Combine will really serve to slot the prospects into their respective rankings. Ronald Jones is my favorite of the 1-2 tier that could slide. I would also consider Nick Chubbs, Kerryon Johnson, and Jaylen Samuels here as well.
Has there been any team with a more unprecedented run of success at the quarterback position? With the exception of a torn ACL that wiped out Tom Brady’s 2008 season, the fans have seen star level play from the signal callers for nearly two decades. Is there another NFL city that can boast that? And who will be the Brady successor that New England fans look to for the next decades of passing excellence?
Indy?
Indianapolis? Peyton Manning provided MVP level play from 1998-2010 he accrued numerous awards and accolades, went to the Super Bowl twice and came away victorious once. In the end he lost the entire 2012 season due to a neck injury hit the free agent market. Denver would benefit for a few more mostly up seasons before he retired in 2015. Still, just 12 seasons for the fans of Indiana.
Big Easy?
How about New Orleans? With a free agent signing in 2006 of the short, shoulder-injured passer out of the storied football school of Purdue, the Saints got the best value in the NFL. But again just 12 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance and win and prolific passing statistics do not make a legend.
The Winner is…
To put it into perspective the New England Patriots have seen seven Super Bowl appearances and five rings. This is such a run that has no equal in the history of the NFL. Sadly, like all good things, there is an end in sight. Despite all the pliability that a 40 year old can muster, Brady will reach a day that he chooses a less physical line of work. A 300 pound lineman laying on top of you can get a bit old quick. So we must look to finding a replacement for that day. Welcome to the 2018 version of this pursuit.
Draft History
Since the 2000 draft with the 199th pick the Patriots have selected eight quarterback prospects from the college ranks. Some like Matt Cassel and Ryan Mallet have last several years as the backup to TB12 before moving on to other opportunities in their careers. Some were seventh round picks or undrafted gems like Brian Hoyer. The top 100 picks in the NFL draft is the preferred hunting grounds for Bill Belichick’s QB search. Lately as the market has been shifting and unexpected events like the Deflategate suspension have happened they have been picking higher and more frequently than normal. This year will be no exception. This year we can safely say, that regardless of free agency the Patriots will select a quarterback in the draft.
What’s Coming
In the coming weeks we will profile likely Patriots QBs that could be selected in the 2018 draft in March. We will look at playing styles, testing results, background information and why we think they have traits that will make them a new Patriot. The writers at BostonSportsExtra.com look forward to the debates and speculations that these will likely entail. We eagerly await all of the new Patriots that will try to help the 2018 team get that sixth ring for Brady. And just maybe get to be the next guy for when Brady hangs them up and rides off into the sunset.
This year’s Draft Class is brimming with talent. Just about every position has a few players that have been in the limelight since the end of the 2017-2018 college football season. Lately, as mock draft season has come into fruition undervalued players are on the rise. Senior North Carolina cornerback M.J. Stewart recently became a name to consider two months before draft day.
Analysts have begun to look into Stewart’s draft stock after he appeared in the first round of Todd McShay’s most recent Mock Draft for ESPN. McShay listed the Patriots as a possible team to select the 6’0″ and 205 pound cornerback with the 31st pick in April. This came after Stewart’s exceptional play during the Senior Bowl in late January.
“Given his Super Bowl controversy, it certainly appears New England will part ways with Malcolm Butler. Spending an early pick on a CB makes sense, especially with Stephon Gilmore on the other side. Stewart is underrated and an experienced player, with adequate height (5-10) and very good top-end speed. He’ll also support the run” writes McShay.
Stewart’s Stats
Before the Senior Bowl M.J. Stewart ranked 31st in cornerbacks in the 2018 Draft Class by Walter Football.com. He was ranked low due to failing to intercept any passes in his senior season. In Stewart’s four year stint at North Carolina he racked up 199 tackles, three sacks, three fumbles, six interceptions, and 44 passes defended. He did not pick passes off frequently but he did well with defending them. In his senior season alone Stewart recorded 12 pass breakups, 45 tackles (five for a loss), and two sacks. He finished the 2017-2018 season as the top ranked player at UNC, as well as earning All-ACC First Team reps.
M.J. Stewart finished the 2017 season as the highest graded player in Chapel Hill. pic.twitter.com/tzuZVNfZ9P
The highlight of M.J. Stewart’s play is his press coverage. Stewart locks down receivers from the line of scrimmage to ten yards behind him. Stewart keeps pace with every assignment. He might not have the height, but he can use his strength and speed to muscle his way ahead of a receiver to make a play. Even when it seems like he is beaten on a play Stewart uses his quick hands to pull passes out of the receiver’s hands for an incompletion. Upon watching his highlights, I think it’s insane that Stewart hasn’t been more highly touted. His stats might not jump out at analysts and scouts, but he does not fail at single coverage whatsoever.
Player Comparison
If I were to compare M.J. to two star cornerbacks in the NFL they’d be Richard Sherman and Josh Norman. Like Sherman, he thrives at taking receivers out of plays right out of the gate. In press coverage they both do an exceptional job at keeping receivers at the line of scrimmage, and they both punish quarterbacks if they force a pass toward them. They both ballhawk in deep routes as well. Stewart also can hit like Josh Norman. In the event that he lets up a completion he will let the receiver feel his frustration. He is able to bring players down extremely well despite his size and frame.
M.J. might not be too exciting on paper, but his film makes up for it. To me he is a viable option for the Patriots, maybe just not in the first round. Whatever team he lands on he has the potential to make a splash as one of the NFL’s next premier defensive backs.
Quinton Flowers might be the most overlooked quarterback in the 2018 Draft Class. Flowers has been regarded as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country during his college career. That being said he still has to fight to be selected in the draft in April. Flowers recently completed his four-year career with the University of South Florida Bulls. The team struggled for the majority of his collegiate career, but he was able to lead the team to be nationally ranked this year.
Early Years
The Miami native became noticed by Division I teams while playing at Miami Jackson High School. There Flowers posted video game-like stats, passing for 6,042 yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 2,002 rushing yards. His exemplary play came through emotional hardship off the field. When Quinton was seven his father was a victim of a drive-by shooting. In 2012 he also lost his mother to cancer. Flowers was heavily affected by his mother’s death, telling Sports Illustrated, “It was a time where I felt like football wasn’t the same, because I lost the main woman in my life”.
Flowers heavily considered quitting football during his sophomore year in high school. However, the overwhelming support he received from his family and mentors after his mother passed kept him going. His high school coach, former NFL receiver Antonio Brown, urged him to continue playing.
Credit to canesinsight.com
College
Quinton was recruited by Alabama as a receiver, South Carolina as a defensive back, and Miami as a running back. He was adamant about being a quarterback, and South Florida agreed. Toward the end of his freshman year he claimed the starting job and he never looked back. At USF Flowers claimed 37 school records, and led the school to be nationally ranked twice in the The American East. In 41 games, Flowers threw for 7,819 yards and 67 touchdowns and ran for 3,566 yards along with 40 scores.
His team appeared in the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl and the past two Birmingham Bowls. He earned MVP titles in his last two bowl games, along with AAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-AAC in 2016. He also was named CFPA National Performer of the Year and was ranked #2 in QBR according to ESPN in 2016. His career highs came this season against UCF, where he had 605 total yards and 5 touchdowns.
Draft Stock
Quinton Flowers has the mobility and arm strength to gain the attention of NFL scouts. However, his size of 6’0 and 200 pounds does not help him. Scouts are also turned off by his inconsistent throwing motion. Early into the draft season, Flowers is projected to be ushered into the third day of the draft, and possibly go undrafted. He will need to show his pocket-passing ability to climb and avoid talk of changing positions. He will have the East-West Shrine game and the Combine to prove himself to scouts in those areas.
At his current draft position I see him as a severely underrated prospect. His collegiate career exhibited that he has talent and I could see his draft stock rising before April. He is shrouded by the big names at QB that the 2018 Draft class has to offer. In my opinion he is not a prospect to be overlooked. I would like to see him become a backup for a team to gauge how he transitions into the NFL. Drafting him late would be low risk high reward in my opinion if he were to stay as a 7th round prospect.
In my wildest dreams the team I’d like to see him on is the Redskins. Pending Kirk Cousins’s departure from Washington I would like to see the Redskins experiment with more of a West Coast offense. Quinton Flowers would flourish in a mobile scheme like that. The most realistic fit for him in my opinion might be in Buffalo. The NFL is an ever-changing machine however, so we will see where Quinton Flowers lands.
