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Rounds 4-7: Scouting Reports on Patriots Later Round Picks

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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+

Ja’Whaun Bentley: Potential breakout candidate

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The Patriots 2018 draft class could be defined as either a success or failure. On one hand, there were several picks that ended up on IR, including Duke Dawson and Isaiah Wynn. Contrarily, Sony Michel and Keion Crossen both contributed in big ways for most of the season.

Michel very well could have had over 1,000 yards if he was healthy the whole year. Crossen was instrumental on special teams, and was good depth at cornerback. The rest of the rookie class didn’t contribute much of anything, with only Danny Etling and Duke Dawson seeing the practice field.

However, one of the more devastating blows to the 2018 rookie class was linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Coming out of Purdue, Bentley was a fifth round pick and looked to be on the rise after a stellar preseason. As an inside linebacker, he was tasked with taking on covering responsibilities in the open field and handled it extremely well. New England always seems to lack linebackers who can effectively cover running backs, but Bentley was fantastic in limited action.

Ja’Whaun Bentley had a fantastic preseason in 2018, giving the Patriots an easy choice when it came to roster cuts.

He was given an 80.7 grade from Pro Football Focus in the three games he played, which was higher than any other Patriot linebacker by far.

The former Boilermaker had 14 combined tackles and one interception in 2018. The interception came against Detroit, where he perfectly covered tight end Luke Willson and picked off Matthew Stafford. It was textbook coverage against a good tight end, helped by a bad decision by Stafford.

Later on in the Lions game, Bentley made a tackle and came up with a torn biceps. New England later placed him on Injured Reserve, ending his season. It was an ill-timed injury at the time for the Patriots, who were struggling mightily.

Bentley was the lone bright spot for the 1-2 Patriots, as he was progressing quickly for a rookie. At one point, he had the green sticker on his helmet, signalling he was receiving the play calls from Brian Flores. This sticker is usually on Dont’a Hightower’s helmet, so the fact that Bentley had it speaks volumes.

Bentley left the Week 3 Detroit game with a torn biceps, ending his season. He finished the game with an interception, instilling hope for next season.

So with this stellar, yet limited, rookie year, what can be expected out of the fifth round pick in 2019? If we’re looking at the past, linebacker has been the one position that New England has seen steady production in terms of draft picks. Dont’a Hightower, Elandon Roberts, Brandon Spikes, and Jerod Mayo are some examples.

There is precedent for rookie linebackers going on to succeed in New England, but does that mean Bentley will? Obviously time will tell, but it seems like he’s trending the correct way.

He was given the play call helmet for the Patriots games against Jacksonville and Detroit, which is a huge deal. He handled his assignments with great aplomb, covering receivers and tackling well. It also helps he has great veterans like Hightower and Kyle Van Noy to help him in his sophomore year.

Ja’Whaun Bentley could breakout in his second year campaign. If his rookie season was any indication, he has the potential to live up to his number 51, previously donned by Jerod Mayo. Those are big shoes to fill, but he seems to have the attitude and talent to pull it off.

It will be interesting to see how the Patriots view Bentley’s development, because Dont’a Hightower is counting for nearly $11 million against the 2019 cap. Elandon Roberts also had an up and down year, which could make him a cut candidate.

If New England does cut either one of these two, it would say a lot about how they see Bentley in the future.

Prediction: The Patriots Will Be Great Against the Pass

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There are few things more satisfying than watching A-Rod serve hungry Boston fans Wahlburgers because he lost a bet. Watching a hyper-focused and well-oiled Patriots secondary shutting down a passing attack is one of those things.

While the New England Patriots were preparing their game plans for the Houston Texans, I’m sure they approached it as another game. Prepare, watch video, practice, evaluate and repeat over and over again. Don’t leave anything to chance and allow for the unexpected. More unexpected than the entire Boston Globe sports staff choosing the Houston Texans to win? Smack my head.

What We Learned

In the end the end the preparations were over-preparing. A healthy Deshaun Watson came into Foxborough and accounted for almost 350 total yards and two TDs. Coming within an epic Brady comeback drive and a Cooks toe-tapping touchdown of winning the contest. Riding a wave of feel-good emotions would do the sophomore quarterback some good as he returned to the site of battle. Those positives vibes were for naught. He rushed for nearly the same yards but accounted for over 125 less air yards. Watching the game unfold I was stuck with one thought, “This secondary looks damn good!”

What We Know

Let’s look at the differences from the unit that allowed Foles to throw three TDs and 373 yards en route to a Super Bowl MVB (Most Valuable Backup) in February. Starters Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe were still the same. Malcolm Butler of Super Bowls past was in Belichick’s doghouse and played one snap prior to leaving in free agency for Nashville to join the Elvis Patriots. Devin McCourty was the same defensive mainstay that he has been for a number of years. Jason joined the crew in the offseason too.

And here are the important things: Jordan Richards – Gone, Johnson Bademosi – Gone. Both of them gave up key catches that sustained drives when the team needed just one stop. In their place, Jon Jones was becoming a quality slot corner and backup. A bevy of late round draft picks that forced out 2nd round pick Cyrus Jones. An improved pass rush and new defensive play caller, Brian Flores, would help apply pressure that helps the coverage guys immensely.

The Crew

What is the best way to use a group as talented as this? The coaching staff of the Patriots will put them in the best position to succeed. And based upon experience, scheme and physical attributes it may go something like this. Stephon Gilmore is the classic man coverage, shutdown corner. A long and lean six foot one inch and just over 200 pound. Quick, and instinctual he has shown to be worth every penny of his massive free agent contract. Eric Rowe is just as tall as Gilmore but a little heavier and not quite as explosive. He does bring some big slot coverage that is nice for his versatility. JC Jackson is your next big cornerback. He’s a little lighter, but just as exciting and will grow into his role. A good special teamers, he brings a lot for an undrafted free agent.

 

The next tier are the shorter, lighter cornerbacks. Jonathan Jones seems to be the third option at cornerback and is primarily used inside. The Super Bowl drama would have been reduced if Jones did not suffer the season ending injury against Jacksonville. Keion Cross is a rookie this season and was an inactive on Sunday and barring injuries this will probably he his role all season.

The unique thing about the Patriots secondary is the role of the safeties. The McCourty twins are converted corners. When the defense’s backs get pushed against the wall, Devin’s job changes to primarily covering a receiver. Duron Harmon plays a lot of deep and cover 2 safeties. Jason McCourty is still learning his new position and offers some depth for the corners. Patrick Chung is the only true strong safety and does well with covering pass catchers near the line of scrimmage.

Super Bowl Bound

What does all that mean? Bill Belichick can play chess while much of the league is playing checkers. When you want to change your game plan from week to week in order to exploit an opponent’s weakness, you need versatility and layers. This years cornerback crew offers that. Big outside wide receivers, shifty slot guys, and speedsters up the fieldall need a different plan. The defensive backs that are on the team offer a blueprint for success that ends with hoisting a trophy in Atlanta!

 

 

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

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