Tag Archives: NFL Draft

How the ‘Patriot Way’ Handles the NFL Draft

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.

Follow Mike Clement on Twitter: @MClementMedia.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

Two Pre-Free Agency Patriots 3-Round Mock Drafts

Mike Clement’s Mock Draft 2.0

Round 1 (Pick 31): Marcus Davenport, DE , UTSA

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.

Andrew Lykins’s Mock Draft

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.

Credit to the Daily Trojan.

Cover image courtesy of Sporting News.

Draft Profile: M.J. Stewart, CB at North Carolina

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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

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 8, 2018

.@Checkout_Marv has been named All-ACC First-Team Defense! 👏#OriginOfFlight #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/HM8tqeg7zu

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) December 5, 2017

Playstyle

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.

New England’s Defensive State Ahead of the 2018 Off-Season

CONCLUSION

After reviewing these points, while it may be a team effort, the defense lost New England the Super Bowl.

While there certainly are a few question marks on offense for New England, there is much more to be happy about. Among the uncertainties are Nate Solder, Danny Amendola, and Dion Lewis’ expiring contracts.

While Gronkowski has had his share of injuries, I am calling his bluff on potential retirement. Next season, health providing, the Patriots offense will have Cooks, Gronkowski, Edelman, and Hogan all at once. Also we can’t forget about the return of Malcolm Mitchell. I am not concerned about the offense.

The defense, however, will require much change.

Cornerback

During the Super Bowl, fans got to see a sneak peek of New England’s secondary without Malcolm Butler and no additions. Newsflash: IT WAS ATROCIOUS.

Outside of miscommunication against the Chiefs and Panthers, and poor performances against the Bills once, and the Steelers, Stephon Gilmore was great this season. It now seems clear to all why New England gave him ‘lock-down cornerback’ money.

PFF gave Stephon Gilmore an 89.1 grade for the season, ranking him the 8th best cornerback in the league.

According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, through the entire playoffs, Stephon Gilmore allowed 4-15 completed passes for 55-yards, with 6 pass breakups.

The New England Patriots have their clear-cut #1 cornerback for the future.

Devin McCourty is still playing great ball for New England, and position-mate Duron Harmon has been key as well.

For this last season, both Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon were ranked top-10 out of all free-safeties by Bleacher Report.

Patrick Chung, strong-safety, will also likely be keeping his starting job in New England next season. One could argue that Chung deserved Pro-Bowl honors this year. Chung’s ability to defend tight ends and play at the line of scrimmage makes him vital in New England.

CORNERBACK HELP FROM WITHIN

Cyrus Jones, former second round pick, looks to return from a torn ACL and compete for a job next season. Jones was far from a fan favorite a season ago after muffing multiple punts. The guy damn-near got booed out of Foxborough. Players like Edelman coming to his defense and touting his work ethic shouldn’t go unnoticed. How Bill views Cyrus’ potential could sway the Patriots’ search for a nickel cornerback.

While it may be hard to envision this right now, I would not be all that surprised to see Eric Rowe starting across from Gilmore next season. Most of Rowe’s 2017-2018 season was lost to injuries. Last season, as well as when he was healthy towards the end of this regular season, he looked like the guy to fill Butler’s shoes. There is no denying that Rowe started the Super Bowl on the wrong foot, but he is a good player. Whether he is #2 cornerback material is up to Bill.

The obvious need in this secondary is at the #2 cornerback position. Whether the improvements come from in-house, or not, remains to be seen.

While improvements at the cornerback position will be vital going forward, if the front seven continues to struggle at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the talent level in the secondary won’t matter a bit.

Pass Rush

Looking back, the eight-sack performance against the Tennessee Titans seems to be nothing more than an anomaly. The Patriots’ group of pass-rushers are very young, headlined by the leader of the group, Trey Flowers, and his sidekick, Deatrich Wise. Both having played their college ball at Arkansas, seem to be the head of the pack going forward for New England.

Trey Flowers proved that it is possible to have a good season as a pass rusher with low sack numbers, totaling at 6.5. With that being said, he led the team in that category, which is not close to the number you want your leading sack artist to have.

Things didn’t go as planned with the edge rushers for New England this season. Rob Ninkovich retired shortly before the season started, leaving a hole in leadership and skill level.

Also last off-season, the Patriots acquired former Super Bowl hero, Kony Ealy, from the Panthers. Needless to say, his time in Foxborough was short-lived.

Going into this offseason, there are improvements to be made with the pass rush, some may argue that it is the biggest area of need for New England.

I would expect New England to use one of their three picks in the first two rounds of the draft on pass rush. Whether that be defensive-end, or a 3-4 pass rush linebacker. This unit as a whole has struggled enough to where I wouldn’t be surprised if New England spent a decent penny in free agency to sure it up.

PASS RUSH HELP FROM WITHIN

Also what should be noted is the Patriots’ first draft choice last year, Derek Rivers, missed all of this season with a torn ACL.

Derek Rivers, a pass rush specialist in college, stands at 6-foot-4, 245-pounds. In four college seasons, Rivers compiled a total of 37.5-sacks. Having been the team’s first selection in the draft, expect Rivers to be some much needed help from within.

An obvious addition to multiple phases of the front-seven, is the return of Donta Hightower. Donta is without a doubt one of the NFL’s best all-around linebackers. His ability to play in coverage, manage the defense, and rush the passer was surely missed this season.

The everlasting issue with Hightower is his inability to play a full season. The key with Hightower is to not rely on him so heavily early in the season to give him his rest. Honestly, just hope his injuries come early rather than late, and not season-ending. With hopeful thinking, having Donta Hightower back for the entirety of next season will greatly impact the pass rush.

Linebackers

Continuing on with Dont’a Hightower: His impact on the linebacker core is unmatched. Dont’a takes pressure off of his teammates and does a great job at preventing any confusion. Having Dont’a back would be huge, but relying on his return is not something I recommend.

The Patriots made a great addition when bringing in Marquise Flowers, and the trade for Kyle Van Noy has been a complete success. That said, even with the Pro-Bowl caliber Hightower back, the linebacker position lacks depth. Specifically, they lack athletes at the linebacker position.

Too often, Patrick Chung has to take on a larger role than you would like him to because he is constantly moving down into the box in aid of the unathletic linebackers.

I don’t mean to tug on strings here, but the Patriots are in desperate need of a ‘Jamie Collins’ like linebacker. Someone with the speed to pick up wide receivers over the middle and can keep up with running-backs. The undersized linebacker who moves like a safety is exactly what you should expect the Patriots to be looking for from their first pick, to their last.

INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

Other than maybe the safety position, interior defensive line may be the most solid group on defense. Led by the young defensive tackle out of Texas, Malcom Brown, this group can usually hold its own against most lines.

Again, the return of a healthy Donta Hightower, even though he doesn’t play defensive line, will help this unit immensely. Donta’s ability to line up over the center and coordinate the young defensive linemen like Malcom Brown, Ricky Jean-Francois, and Adam Butler will help their growth. Another key kog in this unity is veteran, Lawrence Guy. Guy came in as a free agent from Baltimore and contributed a large amount over the second half of the season.

Once vital big-man, Alan Branch, was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs thanks to the emergence of Jean-Francois and the steady play of Guy. I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see him become a cap-casualty.

The most action I expect from this group would be the Patriots picking up Malcom Brown’s fifth-year option. The young guys will continue to grow and improve here.

Whether it be at the #2 or #3 cornerback positions, pass rush, linebacker position… or all of the above: This defense needs to get better. A lot better.

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