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Draft

Top 10 Patriots Draft Prospect Traits

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It felt like the NFL scouting combine snuck up out of nowhere this year. We’re no strangers to having a quick turnaround from the Super Bowl to the combine in just a few short weeks, but for some reason it flew by this year for me and honestly I’m kind of happy it did, and for more reasons that having a palate-cleansing good guy Bill Belichick appearance on NFL Network.

The advantage for me jumping into the draft now is that all the measurements and times are already recorded and readily available. I don’t touch the NFL draft until, well, now. I come at it with a fresh set of eyes and for the past seven seasons I’ve tried to hold myself to some level of accountability by sticking to the same formula — a 50 prospect draft board where I try to hit as many picks and signings as possible and one solitary mock draft.

 

Last year I got back on track after my worst Top 50 performance ever, when Cyrus Jones was the lone pick I hit, however I still haven’t hit a mock draft pick in two years after hitting at least two in four of my first five mock drafts. Something to shoot for this year when I release my mock a week or so before the draft.

Before I start jumping into prospect articles I thought a better place to start is with what I look for when “scouting” players. The advantage of focusing solely on one team’s drafts is that you start to get a sense of what they look for.

Here are the top 10 things I look for in Patriots draft prospects.

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Three Patriots Undrafted Rookies Most Likely To Make It

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It’s an annual right of passage. Some rookie who managed to slip through all seven rounds of the draft without a team selecting him manages to make a stacked, Super Bowl-contending Patriots team and find a way to contribute against the odds.

It’s a testament to New England truly being a level playing field once players arrive. Play better than someone who the team spent a draft pick on? You’re on the team, regardless of how it makes Bill Belichick’s “draft grade” look to the pundits. That’s why undrafted players are excited to come to Foxborough every summer, because one or two of them is almost certainly going to make the team.

Here’s a quick look back at the last nine years of UDFAs that have made the roster, and which three I think are most likely to continue the trend in 2017.

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2017 Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test

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The rookie eyeball test is one of the oldest continuing columns here at PatsProp, and probably the one I enjoy writing the most every year. It signifies that the crapshoot known as draft prep is over and that the Patriots have their collection of rookies and now it’s time to superficially judge them by their number and helmet choices.

Unfortunately the only place to get these pics is at Patriots.com and being the upstanding blogger that I am, I’ll link to the pictures we’re talking about instead of posting them so as to not disturb the mothership.

The Patriots had a small draft class but with some notable undrafted rookie signees there’s still quite a bit to digest here.

Let’s get after it with the five most interesting!

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Help, This Patriots Draft Makes Too Much Sense!

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I’ve spent the last couple days diving in on all the rookies the Patriots drafted and signed and what I keep coming back to is that I’m shocked that none of it is shocking to me. The more I read about these players, the more it seems to me like the team was laser focused on their specific needs and filled those needs accordingly.

Gone were the pointless picks at positions of excellent depth, players like Tavon Wilson or Jordan Richards who were seemingly overdrafted for no good reason. Duron Harmon was the only one of those guys who really worked out.

But this year even the draft pundits agreed, all the Pats’ picks made sense. They needed some young talent in their defensive front seven and they got two talented players who have different styles but both fit. They needed some tackle depth with Nate Solder entering the last year of his deal and the swing spot open for the taking and they drafted two athletic tackles and signed two more rookie free agents.

The undrafted rookies that really make the most sense were in the secondary.

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A Closer Look at Patriots UDFA Harvey Langi

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Every year an undrafted free agent makes a stacked Patriots team and finds a way to contribute. This year the Patriots have attacked their rookie free agent class like they usually do, but one player has stood out as far as his compensation.

That kind of financial commitment, along with the Patriots’ need at linebacker, make Langi a player to watch this summer. But how might he fit into their scheme and why would they put such a value on him?

Let’s take a deeper look.

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Quick Hits on Patriots Undrafted Free Agent Signees

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Every year, no matter how stacked the Patriots seem to be, an undrafted rookie makes the team and finds a way to contribute. None have been more famous than Malcolm Butler, who was making plays on the ball from his earliest days in training camp, and ended the season making then biggest play on the ball in Patriots history.

Who will be this year’s Malcolm Butler? With the Pats selecting just four players in the draft, there’s more opportunity than ever for an unknown to fill a significant role.

Here are a bunch of quick hits on the undrafted rookies the Patriots have reportedly signed so far.

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Patriots Draft OT Conor McDermott

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n5oVsSBiYY

After taking offensive tackle Antonio Garcia 85th overall, the Patriots took another athletic blind sider in Conor McDermott at 211th overall.

Like Nate Solder before him, McDermott is a former tight end who’s also 6′ 8″. He’s athletic but “thin-legged” and scouts worry about him being able to hold up to NFL power.

He’ll work with Dante Scarnecchia for at least a year, but it’s good to know that with the retirement of Sebastian Vollmer and Solder entering the final year of his year there’s two good athletic prospects in the pipeline.

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