Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | From the Hart: Pats prospects rank high

Thanks to Andy for lifting the Pats content from ESPN Insider. I’m happily surprised that Marcus Cannon made the list (along with Ridley and Mallett), he could be in for a big role this year.

“Cannon was a flat-out steal for the Patriots. He’s a huge guy with quick feet, and draftniks expected him to go as early as the second round before he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma before the draft. The Pats were perfectly happy to take him in the fifth round and wait for him to complete chemotherapy, and by Week 11 he was getting snaps in a regular-season game. Cannon was a right tackle at TCU and could spell Sebastian Vollmer in a pinch if necessary, but he’s much better suited for guard in the pros because he has trouble with bull rushers. He will likely replace Brian Waters at right guard whenever Waters decides he feels like retiring.”