Another voice heard from on WRs with info gained from current NFL scouts - anonymously of course.
Compare what Bedard said about these guys with what I have posted here (for example: my comparison for AJBrown is Boldin on speed and for Miles Boykin is Josh Gordon)
http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showpost.php?p=2585666&postcount=67
THE SKINNY ON WIDE RECEIVERS
Everybody knows the deal here. What the Patriots have at the position is either aging (
Julian Edelman), coming back from injury (
Demaryius Thomas,
Braxton Berrios,
Bruce Ellington), hasn’t flashed yet (
Phillip Dorsett,
Maurice Harris, Damoun Patterson) or currently suspended by the NFL (
Josh Gordon). So, yeah, they could use some impactful youth … like every year, it seems.
POSSIBLE EARLY TARGETS
A.J. Brown, Ole Miss (6-0½, 226, 4.51)
Patriots scheme fit: Boundary with slot versatility. Possible Flex.
Could be the first – and only — receiver taken in the first round because of his low bust rate. Not a blazer and had issues in college against man coverage on the outside, but his strength and hands look like they make him an ideal boundary guy for the Patriots. Very similar to
Malcolm Mitchell, but with bigger upside due to ability after the catch and quick feet. Stood out in the slot as a size mismatch in the vein of a faster
Anquan Boldin or
Larry Fitzgerald. Only five drops on 90 catchable targets. Could be a flex WR/TE combo if the Patriots don’t have that move tight end. Bright (Wonderlic: 18). Loves football.
POSSIBLE MIDDLE TARGETS
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina (5-11, 214, 4.44)
Patriots scheme fit: Slot/kick returns.
Electric with the ball in his hands, on pass routes and returning kicks. Has great field vision and change of direction. Difficult to tackle — 21 broken tackles on only 62 catches. Quickly gets back up to speed. Not afraid to go over the middle, and can run the full route tree from the slot. For his size, large, 10-inch hands. Average 9.6 yards after the catch. Had had injury issues.
Andy Isabella, UMass (5-8 1/2, 187, 4.31)
Patriots scheme fit: Slot/kick returns.
Tremendous speed, both long and in a short area. Highly productive for the Minutemen; career 15.3 yards per reception and 30 touchdowns. Can play slot and has great deep ability. In many ways, Isabella is next on the evolutionary chart of Patriots slot receivers. However, he has small hands (8 3/8) and arms (29 3/4) which has made him a body catcher (instead of hands). That will turn off some evaluators.
READ MORE:
With Patriots presumably eyeing WR help, UMass’ Andy Isabella might be a late-round possibility
Mecole Hardman, Georgia (5-10, 185, 4.29)
Patriots fit: Gadget player/all kick returns.
Looking for a do-it-all replacement for Cordarelle Patterson with more speed/quickness and higher ceiling as a receiver/offensive weapon? Hardman is your guy. He’d return all kicks on opening day, and whether it’s carrying the ball, on screens or on routes down the field, his afterburners are off-the-charts with the ball in his hands. Needs some time to develop, but all the parts are there.
Miles Boykin, Notre Dame (6-3 ½, 221, 4.41)
Patriots fit: X/boundary.
He’s basically
Josh Gordon without all the baggage … but with only one year of production in college. He’s big, strong, competes well on 50/50 balls and can break tackles. Extremely smart (26 on Wonderlic would be the same as
Deion Branch — the team’s last fully successful drafted receiver). Has the best hands in college football (three drops on 62 passes).
POSSIBLE LATE TARGETS
Terry McLaurin, Ohio State (6-0, 208, 4.35)
Patriots fit: Special teams ace/depth WR.
If
Bill Belichick was drawing up a replacement for
Matthew Slater — who is nearing the line, as he will turn 34 this season — it might be McLaurin. A little more upside as a receiver, but the same leadership and special teams instincts. Great athlete and skills, but it hasn’t translated to the field yet.
Cody Thompson, Toledo (6-1, 205, 4.57)
Patriots scheme fit: Big slot/special teams.
Nothing flashy, just a good football player who catches everything and excels on special teams with positional versatility (was a dual-threat QB and punter in high school). Had a higher ceiling before broken leg in 2017. Perhaps there’s room to grow there.
