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Speaker 1: This is the Draft Prospect Review podcast on Patriots dot Com Radio. Welcome to the NFL Draft. The Draft Prospect Review Podcast is your source for all the latest news and information on the NFL Draft. The New England Patriots like now here to preview the wide receivers and tight ends. The writers of Patriots dot Com time once again for another Draft Prospect Review where we preview absolutely Mike goobt get it. You're starting to get it, So it's a It's another edition, and this one's a big one. This one is a big one because it's hopefully it's fun stuff. Yeah, this is fun stuff to talk about the guys who catch some passes, wide receivers and tight ends. Today, we have a full house here in our studios here at Chilette Stadium. We have Mike Diso, Evan Lazar, and the world famous Mattise Bamban. I'm back Tis who had a lot of hits he did. Some might argue we didn't want those hits, but he had a lot of hits in the twenty twenty two draft, so we decided to bring him down here so we can pick on him again. And I'll just do the Mike Greenberg get out of the way and let these guys talk about stuff facilitation, as they like to say. We'll start with wide receivers. There have been a lot of really solid classes in the draft in recent memory. This probably isn't considered to be a high end one, but there are a lot of good players. Maybe not that stud standout that jumps and everybody says you got to get him in the top ten, but there are a lot of really good players here, and some of them have even visited maybe while we speak, as we're recording this very podcast, one local prospect maybe visiting. And I'm surprised Evan Lazar was able to make it into the studio and not just stock him outside, save Flowers, say Flowers. Everybody's you know, sort of in love with Yeah, you guys, all I think are an agreement that this is a guy that would look good in the Patriots uniform. Absolutely, I'll just say a little bit because I know, having an old t up he loves them. I mean I love them too. I just I think that this is the kind of player that pay Patriots need. And I think the question is just is fourteen worth it at that point? And I mean, Evan, you know, made a good comment on Patriots Unfiltered last week about yes, so no question. I just I've been saying quickness, this is what he has. He's a playmaker in the middle of the field, and I think that that's just a missing element in this offense. Before we get to my gushing and my draft crush of Zay Flowers, I just want to say, from a big picture standpoint, I was just talking to Tease about this about how long are we gonna go without the Patriots having enough weapons on offense? Like every on paper. I think we're going on five years now where we're going into the season saying they just don't have enough on that side of the football. And eventually that trend needs to stop that and I think it only stops by changing up your approach at the top of the draft of waiting to invest in that position. I the fiftieth overall pick and Juju Smith Schuster is not enough. That's not an of an investment, and that brings you two guys like Zay Flowers, who I've talked about extensively. I think the number one thing that you look at with him is that this is a playmaker at all three levels of the offense or the defense, but every way you want to put it. And more importantly, when I watch him on film, he just moves differently than everybody else out there. And that was at the Shrine Bowl too, same thing with NFL talent all around him in Vegas, moving at a different pace. And those are the types of guys that I tend to gravitate towards in general. And you got a guy here that he can take a slant sixty yards to the house, or he can hit you with a double move down the field and go over the top for sixty yards to the house, just as Louisville. You know that he did it multiple ways, multiple times against them last year. And I think that those are the types of guys that translate well into what they want to do. People that can run routes, that have that at extra gear, that extra burst that can create after the catch. He's a tailor made aspect for them, and they'll end up passing on him and breaking my heart. So so t so you are you in on first, not necessarily specifically Flowers, but number fourteen is that worth taking one of these wider? I have two guys I like for fourteen and a short. This is where you learn something that Jordan, Jordan Addison and Za Flowers. I like Za Flowers because he's doing everything you said for those five minutes, but he's doing it on a really bad team, which is what stands out. Addison is just a freak. And my thing with these two guys, so you're taking somebody at fourteen, just take somebody who's good. Like if they take Addison or Flowers and they're a bust, I don't care. You took the bit. You took a whip on the good on the Star. Yeah. We talked a little about that on Patriots on Filter esterday. If you really like a prospect, I think that you should stand tall in that conviction and uh and fall in love with them and take them, you know, don't just say, oh I really like that guy, but not not at that pick, not at that price. Well whatever. Um. I like Addison as well. With with Za Flowers, the thing that that teach you just hit on that really stands out is he's the only thing they have. When you can produce like that, when you're the only thing that really opposing Defenser, it's sort of the opposite of my Alabama thing. Well, you know, as much as I love the talent of the SEC and the Alabama and Georgia guys, I'm always wondering, you know, which one of these guys is the one who lives off the other guys. Yeah, Zay Flowers is all they got. Yeah, and they even had a quarterback this year who had success earlier in his career in Jacovic that just kind of fell off the fell off the map bottom and doing it with a third string guy. Yeah. So I think that Zay Flowers is a pretty safe bet to be a productive player. I don't know what his high end ability is. Um you know, at at five nine ish, he's not the biggest guy, small frame, but I mean the skills are a parent you know. I know, Evan, you also like Jackson Smith and Jigba. Yeah, a similar kind of you know, Smith and Jigba is I think probably the most polished receiver in this class, who has the highest floor. I am confident that Jason by the time his rookie contract is up, is gonna have a hundred catches in the league in the season, right Like, I just know that that guy's going to be able to get open and catch the football. But he doesn't have that electric play speed Dadza Flower springs to the table, but he definitely has that steadiness in the slot where he's just going to be able to get quick separation at the top of the route, catch the football, not have any hitches, are fighting at the top of the route really with his hands, and then go with it for at least another couple extra yards, if not more. You turn on that Rose Bowl against Utah, and it doesn't take long for you to just be like, oh my goodness, this guy just catches everything he gets open all the time. That he had three hundred yards and three touchdowns in that game against Utah. Those are the types of things that just stand out about his game. The angles, the route pacing, the quickness obviously the translated the combine in the three cone, and just the overall smoothness of his game. Just watching him go out there in Indian and run even just against air to in at the Ohio State's Pro day last week, just run routes and watch how crisp and smooth he looks out there. He definitely looks like a very safe bet. I think him and Addison are probably the two safest bets for them in the first round. Zay is more like a fever dream of mine. And plus just a somebody that I think could be a home run pick. But if you're just looking for somebody that is going to come in and do the job and do it well, I would lean towards Addison or JSON for those two things. You know, most of these guys that we've talked about so far kind of similar. You know. They're guys that can play in the slot. They might not be exclusively slot receivers. They probably have some ability, you know, to maybe play outside a little bit. But the one guy who was different in profile is Quinton Johnston. And there's some varying opinions I think on this very podcast on the TCU products. So have at it, you Yeah, I mean, I you know, I'll speak for myself. I just I mean I look at as you know, putting a starting five together, you know, and kind of balancing things. And you know, nothing against Quentin Johnson. I mean, I think that there's a lot of things to like about his game. I just I don't like the long strider and the guys that get down field. Again, Like, I just I feel like they need guys in the middle of the field. I think you've got, you know, some players on the on the team already that you know, maybe not exactly Quenton Johnston, but you know guys that you're looking to make plays with down the field, and you know, whether it's speed, whether it's contested catches with Parker, and you know Thornton's development, So he just doesn't quite fit what I think they need to round out. I'd love to see those other guys, you know, the smaller you know, Addison Smith and Jink. But you know, we'll get into some of the other guys that that I like just as much. They might not have the pull away speed that Zay Flowers has, like that like that burst when you're watching and you could just tell like they have another gear. Um, But I think Johnson's an outside guy and I don't really see it as a total need. Now that said, they've met with him a bunch. We saw him at their pro day. He told Evan at the Combine that they had a great meeting, So there is some smoke there. I don't think you can totally ignore him. But if I had to pick, I'd go more the other direction. Guys that can play in the middle of the field. Yeah, I think the biggest thing that I have with Johnston is that he basically wins on two routes. He ruins on a vertical, and he wins on a comeback, and that's it. And now he's got better feet than Nikil Harry. I know that people have heard me say that it's too much of an overlap with Nikkiel. I think from a size and profile standpoint, there's a lot of overlap there. Six foot three, two hundred and ten pounds, four or five guy in the forty we're not We're talking about a lot of boxes that are the similar checks as any Hill Harry. But I think the biggest thing is with him is that he is more sudden. He's got quicker feet after the catch, like he does have He doesn't run and cement. Okay, Like I don't see that with him. Strips the big legs churning like. It's just he's got a unique style. But it's a vertical receiver that's gonna win at a very simplified route. You're gonna maybe develop him on like a slanter or an under or something like that, hopefully down the line to give him some sort of quick you know, underneath type of route that he can run, but it's that it's a comeback, it's a vertical and I think those types of guys tend to have issues translating in New England because they don't have that full repertoire of routes at their disposal. And the last thing I'll say about him from a vertical standpoint, he doesn't attack the ball in the air, and that bothers me, Like, if you're gonna just let the ball come into your body and you're not going to really go out and use that six foot three frame to go and high point the football when they target you down the field, that's going to be concerning, I think at the NFL level to translate, because he's not necessarily going to just run by everybody all the time. He's gonna wear some coverage and he's gonna have guys on his back and he's gonna have to be able to make those contested catches. Maybe that's something that he can develop. I think that's one thing about his game that is certainly coachable and fixable. But I think that those are some of the concerns that I have. It's just why it's a definition of sanity to keep trying the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Why would you do that again? Why would you go the nikkil Harry, Chad Jackson, Aaron Dobson route again instead of going with one of these quicker inside guys. If you take a guy in the first you need production. And what I really I really want to like Quentin Johnson, boy I hate about him is in the semi final against Michigan, he put up one hundred and sixty three yards and had a touchdown. In the final, he had one catch for three yards. That is unacceptable. That's against Georgia. They're gonna have a bunch of NFL players on defense and you had one catch for three yards. Yeah, the one. I'm much higher on Johnston, probably than Mike and Evan. But the one of the things that really stands out to me is it looks like he's great when he can sort of run free and you know, find zones, find gaps. I don't. I didn't see him get pressed a lot. So some of those things that would worry me about that worried me about Thornton last year, would worry me about Johnston as well. I think he might maybe has a little more versatility to his routes than than Evan does. But I like him, like him, and I don't love him. Where I really differ with you, Mike, is I want to get away from the other thing. The definition of insanity to me is to continue to try to flood the middle of the field in the post Brady era and think it's gonna work like when Brady was here, with all these little, you know, five yard passes that are going to result in fifteen yard games. I want guys that maybe can get down the field and play on the outside. I know they have guys that play on the outside. I don't like any of them, so I want new ones. So that that's where I would sort of differ there. But um, those are sort of the guys that are like first round maybe early second round kind of guys. There is a laundry list of second and third round receivers in this draft. You know, when you go down to Josh Downs a Boote from you know, my Kashawn Booty guy from LSU, who I think is a colossal disappointment. Booty combines you know, Jalen Hyatt, who's one of the guys that that Evan is sort of you know, down on because of you know, because of his lack versus and I sort of agree with you on Hyatt by the way, Um, I want to know your thoughts. We haven't really talked about this guy at all on our Patriots on filtered shows, but uh Rashi Rice from SMU good uh SMU's good wide receiver feeder. It's you know, you know, you don't necessarily think, well, we do you want to get a wide receiver? Sim you They've had some good wide receivers in the league, and I think he could be the next one. You guys, you guys, I was. I was. I was based based on the thumbs down. I see you guys aren't a high on him. Well, I went, great, we finally have disagreement. No, I went through a whole process on him because I really liked him early on when I was you know, watching him at the Senior Bowl, and then as I watched more and more of them that were you know a lot of the boxes that I look for Captain Um. You know, it's like all right, was contested catches, like what's going on? And then I just started to feel like, can this guy get open that was my thing with him. It just started to feel like it's real hard for him to get away from guys um and that's why he fell down my board a little bit. But Josh Downs, you mentioned him, I just got to say, I mean, I think between him, we haven't talked about Jaden Reid. He's a lower round guy too, But those two guys are my favorites in terms of just the toughness, the middle of the field kind of stuff. That what I'm looking for. Those two guys. I think in day two, if you could, I mean, if you could get one of them. You just love five foot nothing guys. Well, I just like guys who can get open quick. They don't have anybody who can get open quick, you know. I mean I think that they have some promise for some downfield people. I mean, I hear what you're saying about flood the field with guys who well they don't have anybody. They have zero guys that can get open right now. So you know, it's great if Tykelon Thornton can beat people down the field or down on Juju Smith Schuster, well, I always sold it that was an upgrade over the guy who ball just a little bit Paul, don't you you're pumping it's too much, not that much of an upgrade, Paul. So that that's you know, that's my feeling. Yeah, you're gonna keep throwing big, tall guys who get down the field. Outside gets down the field. But I don't think he gets he needs some development. I think he has some problems with drops at times. But he's not He's not like that. No, I know, he's not an X No. I know. I was sorry, Yeah, if I didn't mean that. He's not He's not an outside not one he can do though, like where is he going to play? I think that the problem that I have with the Shi Rice is similar to Mike, which is that he bullied people at the collegiate level for his catches, and that ain't gonna work in the league, Like you can't go out there. And when they play the Jets and he's going up against sauce Gardner, he's not bullying sauce Gardener at the catch point for for eight balls for one hundred and twenty yards, right, Like those are things are not going to translate as well to the NFL. Me and Mike's receivers very similarly. I want guys that get open. You want guys that have no talent and hope that Tom Brady, that's ridiculous. Word, No, that's what. We don't have that guy anymore. House saying that we want Zay Flowers and Josh Downs having guys that have no talent. We just want guys that get open. We want guys to create separation. I don't want to live in a in a volume offense that's rely upon contested catches and possession receivers. Like I just don't think that that's a really great just like those safe guys. To me, I don't think this might Maybe Flowers Flowers more so than than Downs, so DWAs has more of a ceiling then Down. Downs to me, is like the mac Jones of receivers. He'll be fine when he gets in the league and five years later he'll be fine because that's what he is. Downs is discounts a Flowers. He brings a lot of the same essumates that's that Za Flowers brings to the table. But I don't think he's quite as electric in the open field as Za is with the football right when he gets the ball in his hands. He doesn't have that that that sixth gear that Zay can and to pull away from the defense. I don't know if we're ready for the Charlie Down Charlie Jones discussion yet. He might be a little bit later than so I want to get some maid two guys. Yeah, because this is where he made his money last year. Well, first of all, I don't get the hate on Jalen Hyatt. My issue is I think he's too similar to Takwon thor just a burner. Oh, I don't hate, but I agree. I agree with Evans sort of one like the most touchdowns in the FBS. Yeah, it's cool. It's because you know, when he's coming off the a scrimmage, they just set a pick for him in a stack or a bunch and he just runs a straight line really fast and similar to that on my guy Rice. I'll i'll sort of shoot down my own argument, and I'll say I do because I think Tennessee there's something with that system. Yeah, that gets and I think SMU has a little of that too, with that spread and from Tennessee in this draft, let me put you that way. Yeah, I don't love the other guy as much Tillman. Tillman was far and away ahead of him heading into this year. Yeah, he's got a much easier translation to the NFL. That's but is so you like hy here's my late guy, Marvin Min's junior from Oklahoma. Yeah, man, marvelous man anywhere. He averaged nineteen points his career, long stride, dangerous feed like. I think that's a perfect Day two pick. Also, with the way Marcus Jones plays everything for us, this guy can return punts too, And I don't know if you want Marcus back there all the time. I like Marvin Mims. That's a that's a good call. If I had to make a short list of guys on Day two that I'd feel comfortable with them targeting, He's up there for me. I think the biggest reason why I like him so much is because he does attack the football down the field, and he's got great, great hands and somebody that if you just pull up a highlight reel if you don't have time to be a nerd like me and watch seventeen games of everybody, Marvin Mims is one of those guys that puts highlight reel catches on film down the field at the catchpoint, like going above the rim and making plays on the football. That doesn't always happen with guys that have his speed and his type of route running vertical route running. A lot of those guys attack the football down the field like he does. I think that that's why I like him so much more, feel more comfortable with him than a guy like Jalen Hyatt, is because you can watch Mims beat a press corner, stack him, and then go up and get the ball down the sideline and make a catch on him, whereas with Jalen Hyatt, I'm just feel like I'm watching a hundred meter you know, like you saying, bolt out there, just running track the whole time, no contact, you know, very little NFL translation. So I think you might hit on that one. Mike. Do you have a late round guy before we move on to tight ends? I mean I mentioned or later around guy. I mean I mentioned Jayden Reid. I just I'm really impressed with him, and he's everything you hate Paul. He's that guy. Um but he's five six, Yeah you know he's not maybe not that short, but but he is that guy. But I just I was really impressed with him at the Senior Bowl, watching him in practices. I thought he really played well. Um, you know, those those two guys are two that I like. Another guy that I'd be curious just to throw out there, maybe for Evan as Tyler Scott, who's a guy kind of I like Tyler Scott. I was going to close out with him some drops here and there. But I kind of found myself writing that a lot you know, two guys, and you know, you sort of read other people's assessments, and sometimes that's dangerous when you don't get a chance to see a guy a lot. You know, like you a drop might not be the same as your drop, you know, but I don't like I don't like them either. But the perfect example was Brandon Merryweather dropped the ball at the end of the Super Bowl forty two. Assante Samuel had a ball go off his hands at the end of Super Bowl forty two. You ask one hundred Patriots fans and they'll tell you Santa Samuel drop the ball and cost them the perfect season. He kind of did. Why Tyler Scott love Tyler Scott for like Pittsburgh, right, Like like a team that develops wide receivers at a high level is going to take a guy like Tyler Scott and he's going to be a star in the league. Tyler Scott's way too raw for the Patriots. The guy that I would mention, Charlie Jones from Purdue is a guy that you just absolutely have to talk about with them. This is outside of JSN the best route runner in the draft. I mean, somebody that just really gets in and out of the break, sinks the hips, gets in and out in three steps efficiently, and you see that on film, that suddenness and that ability to efficiently get through the route break. Nobody runs a better dig than Charlie Jones in this draft. And then he went to the combine and when you watch him on film, he comes off the line with some burst and he can push you vertical a little bit. And I was like, okay, well does he play fast? And like, is this one of those guys that just kind of looks fast on film? But then we get to the combine and he's a four or five five guy. You're in the low four fours. I think he's like four five four four five four four six somewhere around there. So his speed to push vertical, I don't think he's a vertical threat, but He's got that ability to come off the line of scrimmage, push it up the field and then cut right. And that's that's hard to do. To be able to stop quickly and then change directions like he can off a vertical stem is not easy to do. Catches everything throwing his direction a huge production at Purdue last year with Aidan O'Connell. I think he's going to be somebody that is their classic mid round guy that turns into a really good player. And everybody's asking three years from now, how did this guy fall to the fourth round? This is a guy that Paul got in my head on because I'm looking at him and I gotta be honest, like I, like I wrote, as I'm watching him, just doesn't have the shaking bake no matter how much he kind of looks like the part of a day three possession receiver. So like, I don't know what I watched it, but I just was like, he looks like what Paul hates is like yep, they're like to me, just you know, it's like didn't really look dynamic to me initially, and then as Evan said, he ran that, and I'm like, what do I need to? Like? I think but like that profile of what you're talking about, hate is a strong word. I just feel like the Patriots and their fans have decided they want four of them. Yeah, you know, like we can't just have Edelman, we have to have Edelman and Amundole. Like. But that's another thing I like about Charlie Jones. He's five eleven, Like he's not He's not five eight, right, Yeah, I agree. There's a difference between the little munchkins and you know, guys with a little bit more of a of a body time. He's got some size, but when you watch guys, I'm stunts. Mike didn't bring up. So let's let's move to tight ends here, as this is turning into an addition of Patriots unfiltered um. Patriots made a move with Jono Smith. Uh. They were able to trade him. They brought in Mike Kasiki, but only on a one year deal. Uh. Hunter Henry may not be here a long term. This is a position that is widely considered very strong by most of the experts, and probably a position of need. I don't think that they would go, you know, Michael Mayer in the first round or anything like that, but this is a pretty solid draft class at tight end, and I would just I mean, I see I think that you know, there's some high end guys that are maybe more of that move tight end, but there's also some developmental why types that I think could make a lot of sense. So I think that this is one position where I always I never have a problem finding one that I kind of like because there's just so many of them. I'll I'll just throw Darnell Washington out there to start. I mean, he's just a monster. He's huge, and like, I think he's gonna go, you know, in between the Patriots first and second round picks, So I don't really give them a real realistic shop. But I just I don't know how you can run down for Darnell. I don't know how you can watch it, will watch him and not just be blown away by his size and then what he did at the combine with his athleticism couple you know, one handed catches and stuff. He's just a total freak. Just one of those guys that's really fun to watch. When we do these, I have a feel involved. Four of us will feel the say, just think there's a lot of ups there. As a receiver, I think he has the size obviously DeMont blocker right right out of the game, and there's probably some upside he would step in day one and be their best inline blocking tight end, which is something that I think that is getting a little bit overlooked with Hunter Henry and Mike Kiseki being your two top tight ends, is being able to have somebody that can put their hand in the dirt and block, And I think as a rookie, that would be a really nice role for Darnell Washington to be that inline blocking tight end while they really get a little bit more refinement out of him in the passing game and to sort of figure out how to get the most out of him in the passing game because he is such a big target, but he's not necessarily the most sudden or quick athlete in space, so I think you have to use him correctly and figure it out. But I actually have a lot of faith in the guy like Bill O'Brien being able to tap into that potential because he didn't have great production at Georgia right like three hundred yards last year or something like that. But I'm with Mike on this tight end class, I think, and that is they got to come away with one of the these guys, like you could pick out of a hat. Yeah, and I'd be okay with probably pretty much every single name that you pull out. But eventually, but by the end of the fourth round, I want to see one of these guys taken. Hunter Henry's in a contract year, Mike is Sicky signs for one season only, and they really don't have that prototypical in line tight end anyways. I just feel like this is way too deep and way too good of a tight end class to come away with nobody. That's really how I feel. I mean, it was Washington. The guy's a moose. He just reminds me of the later stage ground for his Pat's career, where like, you know he can't catch too much, but he's really just an extra lineman and like you just can't teach size. He reminds me of Gelanni Woods, who from the Colts is like what sometimes a starter number two tight end. That guy sticks out to me. But also Michael Mayer. I mean, he's a first round guy, but he reminds me of Jimmy Graham, like the guy who could play D one basketball. Just slow but looky, just shifty, he just athletic, He's always there. Evan fell in love with him in the combine, but I think you've followed like you're not quite as hot and bothered by him. I just don't feel like in taking a tight end the first round is really the best use of the first round pick. But I think a guy like Mayor I heard a great comparison that I think is really accurate. He's kind of like washed Gronk in the passing game, Like he's not as good as prime Gronk, but like he's one of those guys. Yeah he's gonna he's gonna be in some tight coverage situations, but the dude catches everything and he's a little bit of a matchup problem still even though he's not the fastest in the straight line. And then he can obviously block and he's got some versatility. So I really like Michael Mayer for those reasons. But if i'm gonna go on Day two, which is I think really a great sweet spot for this tight end class because there's just so many to choose from, I'll go two different types of what Sam Laporter from I was just awesome, Like that guy is just a fantastic route runner, really really quick at the top of the route. You know, you can run an angle route, he can run a slant, you can detach him from the formation. He's more of like a move tight end, flex tight end. I think has a little bit of comparable attributes to a former tight end that we don't necessarily say his name around here, but he's somebody the Yeah, he's somebody that has that type of quickness and ability to run with the football. Really really impressed with him. Another one of those guys you know you mentioned was a Flowers that there really wasn't much else in that offense. He was kind of the iowa's entire passing offense last year and basically carried them a bad offense to albeit, but carried them nonetheless. And I think if you're gonna go for more of that inline blocking tight end, I really like Schoonmaker from Michigan. I think that he's got some untapped potential in the passing game as well. Definitely one of the better blockers in this class. But you look at that forty time and then you watch him just burst off the line of scrimmage. You you hit play action, you get those linebackers stepping up and he just runs across a field behind them. He's got some real burst and acceleration coming out of his stance off the line of Scrimmage and Koons. Yeah Coons, Zach Coons is one of one in terms of athleticism, the most athletic tight end that has ever got to the NFL combine. I mean, that's that's wild. Did this think about that? And he's more like Mike KASICKI to me than a peer, you know, inline guy. But when you have that kind of athleticism and that kind of film, even at that level, it old dominion. I still think you have to take notice Douce any of these guys. Uh, yeah, I totally agree on Schoonmaker. Um, I would just throw in Latsu from Alabama is another one. Get Yeah, I mean that's you can't ignore those guys. And I throw Luke Musgrave in there too. I know Evan isn't as high on him as I am. Maybe, um he's more of the move guy, but he's just so athletic. I think there's some potential. Yeah, I like him more than Evan. Two. I don't know if he's having you use like the word the sweet spot, like I'm not sure that he falls somewhere, you know, I maybe third round, fourth round, Um, you might be looking at value there. But if he goes higher than that, because I do think there's a projection there for him. There wasn't a lot of production. Um as a receiver, you're sort of banking on you being able to get him in your system. But I do think there's a base athleticism there. Yeah, with musk Grave that you know, like Dalton Kincaid, just pure pass catcher um, you know out of Utah, but a lot of production. I mean it's he's a guy who's just learning too. Yeah. Um, So I do think there's some interesting options depending on what you decide. But I think we're all in agreement. It's it's it's Washington because it's what they don't have. Yeah, and that's and that's why I would say I just I would lean more towards the y guys, the guys that maybe you can develop, like you get a Day three guy. I would throw Tucker Craft in there too, from South Dakota State, who I saw I saw go against right, He's got the name I saw him. Unfortunately, knock that my Holy Cross Crusaders out of the FCS playoffs. But another guy, you know, small school guy but has that size, has the potentials, pretty athletics. So see if we can institute the South Dakota State offense. Exactly. I'm glad you mentioned Tucker Craft because that's the guy that'll end up with. Like that's a school that they've picked from already at South Dakota State, and he dominated his level of competition. Like he's exactly like Pierre Strong, Kyle Dugger, Cole Strange, Like those are the types of guys that they've gravitated towards the last couple of years. The only thing I don't like about Musgrave is I just feel like he's a one trick pony. Like I think running the seam is what he does. He does it at a very high level, but I just don't really see him do anything else on film that at an above average rate. So I think you could be any in the NFL. Yeah, I think he's got that has that kind of potential. But again, like I said, just sort of banking on a development there, you like, I can get this guy in my system and he can be this Yeah, yeah, you haven't seen it. He hasn't really done it. So you're sort of banking on potential. Yeah, he's just been hurt. I mean, that's that's the big part with him. So yeah, I'm impressed with him. A couple other you know, little guys I would throw on their Braden Willis was just you know, a special team's jack of all trades, those kind of guys. Seventh round, six round down at the bottom. But I mean, I think we've covered you know, all these guys. I'd be happy with just about any of those names that we mentioned I think could come in. And yeah, this one, we don't have a lot of arguing to do because I think I think the Patriots need a tight end certainly, you know, moving forward, and I think there are three, four or five options that I think any of us would be fine with. So tight end is a position to keep in mind come the end of the month. And that's going to put an end to a marathon draft prospect twelve minutes. You know, I was that was a lot longer than that. I was more of a as I said earlier, Patriots unfiltered esque. So we are not anywhere near close to done though this is just wide receivers and tight ends. We still have a lot of positions on offense before we even get on the other side of the ball, So we're gonna put a wrap on this one for now. Thank you for downloading this podcast, Subscribe on Apple, google Play, and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, please rate and review us. Listener comments and ratings help keep us high on the podcast rankings so new listeners can find us. 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Speaker 1: This is the Draft Prospect Review podcast on Patriots dot Com Radio. Welcome to the NFL Draft. The Draft Prospect Review Podcast is your source for all the latest news and information on the NFL Draft. The New England Patriots like now here to preview the wide receivers and tight ends. The writers of Patriots dot Com time once again for another Draft Prospect Review where we preview absolutely Mike goobt get it. You're starting to get it, So it's a It's another edition, and this one's a big one. This one is a big one because it's hopefully it's fun stuff. Yeah, this is fun stuff to talk about the guys who catch some passes, wide receivers and tight ends. Today, we have a full house here in our studios here at Chilette Stadium. We have Mike Diso, Evan Lazar, and the world famous Mattise Bamban. I'm back Tis who had a lot of hits he did. Some might argue we didn't want those hits, but he had a lot of hits in the twenty twenty two draft, so we decided to bring him down here so we can pick on him again. And I'll just do the Mike Greenberg get out of the way and let these guys talk about stuff facilitation, as they like to say. We'll start with wide receivers. There have been a lot of really solid classes in the draft in recent memory. This probably isn't considered to be a high end one, but there are a lot of good players. Maybe not that stud standout that jumps and everybody says you got to get him in the top ten, but there are a lot of really good players here, and some of them have even visited maybe while we speak, as we're recording this very podcast, one local prospect maybe visiting. And I'm surprised Evan Lazar was able to make it into the studio and not just stock him outside, save Flowers, say Flowers. Everybody's you know, sort of in love with Yeah, you guys, all I think are an agreement that this is a guy that would look good in the Patriots uniform. Absolutely, I'll just say a little bit because I know, having an old t up he loves them. I mean I love them too. I just I think that this is the kind of player that pay Patriots need. And I think the question is just is fourteen worth it at that point? And I mean, Evan, you know, made a good comment on Patriots Unfiltered last week about yes, so no question. I just I've been saying quickness, this is what he has. He's a playmaker in the middle of the field, and I think that that's just a missing element in this offense. Before we get to my gushing and my draft crush of Zay Flowers, I just want to say, from a big picture standpoint, I was just talking to Tease about this about how long are we gonna go without the Patriots having enough weapons on offense? Like every on paper. I think we're going on five years now where we're going into the season saying they just don't have enough on that side of the football. And eventually that trend needs to stop that and I think it only stops by changing up your approach at the top of the draft of waiting to invest in that position. I the fiftieth overall pick and Juju Smith Schuster is not enough. That's not an of an investment, and that brings you two guys like Zay Flowers, who I've talked about extensively. I think the number one thing that you look at with him is that this is a playmaker at all three levels of the offense or the defense, but every way you want to put it. And more importantly, when I watch him on film, he just moves differently than everybody else out there. And that was at the Shrine Bowl too, same thing with NFL talent all around him in Vegas, moving at a different pace. And those are the types of guys that I tend to gravitate towards in general. And you got a guy here that he can take a slant sixty yards to the house, or he can hit you with a double move down the field and go over the top for sixty yards to the house, just as Louisville. You know that he did it multiple ways, multiple times against them last year. And I think that those are the types of guys that translate well into what they want to do. People that can run routes, that have that at extra gear, that extra burst that can create after the catch. He's a tailor made aspect for them, and they'll end up passing on him and breaking my heart. So so t so you are you in on first, not necessarily specifically Flowers, but number fourteen is that worth taking one of these wider? I have two guys I like for fourteen and a short. This is where you learn something that Jordan, Jordan Addison and Za Flowers. I like Za Flowers because he's doing everything you said for those five minutes, but he's doing it on a really bad team, which is what stands out. Addison is just a freak. And my thing with these two guys, so you're taking somebody at fourteen, just take somebody who's good. Like if they take Addison or Flowers and they're a bust, I don't care. You took the bit. You took a whip on the good on the Star. Yeah. We talked a little about that on Patriots on Filter esterday. If you really like a prospect, I think that you should stand tall in that conviction and uh and fall in love with them and take them, you know, don't just say, oh I really like that guy, but not not at that pick, not at that price. Well whatever. Um. I like Addison as well. With with Za Flowers, the thing that that teach you just hit on that really stands out is he's the only thing they have. When you can produce like that, when you're the only thing that really opposing Defenser, it's sort of the opposite of my Alabama thing. Well, you know, as much as I love the talent of the SEC and the Alabama and Georgia guys, I'm always wondering, you know, which one of these guys is the one who lives off the other guys. Yeah, Zay Flowers is all they got. Yeah, and they even had a quarterback this year who had success earlier in his career in Jacovic that just kind of fell off the fell off the map bottom and doing it with a third string guy. Yeah. So I think that Zay Flowers is a pretty safe bet to be a productive player. I don't know what his high end ability is. Um you know, at at five nine ish, he's not the biggest guy, small frame, but I mean the skills are a parent you know. I know, Evan, you also like Jackson Smith and Jigba. Yeah, a similar kind of you know, Smith and Jigba is I think probably the most polished receiver in this class, who has the highest floor. I am confident that Jason by the time his rookie contract is up, is gonna have a hundred catches in the league in the season, right Like, I just know that that guy's going to be able to get open and catch the football. But he doesn't have that electric play speed Dadza Flower springs to the table, but he definitely has that steadiness in the slot where he's just going to be able to get quick separation at the top of the route, catch the football, not have any hitches, are fighting at the top of the route really with his hands, and then go with it for at least another couple extra yards, if not more. You turn on that Rose Bowl against Utah, and it doesn't take long for you to just be like, oh my goodness, this guy just catches everything he gets open all the time. That he had three hundred yards and three touchdowns in that game against Utah. Those are the types of things that just stand out about his game. The angles, the route pacing, the quickness obviously the translated the combine in the three cone, and just the overall smoothness of his game. Just watching him go out there in Indian and run even just against air to in at the Ohio State's Pro day last week, just run routes and watch how crisp and smooth he looks out there. He definitely looks like a very safe bet. I think him and Addison are probably the two safest bets for them in the first round. Zay is more like a fever dream of mine. And plus just a somebody that I think could be a home run pick. But if you're just looking for somebody that is going to come in and do the job and do it well, I would lean towards Addison or JSON for those two things. You know, most of these guys that we've talked about so far kind of similar. You know. They're guys that can play in the slot. They might not be exclusively slot receivers. They probably have some ability, you know, to maybe play outside a little bit. But the one guy who was different in profile is Quinton Johnston. And there's some varying opinions I think on this very podcast on the TCU products. So have at it, you Yeah, I mean, I you know, I'll speak for myself. I just I mean I look at as you know, putting a starting five together, you know, and kind of balancing things. And you know, nothing against Quentin Johnson. I mean, I think that there's a lot of things to like about his game. I just I don't like the long strider and the guys that get down field. Again, Like, I just I feel like they need guys in the middle of the field. I think you've got, you know, some players on the on the team already that you know, maybe not exactly Quenton Johnston, but you know guys that you're looking to make plays with down the field, and you know, whether it's speed, whether it's contested catches with Parker, and you know Thornton's development, So he just doesn't quite fit what I think they need to round out. I'd love to see those other guys, you know, the smaller you know, Addison Smith and Jink. But you know, we'll get into some of the other guys that that I like just as much. They might not have the pull away speed that Zay Flowers has, like that like that burst when you're watching and you could just tell like they have another gear. Um, But I think Johnson's an outside guy and I don't really see it as a total need. Now that said, they've met with him a bunch. We saw him at their pro day. He told Evan at the Combine that they had a great meeting, So there is some smoke there. I don't think you can totally ignore him. But if I had to pick, I'd go more the other direction. Guys that can play in the middle of the field. Yeah, I think the biggest thing that I have with Johnston is that he basically wins on two routes. He ruins on a vertical, and he wins on a comeback, and that's it. And now he's got better feet than Nikil Harry. I know that people have heard me say that it's too much of an overlap with Nikkiel. I think from a size and profile standpoint, there's a lot of overlap there. Six foot three, two hundred and ten pounds, four or five guy in the forty we're not We're talking about a lot of boxes that are the similar checks as any Hill Harry. But I think the biggest thing is with him is that he is more sudden. He's got quicker feet after the catch, like he does have He doesn't run and cement. Okay, Like I don't see that with him. Strips the big legs churning like. It's just he's got a unique style. But it's a vertical receiver that's gonna win at a very simplified route. You're gonna maybe develop him on like a slanter or an under or something like that, hopefully down the line to give him some sort of quick you know, underneath type of route that he can run, but it's that it's a comeback, it's a vertical and I think those types of guys tend to have issues translating in New England because they don't have that full repertoire of routes at their disposal. And the last thing I'll say about him from a vertical standpoint, he doesn't attack the ball in the air, and that bothers me, Like, if you're gonna just let the ball come into your body and you're not going to really go out and use that six foot three frame to go and high point the football when they target you down the field, that's going to be concerning, I think at the NFL level to translate, because he's not necessarily going to just run by everybody all the time. He's gonna wear some coverage and he's gonna have guys on his back and he's gonna have to be able to make those contested catches. Maybe that's something that he can develop. I think that's one thing about his game that is certainly coachable and fixable. But I think that those are some of the concerns that I have. It's just why it's a definition of sanity to keep trying the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Why would you do that again? Why would you go the nikkil Harry, Chad Jackson, Aaron Dobson route again instead of going with one of these quicker inside guys. If you take a guy in the first you need production. And what I really I really want to like Quentin Johnson, boy I hate about him is in the semi final against Michigan, he put up one hundred and sixty three yards and had a touchdown. In the final, he had one catch for three yards. That is unacceptable. That's against Georgia. They're gonna have a bunch of NFL players on defense and you had one catch for three yards. Yeah, the one. I'm much higher on Johnston, probably than Mike and Evan. But the one of the things that really stands out to me is it looks like he's great when he can sort of run free and you know, find zones, find gaps. I don't. I didn't see him get pressed a lot. So some of those things that would worry me about that worried me about Thornton last year, would worry me about Johnston as well. I think he might maybe has a little more versatility to his routes than than Evan does. But I like him, like him, and I don't love him. Where I really differ with you, Mike, is I want to get away from the other thing. The definition of insanity to me is to continue to try to flood the middle of the field in the post Brady era and think it's gonna work like when Brady was here, with all these little, you know, five yard passes that are going to result in fifteen yard games. I want guys that maybe can get down the field and play on the outside. I know they have guys that play on the outside. I don't like any of them, so I want new ones. So that that's where I would sort of differ there. But um, those are sort of the guys that are like first round maybe early second round kind of guys. There is a laundry list of second and third round receivers in this draft. You know, when you go down to Josh Downs a Boote from you know, my Kashawn Booty guy from LSU, who I think is a colossal disappointment. Booty combines you know, Jalen Hyatt, who's one of the guys that that Evan is sort of you know, down on because of you know, because of his lack versus and I sort of agree with you on Hyatt by the way, Um, I want to know your thoughts. We haven't really talked about this guy at all on our Patriots on filtered shows, but uh Rashi Rice from SMU good uh SMU's good wide receiver feeder. It's you know, you know, you don't necessarily think, well, we do you want to get a wide receiver? Sim you They've had some good wide receivers in the league, and I think he could be the next one. You guys, you guys, I was. I was. I was based based on the thumbs down. I see you guys aren't a high on him. Well, I went, great, we finally have disagreement. No, I went through a whole process on him because I really liked him early on when I was you know, watching him at the Senior Bowl, and then as I watched more and more of them that were you know a lot of the boxes that I look for Captain Um. You know, it's like all right, was contested catches, like what's going on? And then I just started to feel like, can this guy get open that was my thing with him. It just started to feel like it's real hard for him to get away from guys um and that's why he fell down my board a little bit. But Josh Downs, you mentioned him, I just got to say, I mean, I think between him, we haven't talked about Jaden Reid. He's a lower round guy too, But those two guys are my favorites in terms of just the toughness, the middle of the field kind of stuff. That what I'm looking for. Those two guys. I think in day two, if you could, I mean, if you could get one of them. You just love five foot nothing guys. Well, I just like guys who can get open quick. They don't have anybody who can get open quick, you know. I mean I think that they have some promise for some downfield people. I mean, I hear what you're saying about flood the field with guys who well they don't have anybody. They have zero guys that can get open right now. So you know, it's great if Tykelon Thornton can beat people down the field or down on Juju Smith Schuster, well, I always sold it that was an upgrade over the guy who ball just a little bit Paul, don't you you're pumping it's too much, not that much of an upgrade, Paul. So that that's you know, that's my feeling. Yeah, you're gonna keep throwing big, tall guys who get down the field. Outside gets down the field. But I don't think he gets he needs some development. I think he has some problems with drops at times. But he's not He's not like that. No, I know, he's not an X No. I know. I was sorry, Yeah, if I didn't mean that. He's not He's not an outside not one he can do though, like where is he going to play? I think that the problem that I have with the Shi Rice is similar to Mike, which is that he bullied people at the collegiate level for his catches, and that ain't gonna work in the league, Like you can't go out there. And when they play the Jets and he's going up against sauce Gardner, he's not bullying sauce Gardener at the catch point for for eight balls for one hundred and twenty yards, right, Like those are things are not going to translate as well to the NFL. Me and Mike's receivers very similarly. I want guys that get open. You want guys that have no talent and hope that Tom Brady, that's ridiculous. Word, No, that's what. We don't have that guy anymore. House saying that we want Zay Flowers and Josh Downs having guys that have no talent. We just want guys that get open. We want guys to create separation. I don't want to live in a in a volume offense that's rely upon contested catches and possession receivers. Like I just don't think that that's a really great just like those safe guys. To me, I don't think this might Maybe Flowers Flowers more so than than Downs, so DWAs has more of a ceiling then Down. Downs to me, is like the mac Jones of receivers. He'll be fine when he gets in the league and five years later he'll be fine because that's what he is. Downs is discounts a Flowers. He brings a lot of the same essumates that's that Za Flowers brings to the table. But I don't think he's quite as electric in the open field as Za is with the football right when he gets the ball in his hands. He doesn't have that that that sixth gear that Zay can and to pull away from the defense. I don't know if we're ready for the Charlie Down Charlie Jones discussion yet. He might be a little bit later than so I want to get some maid two guys. Yeah, because this is where he made his money last year. Well, first of all, I don't get the hate on Jalen Hyatt. My issue is I think he's too similar to Takwon thor just a burner. Oh, I don't hate, but I agree. I agree with Evans sort of one like the most touchdowns in the FBS. Yeah, it's cool. It's because you know, when he's coming off the a scrimmage, they just set a pick for him in a stack or a bunch and he just runs a straight line really fast and similar to that on my guy Rice. I'll i'll sort of shoot down my own argument, and I'll say I do because I think Tennessee there's something with that system. Yeah, that gets and I think SMU has a little of that too, with that spread and from Tennessee in this draft, let me put you that way. Yeah, I don't love the other guy as much Tillman. Tillman was far and away ahead of him heading into this year. Yeah, he's got a much easier translation to the NFL. That's but is so you like hy here's my late guy, Marvin Min's junior from Oklahoma. Yeah, man, marvelous man anywhere. He averaged nineteen points his career, long stride, dangerous feed like. I think that's a perfect Day two pick. Also, with the way Marcus Jones plays everything for us, this guy can return punts too, And I don't know if you want Marcus back there all the time. I like Marvin Mims. That's a that's a good call. If I had to make a short list of guys on Day two that I'd feel comfortable with them targeting, He's up there for me. I think the biggest reason why I like him so much is because he does attack the football down the field, and he's got great, great hands and somebody that if you just pull up a highlight reel if you don't have time to be a nerd like me and watch seventeen games of everybody, Marvin Mims is one of those guys that puts highlight reel catches on film down the field at the catchpoint, like going above the rim and making plays on the football. That doesn't always happen with guys that have his speed and his type of route running vertical route running. A lot of those guys attack the football down the field like he does. I think that that's why I like him so much more, feel more comfortable with him than a guy like Jalen Hyatt, is because you can watch Mims beat a press corner, stack him, and then go up and get the ball down the sideline and make a catch on him, whereas with Jalen Hyatt, I'm just feel like I'm watching a hundred meter you know, like you saying, bolt out there, just running track the whole time, no contact, you know, very little NFL translation. So I think you might hit on that one. Mike. Do you have a late round guy before we move on to tight ends? I mean I mentioned or later around guy. I mean I mentioned Jayden Reid. I just I'm really impressed with him, and he's everything you hate Paul. He's that guy. Um but he's five six, Yeah you know he's not maybe not that short, but but he is that guy. But I just I was really impressed with him at the Senior Bowl, watching him in practices. I thought he really played well. Um, you know, those those two guys are two that I like. Another guy that I'd be curious just to throw out there, maybe for Evan as Tyler Scott, who's a guy kind of I like Tyler Scott. I was going to close out with him some drops here and there. But I kind of found myself writing that a lot you know, two guys, and you know, you sort of read other people's assessments, and sometimes that's dangerous when you don't get a chance to see a guy a lot. You know, like you a drop might not be the same as your drop, you know, but I don't like I don't like them either. But the perfect example was Brandon Merryweather dropped the ball at the end of the Super Bowl forty two. Assante Samuel had a ball go off his hands at the end of Super Bowl forty two. You ask one hundred Patriots fans and they'll tell you Santa Samuel drop the ball and cost them the perfect season. He kind of did. Why Tyler Scott love Tyler Scott for like Pittsburgh, right, Like like a team that develops wide receivers at a high level is going to take a guy like Tyler Scott and he's going to be a star in the league. Tyler Scott's way too raw for the Patriots. The guy that I would mention, Charlie Jones from Purdue is a guy that you just absolutely have to talk about with them. This is outside of JSN the best route runner in the draft. I mean, somebody that just really gets in and out of the break, sinks the hips, gets in and out in three steps efficiently, and you see that on film, that suddenness and that ability to efficiently get through the route break. Nobody runs a better dig than Charlie Jones in this draft. And then he went to the combine and when you watch him on film, he comes off the line with some burst and he can push you vertical a little bit. And I was like, okay, well does he play fast? And like, is this one of those guys that just kind of looks fast on film? But then we get to the combine and he's a four or five five guy. You're in the low four fours. I think he's like four five four four five four four six somewhere around there. So his speed to push vertical, I don't think he's a vertical threat, but He's got that ability to come off the line of scrimmage, push it up the field and then cut right. And that's that's hard to do. To be able to stop quickly and then change directions like he can off a vertical stem is not easy to do. Catches everything throwing his direction a huge production at Purdue last year with Aidan O'Connell. I think he's going to be somebody that is their classic mid round guy that turns into a really good player. And everybody's asking three years from now, how did this guy fall to the fourth round? This is a guy that Paul got in my head on because I'm looking at him and I gotta be honest, like I, like I wrote, as I'm watching him, just doesn't have the shaking bake no matter how much he kind of looks like the part of a day three possession receiver. So like, I don't know what I watched it, but I just was like, he looks like what Paul hates is like yep, they're like to me, just you know, it's like didn't really look dynamic to me initially, and then as Evan said, he ran that, and I'm like, what do I need to? Like? I think but like that profile of what you're talking about, hate is a strong word. I just feel like the Patriots and their fans have decided they want four of them. Yeah, you know, like we can't just have Edelman, we have to have Edelman and Amundole. Like. But that's another thing I like about Charlie Jones. He's five eleven, Like he's not He's not five eight, right, Yeah, I agree. There's a difference between the little munchkins and you know, guys with a little bit more of a of a body time. He's got some size, but when you watch guys, I'm stunts. Mike didn't bring up. So let's let's move to tight ends here, as this is turning into an addition of Patriots unfiltered um. Patriots made a move with Jono Smith. Uh. They were able to trade him. They brought in Mike Kasiki, but only on a one year deal. Uh. Hunter Henry may not be here a long term. This is a position that is widely considered very strong by most of the experts, and probably a position of need. I don't think that they would go, you know, Michael Mayer in the first round or anything like that, but this is a pretty solid draft class at tight end, and I would just I mean, I see I think that you know, there's some high end guys that are maybe more of that move tight end, but there's also some developmental why types that I think could make a lot of sense. So I think that this is one position where I always I never have a problem finding one that I kind of like because there's just so many of them. I'll I'll just throw Darnell Washington out there to start. I mean, he's just a monster. He's huge, and like, I think he's gonna go, you know, in between the Patriots first and second round picks, So I don't really give them a real realistic shop. But I just I don't know how you can run down for Darnell. I don't know how you can watch it, will watch him and not just be blown away by his size and then what he did at the combine with his athleticism couple you know, one handed catches and stuff. He's just a total freak. Just one of those guys that's really fun to watch. When we do these, I have a feel involved. Four of us will feel the say, just think there's a lot of ups there. As a receiver, I think he has the size obviously DeMont blocker right right out of the game, and there's probably some upside he would step in day one and be their best inline blocking tight end, which is something that I think that is getting a little bit overlooked with Hunter Henry and Mike Kiseki being your two top tight ends, is being able to have somebody that can put their hand in the dirt and block, And I think as a rookie, that would be a really nice role for Darnell Washington to be that inline blocking tight end while they really get a little bit more refinement out of him in the passing game and to sort of figure out how to get the most out of him in the passing game because he is such a big target, but he's not necessarily the most sudden or quick athlete in space, so I think you have to use him correctly and figure it out. But I actually have a lot of faith in the guy like Bill O'Brien being able to tap into that potential because he didn't have great production at Georgia right like three hundred yards last year or something like that. But I'm with Mike on this tight end class, I think, and that is they got to come away with one of the these guys, like you could pick out of a hat. Yeah, and I'd be okay with probably pretty much every single name that you pull out. But eventually, but by the end of the fourth round, I want to see one of these guys taken. Hunter Henry's in a contract year, Mike is Sicky signs for one season only, and they really don't have that prototypical in line tight end anyways. I just feel like this is way too deep and way too good of a tight end class to come away with nobody. That's really how I feel. I mean, it was Washington. The guy's a moose. He just reminds me of the later stage ground for his Pat's career, where like, you know he can't catch too much, but he's really just an extra lineman and like you just can't teach size. He reminds me of Gelanni Woods, who from the Colts is like what sometimes a starter number two tight end. That guy sticks out to me. But also Michael Mayer. I mean, he's a first round guy, but he reminds me of Jimmy Graham, like the guy who could play D one basketball. Just slow but looky, just shifty, he just athletic, He's always there. Evan fell in love with him in the combine, but I think you've followed like you're not quite as hot and bothered by him. I just don't feel like in taking a tight end the first round is really the best use of the first round pick. But I think a guy like Mayor I heard a great comparison that I think is really accurate. He's kind of like washed Gronk in the passing game, Like he's not as good as prime Gronk, but like he's one of those guys. Yeah he's gonna he's gonna be in some tight coverage situations, but the dude catches everything and he's a little bit of a matchup problem still even though he's not the fastest in the straight line. And then he can obviously block and he's got some versatility. So I really like Michael Mayer for those reasons. But if i'm gonna go on Day two, which is I think really a great sweet spot for this tight end class because there's just so many to choose from, I'll go two different types of what Sam Laporter from I was just awesome, Like that guy is just a fantastic route runner, really really quick at the top of the route. You know, you can run an angle route, he can run a slant, you can detach him from the formation. He's more of like a move tight end, flex tight end. I think has a little bit of comparable attributes to a former tight end that we don't necessarily say his name around here, but he's somebody the Yeah, he's somebody that has that type of quickness and ability to run with the football. Really really impressed with him. Another one of those guys you know you mentioned was a Flowers that there really wasn't much else in that offense. He was kind of the iowa's entire passing offense last year and basically carried them a bad offense to albeit, but carried them nonetheless. And I think if you're gonna go for more of that inline blocking tight end, I really like Schoonmaker from Michigan. I think that he's got some untapped potential in the passing game as well. Definitely one of the better blockers in this class. But you look at that forty time and then you watch him just burst off the line of scrimmage. You you hit play action, you get those linebackers stepping up and he just runs across a field behind them. He's got some real burst and acceleration coming out of his stance off the line of Scrimmage and Koons. Yeah Coons, Zach Coons is one of one in terms of athleticism, the most athletic tight end that has ever got to the NFL combine. I mean, that's that's wild. Did this think about that? And he's more like Mike KASICKI to me than a peer, you know, inline guy. But when you have that kind of athleticism and that kind of film, even at that level, it old dominion. I still think you have to take notice Douce any of these guys. Uh, yeah, I totally agree on Schoonmaker. Um, I would just throw in Latsu from Alabama is another one. Get Yeah, I mean that's you can't ignore those guys. And I throw Luke Musgrave in there too. I know Evan isn't as high on him as I am. Maybe, um he's more of the move guy, but he's just so athletic. I think there's some potential. Yeah, I like him more than Evan. Two. I don't know if he's having you use like the word the sweet spot, like I'm not sure that he falls somewhere, you know, I maybe third round, fourth round, Um, you might be looking at value there. But if he goes higher than that, because I do think there's a projection there for him. There wasn't a lot of production. Um as a receiver, you're sort of banking on you being able to get him in your system. But I do think there's a base athleticism there. Yeah, with musk Grave that you know, like Dalton Kincaid, just pure pass catcher um, you know out of Utah, but a lot of production. I mean it's he's a guy who's just learning too. Yeah. Um, So I do think there's some interesting options depending on what you decide. But I think we're all in agreement. It's it's it's Washington because it's what they don't have. Yeah, and that's and that's why I would say I just I would lean more towards the y guys, the guys that maybe you can develop, like you get a Day three guy. I would throw Tucker Craft in there too, from South Dakota State, who I saw I saw go against right, He's got the name I saw him. Unfortunately, knock that my Holy Cross Crusaders out of the FCS playoffs. But another guy, you know, small school guy but has that size, has the potentials, pretty athletics. So see if we can institute the South Dakota State offense. Exactly. I'm glad you mentioned Tucker Craft because that's the guy that'll end up with. Like that's a school that they've picked from already at South Dakota State, and he dominated his level of competition. Like he's exactly like Pierre Strong, Kyle Dugger, Cole Strange, Like those are the types of guys that they've gravitated towards the last couple of years. The only thing I don't like about Musgrave is I just feel like he's a one trick pony. Like I think running the seam is what he does. He does it at a very high level, but I just don't really see him do anything else on film that at an above average rate. So I think you could be any in the NFL. Yeah, I think he's got that has that kind of potential. But again, like I said, just sort of banking on a development there, you like, I can get this guy in my system and he can be this Yeah, yeah, you haven't seen it. He hasn't really done it. So you're sort of banking on potential. Yeah, he's just been hurt. I mean, that's that's the big part with him. So yeah, I'm impressed with him. A couple other you know, little guys I would throw on their Braden Willis was just you know, a special team's jack of all trades, those kind of guys. Seventh round, six round down at the bottom. But I mean, I think we've covered you know, all these guys. I'd be happy with just about any of those names that we mentioned I think could come in. And yeah, this one, we don't have a lot of arguing to do because I think I think the Patriots need a tight end certainly, you know, moving forward, and I think there are three, four or five options that I think any of us would be fine with. So tight end is a position to keep in mind come the end of the month. And that's going to put an end to a marathon draft prospect twelve minutes. You know, I was that was a lot longer than that. I was more of a as I said earlier, Patriots unfiltered esque. So we are not anywhere near close to done though this is just wide receivers and tight ends. We still have a lot of positions on offense before we even get on the other side of the ball, So we're gonna put a wrap on this one for now. Thank you for downloading this podcast, Subscribe on Apple, google Play, and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, please rate and review us. Listener comments and ratings help keep us high on the podcast rankings so new listeners can find us. 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