6 Combine Studs New England Patriots Must Have on Their Short List

Once the exclusive realm of front office personnel, the NFL Scouting Combine has become a bizarrely hyped national event.  It's hard to understand the aesthetic appeal of watching collegiate prospects conduct workouts that don't always mirror the game situations they'll face, but today's 24/7/365 nature of the NFL has made every event significant in the public eye.

Though drawing too much from the combine results would be folly, the New England Patriots have prioritized certain results (like the agility-based three-cone drill) in the past.  Moreover, the numbers can confirm what pops out on film, though the interview process, arguably the most valuable aspect of the combine, is unfortunately hidden from public view.

Workouts are still ongoing over the next three days, but the first wave passed on Friday with the special teamers, offensive linemen and tight ends.  The Patriots could target the last two positions in the draft, so with that in mind, let's highlight the combine performances of a few players from that group who could become realistic draft targets for New England come April.

6. Ali Marpet, C, Hobart & William Smith

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Among Friday's workout group, no player did more to put himself on the map than small-school lineman Ali Marpet.  As the rare Division III player to receive a combine invite, he will always face questions about level of competition throughout the predraft process.  Nevertheless, after establishing himself as one of the draft's top athletes, it's impossible to ignore the prospect from the tiny upstate New York college.

Marpet ran the fastest 40-yard dash time among all offensive linemen (4.98 seconds) while also standing out in both the 20-yard shuttle (4.47 seconds) and three-cone drill (7.33 seconds).  At 6'4" and 307 pounds, he also possesses the rare combination of size and quickness needed to play at the next level, though he won't stick at tackle, where he played in college. 

Coupled with a strong Senior Bowl showing, Marpet is cementing himself as a potential Day 2 selection:

"

After the Senior Bowl, I gave #Hobart OG Ali Marpet a top-100 grade. So far at the NFL Combine, he's only cementing that projection for me

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 20, 2015"

From a Patriots perspective, the question would be Marpet's viability at guard.  Bryan Stork is entrenched in the middle after a strong rookie campaign, while right guard Ryan Wendell possesses starting center experience and filled in for Stork when he was injured in 2014.  Any developmental interior prospect the Pats select must have the versatility to play all three spots along the interior.

But New England was already ahead of the curve in meeting with Marpet, a player who will no longer be under the radar come draft time.  The Pats have traditionally turned to the middle rounds for line prospects (with Stork being the most recent example), so don't be surprised to hear Marpet's name resurface.

5. Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama

G.M. Andrews/Associated Press

The Patriots had success with one small-school Alabama rookie last season and could dip back into the well for South Alabama's Wes Saxton.  One of the highest-ceiling developmental tight ends in the draft, he raised his stock considerably with a standout combine showing that highlighted his receiver-like athleticism.

Saxton's 4.65 40 time was the second-fastest at the position, and he also illustrated his explosiveness with top performances in the broad jump (119 inches) and vertical jump (36 inches).  In terms of pure measurables, he compares favorably to a highly regarded tight end from last year's class:

"

Player Comparison: Wes Saxton (@Juice_Supreme) & Eric Ebron (@Ebron85) pic.twitter.com/VFjuEPYP56

— Tyler Ma (@Tyler_Ma) February 20, 2015"

In many ways, Saxton is a similar player to Devin Funchess, a more heralded prospect whom some have linked to New England.  Neither player has the requisite size, toughness or blocking to become a long-term in-line "Y' tight end, but both have the route-running polish and hands to become a legitimate red-zone threat right away.

The Patriots' focus on tight end largely depends on their faith in Tim Wright, who will have a full offseason in the program for the first time.  Depending on Wright's progress, Saxton could become a high-upside project in the middle rounds.

4. Jarvis Harrison, OG, Texas A&M

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Cedric Ogbuehi may be Texas A&M's most hyped draft prospect, but when he struggled in the transition to left tackle last season, coach Kevin Sumlin turned to Jarvis Harrison to fill the void.  Harrison won't be a tackle prospect in the NFL like his teammate, but there's a strong chance that he could make a more immediate 2015 impact.

The 6'4", 330-pound Harrison possesses the size to become an absolute mauler, but ironically enough, his foot speed and angle awareness stand out as his greatest assets at the moment.  Unlike most players of his size, he is actually a polished interior pass protector, a skill set that would address New England's greatest offensive weakness. 

In the three-cone drill, something the Pats have famously emphasized, Harrison's 7.51-second time was the fourth-best among linemen.

At the same time, however, Harrison is not exactly a self-motivated player, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein's scouting report.  The Pats have willingly taken chances on prospects with character issues, such as Alfonzo Dennard and Ryan Mallett, but all of those question marks have entailed off-field concerns rather than football motivation.

Still, most of Harrison's on-field flaws are correctable, such as his inconsistent bend and finish, much of which stem from weight management issues.  There are enough red flags that he will probably drop to Day 2, and the impression he makes on teams will be crucial (for what it's worth, the Pats didn't interview him at the combine). 

This could be a case where an outside observer's film observations will never align with a team's internal evaluations, but Harrison remains a tantalizing prospect who's hard to ignore.

3. Clive Walford, TE, Miami (FL)

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

In a relatively weak tight end class, Clive Walford's versatility may be enough to vault him into the second round.  Though he lacks elite physical tools and is still unpolished as a route-runner, he answered plenty of questions about his physical ceiling with a strong combine performance.

Among tight ends, Walford's 4.79-second 40 time was fourth-best, while he ranked fourth and second in the vertical jump and broad jump, respectively.  For someone whose current strength is blocking, those better-than-expected results highlight his upside as a receiver, leading some scouts to see Walford as a prospect who could turn into the best all-around tight end of this class:

"

Clive Walford scouting report: Size/speed combo you want in seam-stretching TE. Good athletically. Hands are fine.Refined blocker. Complete

— Chris Trapasso (@ChrisTrapasso) February 20, 2015"

The Patriots have traditionally leaned toward tight ends with more complete skill sets in their draft evaluations, so while selecting a high-upside move tight end might be sexier, that would go against New England's modus operandi.  Pairing another all-around tight end next to Rob Gronkowski would make the Pats' "12" personnel a truly impossible matchup, allowing them to dictate to whatever personnel grouping the defense rolls out.

To be sure, Walford is unlikely to make a serious impact in 2015, as he is still too raw a receiver and had an alarming number of concentration drops last season.  Nevertheless, he could also have the biggest payoff, especially when considering how the Patriots could pair him with Gronkowski.

2. Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Splurging on the draft's consensus top-rated tight end might seem like overkill.  However, if the Patriots seriously consider altering their base offensive personnel, Minnesota's Maxx Williams would most expedite the switch back to a two-tight end philosophy.

Much like the aforementioned Wes Saxton, the 6'4", 249-pound Williams has received comparisons to Eric Ebron in terms of physical dimensions.  Much like Ebron, Williams possesses a high ceiling as a receiver because of his athleticism, despite playing in a relatively limited Gophers offense. 

Bleacher Report's Ian Wharton believes that, despite his rawness, the 21-year-old exhibits some auspicious receiving instincts:

"

Without a doubt, just minutes of examining his receiving ability show he is a tremendous athlete. He is the type of athlete who changes how an offense designs routes to help get him into space so he can create after the catch.

His elite body control and advanced feel of where he is on the field help make impossible catches a reality. By pulling in overthrows and inaccurate passes, any quarterback will love Williams’ ability to make bad throws work out.

"

Drafting Williams would be out of character for Bill Belichick, who might not want to wait for the Minnesota product to develop his blocking skills.  Moreover, the Denver Broncos or Seattle Seahawks have a greater need for Williams' receiving skills and could snag him before the Pats pick.

Ultimately, though, no other rookie tight end could more drastically alter the complexion of New England's passing game.  That alone makes Williams a prospect to keep tabs on, more so than other receiving tight end prospect.

1. A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina

USA TODAY Sports

The Pats don't often start rookies, but based on positional need and potential availability, A.J. Cann is one of the likeliest candidates to buck that trend this year.  The South Carolina product is one of the top-rated players in a weak guard class, offering immediate starter potential on the left side.

At 6'3" and 313 pounds, Cann possesses nice balance in his frame, consistently exhibiting powerful lower-body drive and the upper-body strength to engage with his hands.  A four-year starter at Columbia, he appears to be moving up boards as scouts grasp this talented yet raw class of offensive linemen:

"

My opinion of South Carolina OG AJ Cann improves w/ every game I watch - all about consistency w/ leverage, base & control with him.

— Josh Liskiewitz (@JoshLiskiewitz) February 4, 2015"

Cann didn't show much at Indianapolis, participating only in the bench press (where he lifted 225 pounds 26 times, tied for 13th at the position).  Most of his issues are technique-related, however, as he tends to bend at the waist instead of reshuffling his feet, particularly if he gets off the snap slowly.  Still, his lateral movement skills are adequate; coupled with strong drive-blocking, Cann should fit into any blocking scheme.

The ex-Gamecock still needs to refine his short-set technique to become a reliable pass protector, much like Stork last season.  However, also like Stork, Cann could stabilize the interior line, which distinguishes him as an enticing Day 1 possibility.

*All measurables and combine results via NFL.com.