Deep Sleepers New England Patriots Should Target in 2017 NFL Draft
The New England Patriots are a franchise known for turning middle- and late-round draft picks into stars. Quarterback Tom Brady is the obvious example, but also consider that Julian Edelman was a seventh-round pick, Trey Flowers was a fourth-round pick and Malcolm Butler wasn't even drafted.
Yes, the Patriots seem to take the selection of sleepers more seriously than perhaps any other team.
They don't just throw them into training camp with long shots at making the team. New England seems to treat their late-round picks just like any other player on the roster—and if some of them rise to the top, they get their opportunities.
Seeing as how the Patriots don't select before the third round in this year's draft, deep sleepers will be as important as ever.
The Patriots still have seven picks in the draft—at least unless/until they secure restricted free agent Mike Gillislee—and they're going to try to make each one count.
With this in mind, let's look at some deep sleepers in the 2017 draft who are worth New England's attention.
Josh Carraway, OLB, TCU
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We're going to have a couple edge-rushers on this list because it is perhaps the biggest need for the Patriots heading into 2017. The team was rated just 24th in pass rush a year ago by Pro Football Focus and has since parted ways with both Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard.
TCU product Josh Carraway is a guy the Patriots should target later in the draft. Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller grades him as a sixth-round pick, but I believe he could go slightly higher because of his pass-rush potential.
Carraway is a 6'3", 242-pound linebacker who amassed 22.5 TFLs and 17 sacks over his last two seasons. While he isn't the quickest of prospects (he ran a 4.74-second 40 at the combine), he has shown the ability to get to the quarterback. Pro Football Focus (PFF College) rated him as one of the top 200 edge-defenders in college last season.
It might take a little time for the Patriots to develop Carraway—and he'd probably be a situational edge-rusher at his best—but if he could add at all to New England's pass rush, he'd be worth a mid-round pick.
Jack Tocho, CB, North Carolina State
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Given the uncertainty surrounding Malcolm Butler's future, it would make sense for the Patriots to start adding some fresh young cornerbacks—as if it ever hurts to have too many of them. North Carolina State's Jack Tocho is the type of physical press corner the Patriots could want to develop.
At 6'0" and 202 pounds, Tocho has the size to battle bigger receivers on the field. He has adequate speed for the position—he ran a 4.54-second 40 at the combine—but not enough quickness to make him a coveted prospect.
Matt Miller grades him as a seventh-round pick, citing a lack of ball skills as a primary reason.
While Tocho might not be fast enough to match up with elite receivers, he could be a nice rotational player to battle possession guys in sub-packages. Given his size, he could also be a commodity on special teams—and the Patriots might value special teams more than any franchise in the league.
De'Veon Smith, RB, Michigan
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According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Patriots recently signed Buffalo Bills restricted free agent Mike Gillislee to an offer sheet worth $6.4 million over two years. If the Patriots land the 26-year-old, they'll probably be out of the market for a running back.
However, the Gillislee signing is far from a done deal—the Bills can still match—and even with him, the Patriots may want a true bruiser for short-yardage situations. This is where Michigan's De'Veon Smith comes into play.
Smith is a stout 5'11", 223-pound back who does most of his damage between the tackles. He averaged 4.18 yards per carry last year with the Wolverines and scored six rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 753 yards in total and added 159 yards receiving.
It's unlikely that Smith would be anything more than an inside power back for the Patriots, but he could help fill that battering-ram role vacated by LeGarrette Blount. It likely wouldn't cost New England much to at least bring him in for an extended look.
CBSSports.com and NFL Draft Scout rate Smith as a seventh-round selection at best.
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Bryan Cox, DE, Florida
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Former Florida defensive end Bryan Cox is a defender who could fit New England's defensive system perfectly. He has the size at 6'3" and 265 pounds to be an end in the Patriots 4-3 base, and he does possess some pass-rush potential.
Cox never fully realized that potential in college, though, in part due to injuries. Over the past two seasons, he only had 4.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for a loss. However, he could have some success rushing the passer from the defensive interior.
"While he lacks the athletic traits and talent to become an effective pass-rusher as a defensive end, his first step and rush skills could open a door for him as an interior rusher on third downs," NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote of Cox.
From a size-strength standpoint, Cox appears to have the tools to be a functional rotational piece on New England's defensive line. In time—and if he stays healthy—he might even be able to push for a starting role.
Matt Miller grades Cox as a sixth-round pick.
Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar
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New England is a franchise that tends to care a lot more about a player's football future than his football past. This is why Lamar's Brendan Langley is the perfect sleeper prospect for the Patriots. Sure, he played at a small school and is a raw prospect, but his attributes are outstanding.
The 6'0", 201-pound defensive back ran an impressive 4.43-second 40 at the combine, while producing 22 reps on the 225-pound bench press. He has the size, speed and strength to eventually be a regular contributor in New England's defense.
At minimum, he could be a special teams demon for his first couple of years.
"Langley is a raw athlete who needs development, but teams will be excited about his potential given his size, his speed and his movement ability," Matt Miller wrote. "What might be most encouraging is that Langley showed improvement every day at the Senior Bowl."
Miller grades Langley as a sixth-round pick.
The Patriots already know they can turn a small-school project into an NFL star—Malcolm Butler came from West Alabama. They should be excited to work with a guy like Langley.
Nate Gerry, S, Nebraska
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I've spoken plenty over the past couple weeks of the declining play we saw from safety Patrick Chung in 2016. While I don't think it's time to turn the page on him completely, I do think New England should at least bring in some competition at the strong safety spot.
If the team wants to wait until the end of the draft to do this, Nebraska's Nate Gerry might be the perfect candidate. He's a stout 6'2", 218-pound defensive back with the vision and the physicality to thrive in the box.
The problem with Gerry is his lack of top-end speed. He ran the 40 at the combine in 4.58 seconds. This means he's best suited to match up against tight ends and possession receivers when in coverage. However, he could be even more valuable as a box safety against the run—or that trendy new moneybacker position—and on special teams.
Matt Miller grades Gerry as a sixth-round prospect, touting his "pre-snap IQ and incredible effort" as positive traits.
My guess is that Gerry could wow on special teams early in his career and eventually develop into a regular contributor in the secondary.
Garrett Sickels, DE, Penn State
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Penn State product Garrett Sickels is another pass-rushing prospect the Patriots should consider late in the draft. While he never had elite production in college—9.0 sacks and 18.0 tackles for a loss over the last two years—he is a high-motor player with the size needed for the NFL.
Matt Miller grades the 6'3", 261-pound end as a sixth-round prospect and had the following to say:
"He's a great worker with a big motor that revs all game long. Sickels has the instincts and awareness of an NFL player. He plays with the balance and agility you want and is quick to locate the ball on the go. Sickels gets into the backfield with noticeable frequency. He is a natural 4-3 defensive end coming out of the Penn State scheme but could stand up as a 3-4 outside linebacker depending on the scheme.
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The first reason the Patriots should want to work with the 22-year-old is the high motor. The Patriots want players who love the game and who are going to play it with high intensity; Sickels appears to be that kind of player.
The second reason is that Sickels could have the versatility to play both end and linebacker. Since New England frequently throws different defensive looks on to the field, this could make him a natural fit for the defense.
Sickels may never develop into a dominant edge-rusher, but he might be a 5.0-sack guy like Sheard was a season ago.
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