2011 NFL Draft: Analysis of the New England Patriots Private Workouts, Pt. 4
The whirlwind of private workouts being held by the New England Patriots is coming so fast, it's easy to miss a few prospects along the way. That's exactly what happened. Oops.
I do apologize for missing some along the way, but with how secretive the Patriots are about their draft strategy, it's not surprising that a couple went unnoticed.
Those guys deserve our attention, too.
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Jake Locker, QB Washington
1 of 9
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 231 pounds
Are the Patriots getting ready to groom the next Tom Brady? Probably not. I would call this more of a value-creating work-out than a future-seeking work-out.
There will be plenty of teams looking to trade into the back end of the first round or possibly the front of the second round. The Patriots have picks in both spots, holding the 28th and 33rd overall selections. Holding this work-out could just be a ploy to attach a name to those picks, and to get teams thinking about whether they should trade into one of those spots to target Locker.
He doesn't have the skill set that the Patriots like to have in their quarterbacks. He's not a quick decision-maker, and doesn't do his best work from the pocket. He's not very accurate with his throws, either. Tom Brady still has three years left on his extension; something tells me the Patriots won't look for his replacement so soon.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 1, pick 28 or round 2, pick 33
Greg McElroy, QB Alabama
2 of 9
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220 pounds
The Crimson Tide connection between Bill Belichick and Nick Saban is well-chronicled, and needs no explanation. The two worked together, therefore Belichick trusts Saban's opinions.
The Patriots have loved their late round quarterback prospects ever since Belichick came to town (see Brady, Tom; Cassel, Matt; Hoyer, Brian). McElroy would give Belichick a low-risk, high-reward quarterback prospect to groom.
Of course, Brady has three years left on his contract, so it may be too soon to look for his replacement. However, McElroy has the right skill set to translate as a Patriots quarterback. He has experience in a pro style offense, makes solid reads, and is a pocket quarterback.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 5, pick 159
Jeremy Kerley, WR Texas Christian
3 of 9
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 192 pounds
Will Jeremy Kerley be able to run a more complete route tree in the NFL? This is a question the Patriots probably looked to find the answer to in holding this private workout. Kerley certainly didn't run very many routes at TCU, mostly screen patterns and short stuff over the middle.
Still, he showed sure hands, competitive spirit and a team-first attitude that will likely make him a solid pick in the eyes of Bill Belichick. The main questions are, as mentioned above, whether he can run an NFL-sized route tree and whether he can adjust to the different NFL defenses he'll face every week.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 5, pick 159
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Tyron Smith, OT USC
4 of 9
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 307 pounds
With Matt Light a free agent and a soon-to-be 33-year-old, the Patriots may need to start looking to the future at offensive tackle. Smith is certainly a good prospect in that regard. He looks like he'll need time to develop into an NFL tackle, and he'll have a whole year as a rotational player in the Patriots offensive line to learn the system and get acclimated to the NFL.
It's a 1-A and 1-B situation with him and Anthony Castonzo as to who is the higher-rated offensive tackle, but I think everyone can agree that Smith's upside is way higher than Castonzo.
Making the jump from a 290-pound offensive tackle to a 307-pounder was tremendous for Smith's stock, but many still wonder whether he has the requisite toughness and mauler mentality to be a success in the NFL. Still, his athleticism and upside would make him a great prospect for Dante Scarnecchia to mold into the franchise tackle of the future.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 1, pick 17 or maybe trade up
Nate Solder, OT Colorado
5 of 9
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 315 pounds
As with Smith, the upside of drafting a guy like Solder is that he'll need a year to develop into a full-time NFL starter, and he'll probably have that time as long as Matt Light sticks around for another year.
The downside, however, is that he's very rough around the edges. Of course, that's never been a problem for Scarnecchia in the past, but many question if he can ever be entrusted to the left tackle spot in the NFL. His physicality makes him a better right tackle for his ability to run block.
Still, he has great upside in terms of his athleticism. Considering his solid work ethic and football intelligence, Solder has "Patriot" written all over him.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 1, pick 28
Tim Barnes, C Missouri
6 of 9
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 310 pounds
The Patriots are no strangers to drafting offensive linemen in late rounds. They could do so again this year as they have already scouted several.
Barnes is an athletic center, albeit a bit rough around the edges. Still, he appears to have the instincts necessary to make the right calls in protection. According to ESPN's Scouts, Inc. he reacts quickly to moves on the defensive line and can locate blitzers coming from the second and third levels.
With coaching from Scarnecchia, he has enough upside to eventually be a starter for the Patriots whenever center Dan Koppen departs. With a contract that expires after 2012, that could be sooner than later.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 4, pick 125
Mike Pouncey, OG/C Florida
7 of 9
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 310 pounds
Is his stock rising because of his talent or because of his name? That's the big question around Pouncey right now. He, however, is fully confident in himself. He has gone so far as to project himself as a top 10 pick, going to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 9.
That attitude may have him fall out of favor quickly with Bill Belichick, who likes his men humble.
If the Patriots were to target him, though, it would be to address the need on the interior of the offensive line. He has played both guard and center at Florida, though some question whether he could play center in the NFL. His ability to read blitzes and make the right calls in protection is lacking a bit. That might be the most important trait for a center moving forward as long as Rex Ryan is a division rival coach.
Once considered a second or third round prospect, there's a pretty high chance someone will reach on Pouncey at this point. If the Patriots draft him, however, you can bet it's not a reach.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 1, pick 17 or 28 or round 2, pick 33
Da'Quan Bowers, DE Clemson
8 of 9
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 280 pounds
If you asked Patriots fans, many of them would tell you that the Patriots' biggest needs resembles the five best rappers of all time according to Dylan: Pass rusher, pass rusher, pass rusher, pass rusher and pass rusher. In terms of that need, Da'Quan Bowers looks like one of the best prospects in the draft.
The only problem with that is that while Bowers had a stellar 15.5-sack season last year, he only had four sacks before that. In what was essentially a "contract year" for Bowers, that could cause some teams to be cautious.
Once considered a top five prospect, Bowers has seen his stock take a huge hit recently. Questions about his durability after knee surgery have many teams looking other directions.
In evaluating Bowers, 4-3 teams have it easy because those are the only two real questions. 3-4 teams like the Patriots, however, must also ask where he fits. Is he a small defensive end, or a big outside linebacker? Does he have the athleticism to drop into coverage?
Consider this workout due diligence. Don't be surprised if the Patriots pass on Bowers, if he even falls that far.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 1, pick 17
Greg Romeus, DE/OLB Pittsburgh
9 of 9
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 264 pounds
If those measurements don't scream Patriots 3-4 outside linebacker, maybe you've been living under a rock for the past 11 or so years. Still, he's not a perfect fit for the system. There are questions about his limitations in space. Although he dropped into coverage a little at Pittsburgh, he wasn't asked to do so frequently as he might be in New England.
He's not a great stack-and-shed linebacker in terms of his ability to get off blocks, but he has great initial burst and a solid bull rush that should help him keep blockers at bay. He'll need to develop some moves to get off those blocks, but has the frame to suggest that the potential is there for him to improve.
What's keeping him so low, however, are several injuries that debilitated him in his senior year. Still, if he clears medically, he would be worth a late-round pick.
Where the Patriots could get him: Round 4, pick 125 or round 5, pick 159
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