Welcome to the Patriots Prospect Preview, the one place to search out faculty soccer prospects price protecting your Patriots-happy eye on all through the season. Let’s soar into Week 11.
If there’s one enjoyable factor about prognostication the Patriots throughout draft season, it’s that they’ve a kind.
The truth is, they’ve multiples sorts.
New England has adopted various totally different tendencies through the years, serving to prognosticators like ourselves get an thought of what its pondering on a year-in, year-out foundation. Additionally they try this factor the place they draft Cole Unusual with the No. 29 decide, however we’re not speaking about that. On this sequence we’ve talked quite a bit about want, matching the Patriots up with some prime prospects at premium positions.
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On this installment, nevertheless, we’ll give attention to those that match related standards of previous Patriots picks.
J.J. McCarthy (#9), QB, Michigan
Week 11: at Penn State (12 p.m. ET on FOX)
The Patriots have drafted extra gamers out of The College of Michigan (9) than some other program since 2000, and it is smart contemplating the person who kicked off that streak’s title is Tom Brady.
The Wolverines’ present quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, simply so occurs to be one of many prime prospects on the place within the upcoming draft and could possibly be the right choice if New England decides to slip again into the center of the primary spherical. He’s a polarizing prospect, who has been given an identical “recreation supervisor” label that Mac Jones obtained popping out of faculty, however his athleticism and playmaking capacity isn’t any joke. This can be a participant who, with some seasoning, may develop right into a reliable beginning quarterback.
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He’ll have his work reduce out for him this week, as Michigan is at the moment underneath investigation for a sign-stealing scandal that may see Jim Harbaugh get suspended earlier than the sport. It’ll additionally come on the highway in opposition to Penn State. McCarthy will likely be definitely worth the watch this week.
Cooper DeJean (#3), CB, Iowa
Week 11: vs. Rutgers (3:30 p.m. ET on BTN)
We’d wish to rapidly current a spotlight of Cooper DeJean.
Does that remind you of anybody?
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We might have excepted both Julian Edelman or Marcus Jones, as versatility is the secret on the subject of all three gamers. DeJean is a cornerback first, and he’s a rattling good one, permitting zero touchdowns in protection all season on a protection that’s ranked second in scoring protection. The Iowa offense, which is ranked 121st in scoring, has used DeJean for a lift after seeing what he does as a punt returner. He does all the things for the Hawkeyes, which can impress almost each evaluator within the draft, together with Invoice Belichick.
Isaiah Adams (#78), IOL, Illinois
Week 11: vs. Indiana (12 p.m. ET on BTN)
Isaiah Adams isn’t precisely some of the highly-touted prospects you’ll see within the upcoming draft, however neither had been Sidy Sow or Atonio Mafi. The Patriots don’t care what folks take into consideration inside offensive lineman, they only need huge boys with expertise.
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Adams has made 22 begins for the Illini, all throughout the final two seasons after transferring from Backyard Metropolis Group Faculty. He’s 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 320 kilos, the identical listed measurement as Sow. He’s additionally obtained versatility, making begins in any respect 4 offensive line positions besides heart, similar to Mafi, who additionally performed protection at UCLA.
Chris Braswell (#41), LB, Alabama
Week 11: at Kentucky (12 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Dont’a Hightower, Anfernee Jennings and Xzavier Dickson (bear in mind him?) have all performed linebacker at Alabama underneath Nick Saban earlier than making the soar to enjoying for Invoice Belichick.
The three gamers talked about above all performed on the sting for Alabama, which is what Braswell does. He’s racked up 9.0 sacks, 14.0 tackles for loss, two pressured fumbles and an interception within the final two seasons, changing into a pacesetter on the vaunted Crimson Tide protection.
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Braswell may very effectively be subsequent.