I dropped my Top-50 Patriots big board earlier this week and now here’s a chance for contributor Cody LaChance (@HailtotheHoodie) to pick his 50 guys.
1.) Malcom Brown* – DT – Texas – Wasn’t going to have him on the list, but Matt Patricia attending Texas’s Pro Day just makes this too enticing. Could be an immediate fill for the hole left by Wilfork. Could become anchor of DL for years to come.
2.) Cameron Erving* – C/G – FSU – Since Stork played so well in his first season, have to think Patriots will be interested in going back to the FSU OL well. Erving could be an instant starter at G, and interior OL is now a must more than ever with Suh going to Miami.
3.) Kevin Johnson – CB – Wake Forest – Johnson is not a flashy athletic phenom, but is reportedly one of the most “pro-ready” CBs in this year’s draft. The Patriots could definitely use a player of that caliber and could be a good value pick in round two.
4.) Byron Jones* – CB – UConn – Belichick loves athletic players and has turned another ex-combine star into an NFL stud in Jamie Collins. Jones is extremely raw in technique and would need time to learn the Patriots system before being thrust into it.
5.) Jordan Phillips* – DT- Oklahoma – Jordan Phillips has a massive frame measuring in at 6’5" and 329 pounds which could help fill the equally sized hole left by Vince Wilfork. Phillips could have great value in the second round as an instant starter for the Patriots in 2015.
6.) Owamagbe Odighizuwa* – DE – UCLA – Besides having the coolest name in this draft class, Owa is a phenomenal edge rushing talent who should thrive off his great combine numbers. His mix of size, speed, and athleticism would be a great addition to the Patriots as DE could be an area to add depth with Chandler Jones reaching the end of his contract next season.
7.) Ronald Darby- CB – FSU – Belichick might want to expand on his FSU well and go with Darby for a CB who could come in and produce in year one. With protoypical size at the position, he could instantly help fill the whole left by Revis.
8.) Arik Armstead – DT – Oregon – Brother of ex-Patriot Armon Armstead, Arik is a talented DL with a massive frame (6’8" 280 lbs). While he was prone of going invisible in college, his potential is there as a unique mixture of size and skill. With the right coaching, could become a phenomenal DL in the NFL.
9.) AJ Cann* – G – South Carolina – Cann fits all the intangibles that the Patriots love. Solid player and a leader. There are concerns if he has the versatility in blocking to thrive in NE scheme, but still could be an instant plug and play guy.
10.) Jalen Collins – CB – LSU – I really dislike having to put CB near the top of the list for draft needs, but that’s where the Patriots are at. Collins is a raw prospect, but has the athletic traits of a future star CB in the league. Sounds like another Collins the Patriots have drafted in recent drafts…
11.) Jake Fisher – T – Oregon – Although Fisher projects to be a tackle, he could be transitioned to playing guard due to his high football IQ and great hand placement. Belichick loves versatitlity, and having an offensive linemen that could play multiple positions is always a plus.
12.) Eli Harold – LB – Virginia – Harold could be a potential Jamie Collins 2.0 as he is an extremely athletic edge rusher. Might fit a 3-4 better than a 4-3, but is athletic enough to make an impact in any scheme.
13.) Laken Tomlinson – G – Duke – See a trend with interior OL here? Tomlinson has had talks with New England and could be available at the end of the first or second round.
14.) Ali Marpet- G- Hobart – Leave it to Belichick and the Patriots to draft Marpet. The overachiever from Division III school Hobart would continue Belichick’s tradition of drafting head scratchers early on. He does fill a position of need which only adds to the Patriots potentially drafting him.
15.) Carl Davis – DT – Iowa – Another big DT that could help replace Wilfork. Needs to work on being more consistent, but talent is there.
16.) Ameer Abdullah – RB – Nebraska – While Abdullah has some fumble issues, he looks like one of the most explosive RBs in this draft class. He is an all-purpose back that can play on all three downs.
17.) Danielle Hunter* – DE – LSU – Hunter has the size, speed, and length that Nick Caserio loves in one of his latest interviews this offseason. Has measureables similar to Chandler Jones (6’6" 240 pounds) but a 4.57 40 time shows he has the speed to get to the QB. A combo of him, Chandler, and Easley could be a VERY scary pass rushing trio.
18.) Eddie Goldman – DT – FSU – A prototypical run-stopping 3-4 NT. Not going to get a lot of pass rush from him, but could instantly fill in for Vince as team’s primary run stuffer. If available in round two, would be a great pick.
19.) Preston Smith – DE – Mississippi St. – Smith is another edge rusher in this strong edge rusher class that could interest the Patriots. He has similar size to Chandler Jones, and could add some more pass rushing depth to the front seven instantly.
20.) Marcus Peters – CB – Washington – Peters looks like an Aqib Talib 2.0. Plenty of off-field issues, but could potentially be a phenomenal NFL CB. Even if Patriots don’t draft him, could see Peters ending up in NE during his career at some point.
21.) Phillip Dorsett* – WR – Miami(Fl) – One of the fastest WR available in the 2015 draft, he had the fastest 40 time in the group at a blazing 4.33. He could instantly add a level of explosiveness to the Patriots offense, but is not the most consistent receiver. Would be a steal in the third round.
22.) Duke Johnson – RB – Miami (Fl) – Johnson could be a great replacement for Vereen as he has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Has phenomenal moves and can break off a big play anytime he touches the ball. With Gurley and Gordon potentially going in the first, Johnson is a guy NE could target in the middle rounds.
23.) Sammy Coates – WR – Auburn – Patriots fans want a DEEP THREAT?? Well here he is, fresh off an intense Pro Day private workout with Belichick. Coates is a burner who can stretch the field. Would provide competition with Dobson and Tyms in camp.
24.) Tre’ Jackson – G – FSU – Another day, another FSU interior lineman. With Scar having great contact with FSU’s program, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least for the Patriots to potentially have multiple Seminole linemen on their OL
25.) Quinten Rollins – CB – Miami (OH) – A former basketball player, Rollins has great start and stop speed. There are concerns about his technique, but with some coaching could be a talented NFL corner.
26.) David Cobb – RB – Minnesota – Yeah, I know the last RB the Patriots took from Minnesota still makes fans sick, but Cobb could be a solid addition to RB depth in the later rounds. Could be a Ridley replacement as it’s ironic NFL.com has his NFL comparison to Stevan Ridley.
27.) PJ Williams – CB – FSU – Good size for the CB position. Talented in bump and run coverage and could help replace Revis and Browner in that regard. Not overly impressive against the run.
28.) Grady Jarrett – DT – Clemson – Undersized, but explosive and plays hard until the whistle. Might be too much of a Dominique Easley copy, but has serious potential.
29.) John Miller – G – Louisville – Guard with great hand and arm usage in pass coverage. Can play either guard position and is intelligent and talented enough to be able to switch in game.
30.) Chris Conley* – WR – Georgia – I know the Patriots recent history (failures) in drafting WR, but Conley is a type of guy who could add an explosive aspect to the offense. He was made famous from his ridiculous combine, but don’t forget Belichick spent a lot of time with him at Georgia’s pro day.
31.) Max Valles – LB – Virginia – Harold’s pass rushing counterpart at Virginia. Extremely raw, but athleticism leads lots of room for upside as a developmental prospect. Would need time to mature physically and mentally for NFL.
32.) David Andrews – C/G – Georgia – A player Belichick took time to meet with, 2014 Rimington Award Finalist. Could play any spot on NE’s interior OL. Could be the 2015 Draft version of Bryan Stork.
33.) Gabe Wright* – DT – Auburn – Wright is a player that at times was brilliant, and dissapeared in others. Commonly compared with Ra’Shede Hageman from last year’s draft, if Wright can find a way to not dissapear he has the potential to become an inside force. Should be available in the middle rounds.
34.) Jay Ajayi – RB – Boise State – Considered a dark horse at the RB position in this draft. Has loads of potential if put in right scheme. Could become great player in Patriots system.
35.) Stephone Anthony – LB – Clemson – Linebacker depth has plagued the Patriots for the last few seasons, making Anthony an attractive mid-round pick. He has the ideal size for a Patriots LB, and is being prasied for great interviews so far.
36.) Tyler Lockett – WR – Kansas State – Pretty much the later round version of Phillip Dorsett. Great speedy, shifty WR that could add more speed to current WR core.
37.) Jose Matias – G – FSU – Another FSU OL, can’t say enough about these guys. Pro ready from day one. Could be a great mid-round selection.
38.) Shaq Mason* – C/G – Georgia Tech – While Mason was seen giving snaps to Scar, he projects to be a RG in the NFL. He is a little undersized, but is underrated as a powerful run blocker and stout pass blocker.
39.) Tyrell Williams – WR – WOU – A big-bodied WR coming in at 6’4" and 200 pounds who has the ability to be a RZ target as well as a solid run blocker. Williams would be a solid addition to the WR core as potential Brandon LaFell insurance.
40.) Ben Heeney – LB – Kansas – Heeney is a solid linebacker and could provide depth on special teams with the loss of Jonathan Casillas.
41.) Eric Rowe – CB – Utah – Cornerback with ideal height and length. Has issues with man coverage, but would be a good fit in zone schemes.
42.) Cameron Artis-Payne – RB –Auburn – Patient runner who won’t beat many defenders to the edge. Good ball security and stocky frame make him a viable RZ option.
43.) David Johnson – RB – Northern Iowa – Johnson is a big bodied RB who has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. His KR skills give him extra versatility for NE.
44.) Terrence Jones – G – Troy State – Guard with immense strength and power. Could provide solid camp competition for guard positions.
45.) David Parry – DT – Stanford – Parry is a former walk-on player with a BIG chip on his shoulder. While he lacks the ideal size, he has the type of hard-working and nasty attitude that the Patriots love to draft late in the draft. Could add depth to DT rotation.
46.) Marten Ifedi – DE – Memphis – You can never have enough pass rushers, and the Memphis product could be a solid late round addition. Solid size and a staggering 11.5 sacks his junior year could bode well in the Patriots DE rotation.
47.) Damaar Aultman* – WR – Maine – Had to sneak a Maine player in here. After bringing in Derrick Johnson for a look last offseason, they should bring in Aultman. Aultman has the speed and hands to be an NFL WR and is an experienced return specialist.
48.) Tyler Kroft – TE – Rutgers – Keep the Rutgers pipeline open and active! Kroft is another large TE product (6’6" 240lbs) that could turn into a dominant red zone option. The Rutgers connection only helps the chances he’s drafted by the Patriots.
49.) James Crowder – WR – Duke – A small and shifty slot receiver who put up great numbers at Duke. Just the type of receiver to give insurance for Edelman and Amendola.
50.) Joe Cardona – LS – Navy – How could I do a Patriots Big Board without adding a Navy player. Joe Cardona is actually considered one of the top long snappers in the country, and you just never know with BB’s love for Navy.