Ranking Potential Patriots Rookie Impacts

Took a nice little vacation up to Maine this week, it was a good chance to unplug during a time where there’s just not much Patriots news to discuss. Most of my blogging comrades are firing out the usual suspects of articles, you know, previews of every random joe on the roster, way-too-early 53-man roster projections and the like. As John Wooden said, don’t mistake activity for achievement, so I’ve taken a less is more approach the last couple weeks.

Now that it’s July (almost) it’s time to start ramping things up, including in-depth looks at the training camp positional battles and a number of under-the-radar players that always seem to make an impact despite the Pats being atop the NFL year in and year out.

Today I’m kicking things off with the new guys, the rookies who can come in and start to reshape the team as they close in on the end of the Tom Brady era. These new rookies, coupled with a number of second-year players who had their rookie seasons cut short, should give the Pats the kind of youthful kick in the pants they really need.

Here’s my top 5 rookies to watch.

5. Keion Crossen/JC Jackson – I’m combining these two rookie cornerbacks because both stood out in OTAs, with Jackson having consistent time with the starters in the most recent minicamp. Low-round and undrafted cornerbacks making the team is something that happens almost every single season and this year should be no exception. Crossen was a standout in May after being taken 243rd overall in the draft. He has elite speed and can contribute on special teams. But it was Jackson who emerged later in the spring, as the undrafted rookie with good size was on display across from Stephon Gilmore in the mandatory minicamp. I’ve grouped these two together because I’m not sure there’s a roster spot for both of them, nor am I sure at this point who has more potential. Expect this to be mano-a-mano battle this summer.

4. Danny Etling – Etling isn’t coming to New England with the expectations that Jimmy Garoppolo had, nor is he expected to be the heir apparent to Tom Brady. That’s a great thing for Etling because from here on out pretty much any quarterback that comes to New England is going to have all eyes on them, even moreso if they were high-round draft picks. Can Etling make an impact as a third-string quarterback? Probably not in obvious sight once practices become closed off to the media and fans in late summer, but behind the scenes he can make the most of this year just as Brady did as a rookie in 2000. Not many more quarterbacks will get the chance to learn behind Brady, so Etling has a golden opportunity to be a sponge and perhaps ascend into the backup role in 2019. This is such a vital component for the franchise that Etling’s potential impact just by developing into a solid backup this season is significant.

3. Braxton Berrios – The list of rookie slot receivers who came into New England and made an immediate impact is two players long — Deion Branch and Julian Edelman. Part of that is because the position has been pretty much stacked for the last 18 years, but this year the opportunity is there. Danny Amendola is gone. Edelman is facing a four-game suspension at 32 years old. The need is there, both long term and short term. Berrios fits the mold but lets be honest, the Pats bring in a guy like him every year. Remember Austin Carr and Jeremy Gallon? They often win the fans over, only to be cut or sent to the practice squad and are never heard from again. Riley McCarron could also push Berrios, especially having a season with the team’s practice squad under his belt. Heck, I hope both of them light it up. That would be a good problem to have. But in a perfect world Berrios can do what Edelman did in 2009 — fill in for the guy in front of him early and then slip into Amendola’s specialty role once Edelman is back and 100 percent.

2. Duke Dawson – Dawson flew under the radar in camp as Crossen and Jackson stole the notable plays in OTAs, but make no mistake, no one is more prepared to step into a slot corner role than he is and it’s a significant role that is up for grabs with Jonathan Jones continuing to recover from his season-ending injury from last season. The Patriots have a really good group of corners, but it’s unclear how they’ll be used at this point, especially as we have yet to see Jason McCourty step into a significant role. But Dawson’s advantage is that he is what he is — a compact, tough slot corner who has the smarts to play man and zone. That specificity will play to his advantage. Even if he’s not an every down player, he’ll be a unique tool for the toolbox that Bill Belichick loves to mix and match with.

1.  Sony Michel – This one feels pretty obvious as the skillset and opportunity are a perfect match for Michel to step in and play a significant role. The Pats haven’t taken a running back in the first round since Laurence Maroney and he was thrown right into the fire in 2006, getting 78 carries in the first five games. 2011 third-rounder Stevan Ridley got just 87 carries his entire rookie year. With Rex Burkhead and James White the Pats don’t have to lean on Michel right out of the gate, but his explosiveness could be a game-changing new dimension for the Patriots’ offense. Given the injuries that always seem to hit the backfield, Michel could find himself with a golden opportunity sooner than later. Taking some heat off of Tom Brady with a reliable ground game must be an objective for the offense. Last season’s backfield seemed too convoluted when everyone was healthy. Hopefully this season they can find a better balance and hit the right players with the right gameplan at the right time.

Final notes — I really wanted to put Ja’whaun Bentley or Christian Sam on here. The linebacker position needs a boost at least from the depth perspective but I’m just not convinced either of them will play much of a role this season unless injuries hit (which they very well could). Honestly, if one of those two guys suddenly emerges no one would be happier than me and it could have a huge impact on improving the defense, but I just think they’re both behind the scenes this year.

As for Isaiah Wynn, I’m all over the map on him. Initially I held out hope that he’d compete to start at left tackle, but as I’ve stewed on it I think what makes the most sense is a rotational role that could include being a swing backup both on the outside and on the interior.