Watching Hunter Henry lateral a pass on 4th down to offensive lineman Cole Strange in order to avoid a home loss to division rival Miami made me realize, now is the time to look to the future. The Patriots might be able to string together some wins if Trent Brown and the Jones duo (Jonathan Jones and Jack Jones) can get back to being healthy, it’s tough to have high expectations for them from these first two weeks. Over the past decade, the Patriots offensive line has typically been above average if not elite. They are neither this season. Both tackle spots need to be addressed. Even in their own division this group wont be able to hold up against pass rushers like Von Miller, Jaelan Phillips and the usual suspects of penetrating AFC East pass rushers.
The question of quarterback will need to be addressed. While Mac Jones hasn’t looked like the problem for New England this season, it’s fair to ask if bigger, more athletic players don’t give the team a better chance to win. Mel Kiper has put Duke’s Riley Leonard in the spotlight and it’s impossible to ignore how pass after pass Shedeur Sanders looks like he’s been playing SEC caliber defenses his whole life. And then you have a crew of middle-tier quarterbacks that any of whom could be the next Brock Purdy. Cameron Ward from Washington State has grown leaps and bounds this year with a win over Wisconsin (and 0 INTs so far), undersized but deadly accurate Mikey Keene of Fresno State (2 wins over Power 5 schools), and perpetually embattled Spencer Rattler who showed real grit against Georgia and his own paper-thin offensive line. Let’s get to the picks –
Round 1 – Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State OT – New England needs to make it a top priority to get healthy and high level blockers on the outside. Fashanu, Joe Alt, or maybe Patrick Paul have enough good tape to earn a first round draft selection. Fashanu is the belle of the ball as far as left tackles go, earning praise from ESPN’s Jordan Reid and others. He would’ve been a first round pick in 2023 if he’d declared.
Round 2 – Calen Bullock, USC Safety – Patriots swiss army safety Kyle Dugger is finishing up his rookie contract. If New England extends Dugger long term, New England is best served spending this pick on a first rounder that falls or more offensive line help. Bullock has the size Belichick likes and intercepted 5 passes in 2022. Bullock could put on more weight, but that’s an easier problem to solve than having to shed weight.
Round 3 – Cade Stover, Ohio State TE – Outside of Brock Bowers, there aren’t a lot of big names at tight end that can both catch and block so far in this draft class. Stover would’ve been drafted last year had he declared. Luke Lachey is an intriguing tight end, but Stover is a more accomplished blocker. Hunter Henry is the second highest paid Patriot and is in his final year of the contract. New England has shown again and again how highly they favor the tight end position.
Round 4 – Blake Fisher, Notre Dame RT – New England needs fresh blood at both tackle spots. Fisher has played for over 1,000 snaps and graded out above average at both pass and run blocking according to PFF. He’s a taller lineman at 6’6″ and drawn only 4 penalties in three seasons at Notre Dame. Fisher held up well against Clemson and admirably against a tough Ohio State defensive line.
Round 5 – Tory Horton, Colorado State WR – The 6’2″ Nevada transfer caught 15(!) passes on TV against Colorado two days ago. Horton has zero drops in two games so far this season. Horton caught 6 passes and a touchdown against Michigan to start the season in 2022. Horton should thrive with more consistent QB play. 56 of his 81 yards against Washington State came after the catch.
Round 6 – Rylie Mills, Notre Dame DT – Senior D-Lineman Mills sacked Drake Maye twice during their game against UNC in 2022. His 6’5″ frame should help with deflecting passes from Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa and others. Mills slimmed down in ’23 to the 290 range and doesn’t carry much excess fat. Mills has played well against the run and the pass.
Round 6 – Mike Sainristil, Michigan CB – The Massachusetts native returns home to New England to back up a veteran corner group. Sainristil gives up completions (65% allowed) but only one TD allowed (week 13 against Ohio State) on his watch. Sainristil is a willing tackler and is a special teams candidate with his leadership and experience from 4 years at Michigan.
Round 7 – Will Howard, Kansas State QB – Howard is 6’5″ and over 240 lbs. He’s in his 4th season at Kansas State and has improved steadily throughout his time as a Wildcat. Howard has 3 rushing touchdowns and 8 passing in three games in 2023. A host of names would be appropriate in the seventh round as backup quarterbacks for New England. Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed, Washington State’s Cameron Ward, Wake Forests’ Sam Hartman could all blossom in a stable environment at the next level.
Song of the post – “Wolfborn” by Powerwolf
Gridiron Seasonal 