Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Friday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
Lots of good stuff this morning, so without further ado, we're going to jump right into the Friday links...
1. Our pre-draft series rolls on with a look at the tight ends. Could the Patriots swing for the fences and go after the likes of T.J. Hockenson? Or would they be inclined to stick at the of the first round for someone like Irv Smith, Jr.?
2. Miguel drops his latest mailbag, which includes questions on compensatory picks, Rob Gronkowski, Stephen Gostkowski, Jacoby Brissett … and much more.
3. Brandon Bolden and Stephon Gilmore took a break during the offseason program on Thursday to talk with reporters.
4. Marc Sessler of NFL.com says the Patriots have one of the league’s most forgiving schedules. “The Patriots close with two home games against the Bills and Dolphins, an appropriate time to iron out the kinks before rolling through January en route to Super Bowl glory,” he writes.
5. Gil Brandt has the five best fits for the five top QB prospects. He says Duke's Daniel Jones belongs in Foxborough. "Jones has a good chance to eventually be viewed as the top quarterback in this year's draft class, and with Brady still going strong at 41, the Patriots currently have some time to allow Jones to develop," he writes.
6. USA TODAY has the winners and losers from the schedule reveal, with Patriots’ fans among the losers. “Yeah, it's nice getting Pack-(Bears) off the top in the name of the season-long birthday party for the rest of us, but kinda blows for the New England faithful,” writes Nate Davis. “That Thursday night opener, usually reserved as a home game for the reigning Super Bowl champs, sure is a nice way for the locals to get a jump on their weekend before watching how their fantasy teams debut from the comfort of the couch (or preferred watering hole).”
7. Dan Heifetz of The Ringer says Patriots-Browns is going to be one of the best games of 2019. “Cleveland’s hype versus New England’s hegemony could be the game of the year,” he says.
8. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report offers predictions for each team based on their schedules. He has the Patriots ticketed for 12-4. “Certain constants in life are unavoidable. We all have to pay taxes. Eventually, we're all sadly going to shake off our mortal coils. And the New England Patriots are going to win the AFC East. Again,” he writes.
9. Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger has been a busy man lately, including some quality time with the Patriots. The 6-foot-4, 251-pounder had 48 catches for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns last year.
10. We’ve talked a lot about some of the other quarterbacking prospects, but this piece from Matt Miller of Bleacher Report nails it — Tyree Jackson is the most intriguing QB prospects in the draft. One reason? This Michigan kid spent countless hours watching Tom Brady highlights. “Jackson would watch the way he moved. The angle of his arm. How he gripped the ball. He'd memorize every detail. Then he'd move to the backyard, where he had a tire hanging by a rope from a tree, and throw and throw and throw and turn himself into a quarterback,” writes Miller.
Extra Point:
Week 12, 1980#Patriots #Colts from Schaefer Stadium.
NE scores 27 in the 4th quarter.
Twice the #Colts fumble the ball on kickoff returns, and twice they are returned for TD’s.#Patriots roll in this one 47-21 pic.twitter.com/IRI8GWkrqu
— Old Time Football ? (@Ol_TimeFootball) April 17, 2019