As we count down to the 2019 NFL draft, we’ll take the measure of the Patriots by position at this stage on the calendar, and offer up five prospects at each spot — three if they’re inclined to invest in the early going, and two more if they’re interested in waiting a bit.
THE SKINNY
This spot is somewhere in the middle of the Patriots' needs list. The Patriots lost Trey Flowers and Adrian Clayborn this offseason, and while they do have youngsters like Deatrich Wise and Derek Rivers on the roster (as well as veterans Michael Bennett and John Simon), an additional edge defender for New England’s 4-3 could help provide a boost for the pass rush and give the Patriots another layer of depth. It will be tough to replace someone like Flowers, but it’s important to remember he basically took a redshirt year as a rookie in 2015, sitting behind the likes of Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard and Chandler Jones. Could New England look for a similar young talent to sit for a year or two behind someone like Bennett before following a similar career arc? This draft will provide that answer.
POSSIBLE EARLY TARGETS
Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
Patriots scheme fit: Edge defender, pass rusher
Why he makes sense: Watching him in college, there were some times where he seemed to disappear for stretches, but there were also times where he was one of the most overwhelming defenders on a national championship defense. This 6-foot-4, 264-pound defensive end has some Flowers in his game when it comes to size (Flowers is 6-foot-4, 269 pounds), as well as an ability to hold up against the run, and a knack for getting to the quarterback (11.5 sacks). At this point on the calendar, most mocks have him going in the mid-20s, so if the Patriots are interested in landing Ferrell, they may have to trade up from No. 32. (Maybe this is where New England gives the Raiders — at 24 and 27 — a call.) But he might be the most realistic and productive name on the board if New England is going to prioritize edge defenders toward the late stages of the first round.
Zach Allen, Boston College
Patriots scheme fit: Edge setter, possible positional versatility as a DT
Why he makes sense: New England hasn’t drafted a BC player for 10 years, but this Connecticut native could be a nice multipurpose defender for the Patriots’ front seven. Allen is a really interesting prospect on a number of levels, including the fact he appears caught in between a bit — at 6-foot-4 and 281 pounds, he might not have the length or explosiveness to be an every-down defensive end in the NFL, but his motor and strength do allow him to show some positional versatility to kick inside on occasion and work as a run defender. He has a knack for making plays (19 batted passes in three years and double-digit tackles for loss in three consecutive seasons), and watching his film, he reminds me a bit of Denver’s Derek Wolfe, a high-octane defensive lineman who can beat you a few different ways. He’s a Day 2 selection, and while he might have to take a modified redshirt year as a rookie while he adjusts to the NFL, there’s a lot to like about his game.
Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
Patriots scheme fit: Pass rusher, third-down defender
Why he makes sense: If you are the Patriots and you haven’t gotten a pass rusher at end of the second round, this could very well be the guy. A long and lean edge presence, this 6-foot-5, 271-pounder is the FBS record-holder with 45 career sacks. You might be inclined to grade him on a curve because of the level of competition, but there’s still enough good stuff on film to make him a legit NFL pass-rushing prospect who could be had somewhere between the second and third rounds. He’s still a work in progress when it comes to working as a run defender, but if you’re the Patriots, you could theoretically make him part of a rotation up front as a rookie and let his game evolve from there. There will be questions about a disinvite (an unvitation?) to the combine because of an incident from his freshman year at Louisiana Tech, and that could drive his draft stock down a bit. But from an on-field perspective, he could be the guy who ultimately helps replace some of Flowers’ production going forward, at least from a pass-rush perspective.
Patriots scheme fit:
