MOBILE, Ala. — Some leftover thoughts from the week in Mobile. Early next week, after Saturday's game (2:30 p.m., NFL Network), I’ll do an all-Patriots Senior Bowl roster.
TE Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina), an Everett native, looks like a big receiver and he made plays in each practice. Every time he gets the ball, he's a YAC weapon. He competed blocking but will be challenged early on.
RB Tyler Badie (Missouri) had some good plays in the screen game, a staple for the Patriots. At 5-7, 199 pounds, he's bigger than J.J. Taylor but smaller than James White. He runs with purpose but won’t run anyone over.
RB Abram Smith (Baylor) has been one of my program fits for the Patriots. He wasn’t as big in person (5-11, 211) but ran hard and caught the ball well. I continue to think of him as a Brandon Bolden type.
WR Khalil Shakir (Boise St, 6-0, 193) was probably the best slot player this week. He has good footwork which helps him get off the line and be efficient with his routes. I thought he was a little shy over the middle on Tuesday but made a good catch and held onto the ball on contact on Thursday. He improved as the week went along.
WR Calvin Austin III (Memphis) displayed the best explosiveness from a skilled player all week (WR Jalen Tolbert was close) and ran good routes. I compared him to Tyreek Hill (which probably isn’t fair) because he’s 5-foot-7, 173 pounds.
WR Danny Gray (SMU) consistently won his routes, he has plus speed, but then had some bad drops. He got injured and didn’t finish the week.
WR Bo Melton (Rutgers) gets good depth on his routes. Showed a good balance of intermediate routes, with the ability to stretch the field. He made some nice plays this week.
WR Alec Pierce (Cincinnati) looks skinnier, at 6-3, 208, than I expected. Very similar in style, catching (not always clean), and toughness to former Patriot, Chris Hogan.
Edge Dominique Robinson (Miami, OH) has great athleticism but needs better ball awareness.
LB Darrin Beavers (Cincinnati) is big and competitive but at times can get beat by an athletic back or TE in coverage. I think he’s someone the Patriots should look at with the intention of moving him to the edge. He’s already 6-foot-4, 252 pounds and is willing to add weight if that’s what an NFL team asks. He does have some experience playing edge at UConn before he transferred. Smart player who the Patriots will like.
LB Damone Clark (LSU) is a leader within that program, and he has solid speed. He does have the traditional size that the Patriots look for but needs to improve getting off blocks.
LB D’Marco Jackson (Appalachian St) has better speed than I expected. I think he’s a good player and one to watch for the Patriots. Although he’s a little smaller (6-0, 230) than they normally target.
LB Aaron Hansford (Texas A&M) has the ideal makeup for the evolving NFL game. He’s fast for a ‘backer and someone I’ll look at a little closer.
LB Sterling Weatherford (Miami, OH) and LB Tariq Carpenter (Georgia Tech) both played safety in college but were lined up at LB. It signifies the NFL adjusting to the need for speed, versatility at linebacker.
CB Roger McCreary (Auburn) is smaller in person (5-11, 189) and has shorter arm length (29.25 inches), which creates some concern, but he’s still a very good player. Question for the Patriots is do they think he can play outside? McCreary feels his best asset is man-to-man press coverage, but he thinks he’d fit in any scheme or role. Lastly, he said the best receiver last year was the Iron Bowl matchup with Alabama’s John Metchie (his intensity and competitiveness stuck out).
CB Tariq Woolen (UTSA) was good on jams. He was the biggest corner here, over 6-foot-3, and a smooth athlete but he needs better consistency.
Talked to DL Phidarian Mathis (Alabama) about the New England pipeline. He said he’s well aware of it, through his relationship with Christian Barmore, and that the Patriots are all business, and the program is run very similar to Alabama. Said he knows he can succeed there because he already knows what to expect.
DT John Ridgeway (Arkansas) has plus strength but didn’t offer much in pass rush. He could offer early-down value next season as part of a rotation. He’s a big guy (6-foot-5, 325 pounds) that has a wrestling background.
DT Otito Ogbonnia (UCLA) was another interior lineman that had his moments. He doesn’t have the sheer power of some of the previously mentioned tackles, but he does have good athleticism and constantly hustles. He chases after the ball when it’s 20 yards downfield (which matches the tape).
Scouts were happy to see OG Zion Johnson (BC) staying after practice to work on his snapping. He’s an impressive young man, has strong technique, and a good anchor.
OT Cade Mays (Tennessee) sees himself as a guard going forward but his best trait is flexibility. The tape matched what I saw this week, he can win some high-end reps but then has concentration lapses. That will be a challenge for the Patriots who want consistency and mental errors are a sin.
QB Malik Willis (Liberty) had the best week of the QB’s followed by Carson Strong (Nevada) and Kenny Pickett (Pitt). I thought Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) got better as the week went along. I heard that Willis will be very well-liked in interviews, but the simplicity of that Liberty offense will make it a difficult adjustment to the NFL. Any team that picks him will need to be patient.
Saw lots of top college coaches in Mobile this week. Good networking opportunity for them but they now use it for recruiting purposes; posting on social media with their players who are expected to play in the league.
I heard Nick Saban speak, and he talked about his relationship with Bill Belichick. One of the things he said that I found interesting, especially given the timing, is that they have never poached a coach from each other. He said, “there’s so much respect there we’d never do that.” He did say they have hired from each other’s staff but that’s with a mutual blessing and the best thing for each program. The indication was that Saban would have to be okay with losing his offensive coordinator, Bill O’Brien, or he wouldn’t expect Belichick to hire him away from Alabama.
Lastly, not Senior Bowl related, but Andover native QB EJ Perry (who played at Brown after starting his career at BC) had the best week of any of the QBs. He won the Shrine Bowl MVP. He’s putting himself in the conversation to be a late-round selection.