Continuing our discussion with NFL Films and Matchup show analyst/executive producer Greg Cosell on the Patriots' draft picks and how the Patriots might use them. In this installment, we discuss Marcus Jones and Jack Jones teaming up in a secondary of the future, the differences in running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris, some talk about Mac Jones' rookie season, the transition of QB Bailey Zappe, and how OT Andrew Stueber could play as a rookie.
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Could, given development, Marcus Jones plays a free safety in the Patriots scheme and Jack Jones be sort of the next slot cornerback? Could you see something like that happening?
Well, to be honest with you with Coach Belichick, you can see a lot of things because look what he did with Adrian Phillips. I mean, Adrian Phillips was a guy who I did coming out of Texas, and I remember saying to myself, well this guy's a dime safety in the NFL, which he turned out to be by the way. But look at the way Coach Belichick uses him. He's almost a combination linebacker, as you know, he plays robber at times. He covers tight ends at times, doesn't play a whole lot on the back end, but will on occasion. What Coach Belichick does with a lot of these kinds of players is really fascinating to me. He doesn't just put these guys in a box, which is why ... when they drafted Marcus Jones, I thought, 'wow, that is really intriguing to me, because I think he can play multiple positions.' And my strong guess is Coach Belichick thought the same thing or he wouldn't have drafted him.
Let's talk about the running backs. They drafted Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris. Are they the same type of backs?
No, they're not. Pierre Strong is kind of a smooth, linear, slashing runner. He looks rhythmic at times. He's got big-play ability. A little bit of a smaller back. Probably not a feature type back in the league, but I don't think he was drafted to be one by New England. I think that he can be a really good receiver too, He caught the ball easily. I think there's much to be unlocked as a receiver. I think you can detach him from the formation.
So strong, with James White's hip injury and JJ Taylor's future unknown, he could be a pass-back option for the Patriots?
I think yes he could. I think he could do that. I think whether that happens this year, that I can't answer because you don't know about a guy's development, but I think he can be in that role. And then kind of be a complementary back. He does have big-play ability as a runner, no question about that. I mean, he's kind of smooth slashing ... He's almost rhythmic when you watch him. Now he played at a lower level of college football, but I think he can be that guy.
What about Kevin Harris?
It's so funny how drafts work out, because there's no mystery to Harris. I mean, he's a decisive, competitive, naturally powerful downhill runner. ... in an offense that features the run game as a significant foundation of their offense, much in the way Jordan Howard worked for the Eagles and to a lesser extent, the way Damien Harris was used by the Patriots. He's not as good a runner as Damien Harris. But, you know, I think that's what he is. There's no mystery Kevin Harris from South Carolina. He's a he's a grinder.
Strong could be a White replacement, and James Harris could be a Damien Harris (contract year) replacement if the Patriots trade him or let him walk after the season.
Which by the way goes right back to the start of our conversation, Greg as to how they want to play? Now, I would imagine, they will see Mac Jones over time developing into more than what he is now. He was certainly very good as a rookie, he had a few ups and downs, probably a few more downs than people might think, but he was certainly very good overall, wouldn't you agree?
Yep, absolutely.
Coaches nitpick that's their job. I nitpick when I watch because I learned a long time ago, we're evaluating quarterbacks to win Super Bowls. not to go 9-8. And I know Coach Belichick is doing the same thing. They're not interested in going 9-8. Mac Jones had an up and down year, more ups than downs, but I'm sure in their mind three years from now, they probably feel he'll do more than he's doing now. But right now they're a running football team. That's where it starts. So I think the point you just made is a very valid one. Damien Harris could be gone. They might see Kevin Harris as the guy who can fill that role, because when all said and done, Damien Harris didn't get 20 carries a game. There might have been a few games he did, but that wasn't the way they ran their offense on a weekly basis.
QB Bailey Zappe...
You know, in an odd way, I kind of liked Bailey Zappe. I mean, I think you have to know what he is. He's 6 feet ... both at Western Kentucky and where he was before that, Houston Baptist, he ran a high volume passing game. A ton of schemed, manufactured, one read or no read throw. But I thought he also showed the ability to work through progressions and make throws that demanded higher-level timing. He certainly had unbelievable command of that offense, the same offense he ran at Houston Baptist. He was detailed, he was nuanced. The other issue though ... because of the nature of the offense, there were a ton of just pitch and catch throws. He was throwing it to open receivers who had free access off the ball. I mean, it was just pitch and catch. So there's a lot of those kinds of throws. I kind of felt like fell into the Colt McCoy/Case Keenum/Tyler Heinicke category but if the Patriots see him as more than that, I could probably understand that too.
Sounds sort of like a lower-level Jimmy Garoppolo coming out.
Obviously Garoppolo was a second-round pick, and I'm sure when the Patriots took him, they might have seen him as the heir apparent but it didn't work out that way.
You didn't see Sam Roberts, but you did see their final pick, OT Andrew Stueber.
I saw Michigan a lot. He's an interesting guy. He's one of those guys, because you wouldn't call him a high-level athlete, but I think there's a lot of right tackles like Andrew Stueber. I thought of (Rob) Havenstein from the Rams, who has been a starter for years, another Big Ten right tackle. Stueber's game is built on power and physicality, much more so than finesse and athleticism. He's kind of that old-school right tackle. You know, again, they're a running football team. I think for what he is, he's not a bad player at all and he's going to compete, he strikes me as one of those guys that's going to compete hard. That's the way he played. .... I wouldn't be surprised if Stueber, this is crazy, he's just a seventh-round pick but linemen tend to be a little different, it wouldn't surprise me at all if this kid plays this year. I think he's one of those guys. I ended my transition saying he would best be featured in gap scheme and inside zone and duo concepts where his above-the-line power and play strength and competitive toughness would be maximized. That's the kind of player he is.