A vital part of the draft evaluation process involves official '30 visits,' as NFL teams are allowed to invite up to 30 draft-eligible players to visit their facility for in-person meetings, private interviews and medical checks. However, local products are excluded from this exercise. While certain prospects are targeted for '30 visits,' it doesn't guarantee that the player will be chosen by the organization. Many times, teams are looking to acquire more info on character, injuries, and intelligence. The game film ultimately remains the biggest aspect of scouting a player, but the personality must also fit. Finding out the DNA makeup of a player goes a long way towards determining whether or not a player is a good fit for the franchise.
"It's very important," Eliot Wolf said Monday. "We bring guys in for a variety of reasons, whether it's to get medical, to get them in front of Mike. If it's a guy we like that doesn't have a lot of red flags, we’re like, ‘Hey, Mike's going to love this guy.’ We do some of that. Don't tell Mike that [jokingly]. Then if there's some questions about the character, their learning, the position fit or again, like one that I mentioned earlier, we think this guy is definitely going to be able to play X receiver, but we want to bring him in and make sure that we think he can play multiple spots and how early could that be. So, there's a variety of reasons that we bring guys in. They've been great this year. We haven't eliminated anyone, as we've done in the past. So, it's been positive."
Thus far, we have learned of 26 prospects who have been to Foxborough for an official '30 visit,' encompassing just about every position. We have listed them all below, along with an overview of how each player might fit on the Patriots.
QB Jalon Daniels, Kansas - A starter for each of the past five seasons, there is certainly value in the experience that Daniels brings with 49 career games played, but his short stature and consistency woes would make it hard to justify using a draft selection. He was mentored by Jayhawks consultant and former NFL offensive coordinator John DeFilippo this past season, so there are plenty of positives to build upon as a possible developmental arm.
QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech - Few players are more exciting to watch than King, who can create with his legs just as much as his arm. He possesses adequate arm strength but isn't the type to push the ball downfield. Rather, King can work the intermediate passing attack well but is viewed more as a dangerous runner due to his size, toughness and difficulty to wrap up. He certainly offers more mobility than the current quarterbacks on the Patriots roster.
QB Behren Morton, Texas Tech - More of a traditional pocket-passer, Morton is very competent in the short-to-intermediate parts of the field but battled through various injuries this past season, demonstrating his toughness. A projected mid-to-late round signal-caller, Morton could have a long pro career as a backup due to his accuracy, quick release, and anticipation. While the ceiling isn't as high as other top prospects, his experience bodes well for the next level.
RB Kaelon Black, Indiana - One of the top-rated combine snubs, Black was a workhorse back for the national champion Hoosiers this past season, demonstrating a hard-nosed running style, cutback explosiveness and breakaway speed. He is also one of the best athletes at his position, and Black owns great lower-body strength, which enables him to pick up additional yards after contact. An under-the-radar prospect, Black projects as a mid-to-late round selection.
RB Adam Randall, Clemson - The former linebacker-turned-running back displays a physical running style, which lends itself well to being able to run between the tackles. The most impressive aspect of his overall game is the ability to break tackles in the open field, as he constantly keeps his legs churning upon contact. In addition, Randall is an exceptional pass-catcher out of the backfield. His well-rounded skill-set should place him in the middle rounds.
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