If you've been here for a while, you know that I'm not the biggest draft guy. There's so much information we don't know about these guys, especially the character stuff that really determines what kind of NFL player they will be, that really digging into these guys is kind of futile if you're not going to make it your full-time job. So I prefer to take the Patriots' obvious positions of need — edge, offensive tackle, receiver and tight end, with a sprinkling of a few other positions like linebacker, guard and safety — look at some tape, and tell you the guys I think make sense for the Patriots and their schemes. So first up is edge, followed by some Patriots draft intel/thoughts as we get closer to the draft on Thursday.
BEDARD'S EDGE RANKINGS
Going to bypass the top guys like David Bailey (to me, he's clearly the top guy), Rueben Bain, and Keldric Faulk (not a great fit), and go from there. I'm ranking them in terms of what the Patriots like to do in their system — Eliot Wolf: "Pass rush, speed and violence, explosiveness, first step quickness, the ability to win in multiple ways. You can't just be a run around the hoop guy at this level," — not by where they will go in the draft:
In contention for No. 31
Cashius Howell, Texas A&M (6-2½, 257, no 40): This is more the Patriots' style. He's got explosiveness. He's violent, twitchy. He's versatile, has bend and quickness. Lines up on both sides, gap penetrator. To me, he looks like the prototype for the Patriot system.
R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma (6-2, 242, 4.67): A Patriots-type player. Violent, explosive, twitchy, little undersized, but that hasn't scared me away. He's got a good first step. He's got some power. Yeah, this guy is up the Patriots' alley. He would fit in their scheme.
Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida (6-4 ½, 253, 4.51): Definitely violent. Good quickness. A good athlete, I would say his motor is inconsistent; sometimes his feet stop. But I mean, when his mindset is right, he's pretty impressive off the edge. He's got some power, good play strength, quickness, good prospect for the Patriots.
Next group
Derrick Moore, Michigan (6-4, 256, no 40): Really like this player. He's got power, he's got quickness. Looks like a smart player. Really good film. Did not test well at the combine.
Keyron Crawford, Auburn (6-4 ½, 252, no 40): A little more fluid than Jacas. Good burst, first step. Another good-looking athlete. He's a pretty good athlete overall. Jacas is more stiff in the hips. Straight line guy. I think he fits what the Patriots want. I like him.
Gabe Jacas, Illinois (6-3 ½, 260, no 40): Looks the part, strong big boy. He's got a little bit of everything, not sure what kind of instincts he has or how violent he is. He's got some Twitch to him. Will go through tight ends. Pretty player. Plays like an older prospect, but he's only 21.
T.J. Parker, Clemson (6-3½, 264, 4.71): Can drop into coverage. Looks pretty good doing it. Little skinny in the lower body. Butt is okay, but the rest is a little weak. Sets the edge well in the run game. A pretty good prospect.
Late-round picks/flyers
Romello Height, Texas Tech (6-2 ½, 238, 4.66): Got a little dip. Corners well and bends. Decent first step. Has some violence to him. Patriots fit but later.
Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (6-3½, 251, 4.66): Played a lot off the ball for the Wolverines, so it's a tough projection. He's got good speed. He's put together well. Definitely violent, good speed. Interesting prospect. Has a nice burst, closing speed on the edge. It depends on how you see him. Can he play off the ball? I'm not sure.
George Gumbs, Jr., Florida (6-4½, 245, 4.66): Pretty player looks the part. He's got some tools. Could see a flyer on him.
Max Llewellyn, Iowa (6-5½, 258, 4.81): Seems like a Steeler or a Lions player. I do like his violence, relentlessness. Belichick would love this guy. I like him a lot. I'm not sure he fits the Patriot scheme at this size. Man, he's a good football player. Does everything, has speed, counter moves, power corners. Really impressive at just being a football player.
Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan (6-2, 247, 4.73): I like him, but it's hard to tell with the level of play. He's got a little bit of everything. Late round, developmental guy with upside. I could see it with the Patriots. Not sure how strong he is. Could be a guy the Patriots take a flyer on.
Logan Fano, Utah (6-5, 254, 4.60): Stiff In the hips, good quickness, relentless, has counter moves and plays with violence. Good play strength. A good prospect.
Marvin Jones, Jr., Oklahoma (6-5, 245, 4.69): Son of the former Jet. Is not that flexible. He's got closing speed, pretty violent. I see the Patriots seeing him as a developmental guy, and that he fits the scheme. Transferred twice from Florida State and Georgia.
Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College (6-3, 238, 4.73): Not the greatest of speed, but plays with violence, has good play strength. Knows his leverage. Looks very unrefined. He doesn't really know how to use his hands. Sometimes doesn't even use them.He does show some nice little bursts, and closing speed is pretty good. Think he has potential, but more of a developmental prospect.
GUYS I DON'T LOVE FOR THE PATRIOTS
No, I don't hate these guys. Just didn't love them for the Patriots.
Zion Young, Missouri (6-5½, 265, 4.75): Good player, looks the part, but I don't think he's twitchy enough for what the Patriots like to do. Some think that Young fits what the Patriots are looking for as far as violence and explosiveness, but I didn't see enough of that in his film. Of course, I could be very wrong about that.
Akheem Mesidor, Miami (6-3, 260, no 40): I don't see the special in him. I mean, I like the overall athletic ability. I don't think he stands out in any one area. Good all-around player. Certainly gives good effort, chases backside, just keeps coming. He's kind of relentless in that way. Special? I don't see it. Not a bad player or a bust or anything, I just don't see what the fuss is all about. Bain is a much better player.
Joshua Josephs, Tennessee (6-3, 243, 4.73): Looks like a physical specimen. Not sure about his measurables, but he looks the part. He's high-cut, long-armed. Seems a bit robotic. I wouldn't call him a natural football player. Certainly a pretty athlete, I'll give him that much.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (6-5½, 259, 4.60): Another guy who looks the part. Good athlete can drop into zones picked off a pass against Oregon. Probably better from the inside. Not a great Patriots fit.
LATEST PATRIOTS DRAFT INTEL
I'm still in the camp that it's more probable than not the Patriots trade for A.J. Brown on June 2nd, but I'm not 100 percent certain of that. I do think the draft will be a big tell. Certainly the Patriots could draft a receiver high and trade for Brown, but that wouldn't be very smart team-building in my opinion. You're going to sign Romeo Doubs, draft a receiver high (possibly in favor of drafting a tackle and/or guard to protect Drake Maye), and give up a premium pick and pay Brown? Certainly possible, but I don't see it. I think it's either a high pick or Brown. ... I can tell you this much: if the Patriots know they're getting Brown, they're not preparing for the draft that way. According to team sources and other NFL executives, the Patriots are putting in a ton of draft work on draft receivers. "Why would they do that if they know they're getting Brown?" said one executive. "They'd be wasting the time of a lot of people. Of course, it could be an all-time smokescreen. You never know this time of year." I think if the Patriots don't pick a receiver high, the odds of a Brown trade dramatically increase. ... Past pick by regimes undoubtedly inform future picks, which makes the Titans' 29th overall selection of Isaiah Wilson out of Georgia interesting becaues it matches up well with the Patriots' current situation. GM Jon Robinson was making the pick, but Mike Vrabel was part of it. Wilson turned out to be an all-time draft bust, playing one NFL game. Jack Conklin had departed in free agency, so the Titans needed a starter at right tackle. The Patriots don't need a starter in 2026, but they could use one in 2027. Wilson was a trainwreck from the get-go. He held out of training camp, and then later was arrested on a DUI charge. He was also suspended during the season for violating team rules. The Titans eventually sent him and a seventh-round pick to Miami just to get him off their roster. So what was the lesson learned with the Wilson pick? According to those around the team, it was never to use a first-round pick on a player with character concerns, especially if you have incomplete information. The Titans did have an excuse during that time because that was the Covid draft, where teams had much less information — and no face-to-face time — on draft prospects.