The Patriots went into the new league year with a handful of obvious needs, addressing most by either re-signing their own free agents, bringing aboard new faces or making trades. Investments were made at cornerback, edge defender, defensive tackle, running back and even offensive tackle. But if you were looking for the Patriots to add to last year's linebacker group, you're still waiting. This week we'll try to pin down some good fits for the second level of Bill Belichick's defense in this year's draft class. Today, we're looking at a pair of athletes who should go later in the draft but could find a home in New England.
PREVIOUSLY IN THE SERIES:
- Edmunds and Smith now in play with Pats' first-round picks
- Vander Esch, Evans intriguing options in late first round
- Inside-out possibilities from Georgia and Iowa
- Pats may value versatility of Warner and Burks
Here's what keeps things interesting when trying to track what the Patriots may do in the draft...
On the one hand, Bill Belichick has a greater backlog of on-the-record draft tendencies than any other coach in the league. We should know what he's looking for, and in many respects we do; he has relatively clear physical thresholds, skill sets and character traits that he's drafted in the past.
On the other hand, Belichick is clearly not afraid to adapt. There's always the threat, then, that those tendencies shift, which makes predicting Patriots picks a guessing game. And the later into the draft you get, the more difficult the game becomes.
New England Patriots
Typically, the Patriots have liked to have big, instinctive athletes at linebacker. Solid production at the college level is encouraged if not required. And if you've competed in the SEC -- hello, Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower -- even better.
But in the later rounds, things get shaken up. The Patriots will veer from some of those characteristics as they spend selections on gambles and special-teamers. Kamu Grugier-Hill and Elandon Roberts, both sixth-rounders in 2016, were undersized but productive collegians who were deemed worthy of picks. Matthew Wells, a sixth-rounder in 2015, was smaller than the norm but an impressive athlete and another potential contributor in the kicking game. Xzavier Dickson fit the bill in terms of size when he was taken in the seventh round in 2015, and he went to Alabama, but athletically he didn't exactly wow anyone.
So when it comes to this year's class of linebackers, and when it comes to Day 3 of the draft, who might the Patriots take a chance on?
Here, we'll focus in on two players who might not check every box the Patriots typically look for at the position, but based on their college production, they could be worth a shot: Central Florida's Shaquem Griffin and South Carolina's Skai Moore.
After some discussion with NFL evaluators who have a close eye on this year's linebacker class, here are some of the strengths and weaknesses for both players and how they might fit in New England . . .
SHAQUEM GRIFFIN
Tale of the tape: 6-1; 227 pounds; 32-inch arms
Calling on the combine: 4.38-second 40-yard dash; 20 bench reps (with a prosthetic arm to help him balance the bar); 9-foot-9 broad jump
Strengths: You know Griffin's story by now. His left hand was amputated when he was four years old because he was living in constant pain due to a prenatal condition that prevented his hand from developing. Hasn't mattered. He was the AAC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 after recording 92 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks. He was a First-Team all-conference selection last year, helping UCF finish its season undefeated . . . and he destroyed the combine. His athleticism and strong instincts made him into an every-down player at the collegiate level, and there are plays on tape of him doing just about everything. He rushed from the edge, he blitzed, he aligned over slot receivers, he forced fumbles, he broke up passes, he made interceptions, he finished tackles violently. In a game against Memphis in February, he ripped a loose ball away from an opponent when both players had both arms wrapped around the thing. Later in the same game, he hit the quarterback and helped force a game-winning interception. His effort stands out, and one NFL assistant described him as a "courageous" player whose athleticism should help him earn a shot somewhere in the kicking game.
Weaknesses: Coaching staffs and front offices will have questions as to how playing with only one hand will limit him in terms of his ability to get off of blocks and finish tackles against other pros. He was noticeably better at getting off of blockers when aligned on the defensive left, according to one evaluator. Will teams be willing to give him a regular defensive role if they are forced to play him on one side consistently? His frame is also an issue. Scouts say he's been carrying additional weight during the pre-draft process so he may play closer to 220 pounds or less. Can he play on the edge, where he was extremely productive as a pass-rusher, at that size? Should he be more of an off-the-ball linebacker? Even there, at a position where players are getting smaller and more athletic, he's on the light side and would be in danger of getting engulfed by bigger blockers. His motor was inconsistent at times at UCF, and he freelanced a bit when dropping into zone coverage as a collegian.
Patriots fit: Griffin is an impressive athlete, and the Patriots would certainly ask him to cover kicks if he ended up in New England. He saw work on special teams at this year's Senior Bowl, and he played special teams early in his college career. Defensively, the Patriots would have to get creative with Griffin. They might also have to be comfortable using him on one side of their defense, whether he's off the line or on the edge. He has a good speed rush and a tricky spin move that could make him an enticing Day 3 pass-rush prospect, but he doesn't come close to the physical measurables the Patriots typically want on the edge. It's hard to foresee a defensive role for Griffin, but because the Patriots are a team that values special teams so highly, and because Griffin looks like he could excel in that area, it would not come as a surprise if the Patriots rolled the dice on him with one of their sixth-rounders. They currently don't have a pick in the fourth or fifth rounds so they miss out on Griffin if that holds true on draft weekend.
SKAI MOORE
Tale of the tape: 6-2, 226, 32-inch arms
Calling on the combine: 4.73-second 40-yard dash; 36-inch vertical; 9-foot-9 broad
Strengths: Want production? Moore is as productive as they come. And he did it in the SEC. He led his team in tackles for four years, showing his next-level feel for the game. One linebackers coach called him one of the most instinctive players in the class. A herniated disc in Moore's neck required surgery and robbed him of his 2016 season, but he came back last season to capture first-team all-conference honors after posting 93 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions. Very effective in coverage and possesses tremendous ball skills, Moore had seven picks in his last two seasons. He's not the best athlete at his position, but he reads his keys quickly and gets good depth as he drops into his zones. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed only 62 yards and a passer rating of 49.9 in coverage on 26 targets last season.
Weaknesses: Though Moore came back strong from neck surgery, he'll have to prove to teams that he's fully recovered and worthy of a draft pick. He was banged up over the course of his career, and some who've scouted him wonder how healthy he'll be when he lands in an NFL city. There were multiple incidents in college that, for some clubs, will call Moore's character into question. Athletically, despite his strong work in coverage, he's just not nearly as explosive as some of his peers that will go ahead of him in the draft. For someone with his frame, a better combine showing would've gone a long way.
Patriots fit: Belichick made the trip to South Carolina for the Gamecocks pro day, and he reportedly spent a significant amount of time with Moore. Makes sense. To do what Moore did in the conference he did it in would grab Belichick's attention. Instincts like Moore's are hard to find. And given that Moore thrives in coverage -- an area of the Patriots second-level defense that could use an upgrade -- he seems like a nice fit for the Patriots. But where exactly would he play? Moore's not going to be big enough to play as a true "Mike" linebacker. He might not be athletic enough to play the "Will." Based on his ball skills and his frame, he may be best suited to one day try a Patrick Chung-style box safety role. We know he can tackle. We know he's comfortable dropping into coverage. The question is can he match the speed he'll see at the next level from backs and tight ends? His special-teams fit is hard to peg at the moment, too. He has a build that seems ideal for kick coverage, but if he's not fast enough to get down the field with some of the burners on New England's special teams units, it may be tough to find him a role. His injury history and some of the off-the-field stuff may force the Patriots to hesitate if Moore's name is still on the board in the third round. Clemson's Dorian O'Daniel (6-1, 223) is another undersized linebacker whose college production doesn't match Moore's, but he's a better athlete (4.61-second 40, 6.64-second three-cone), and he has extensive special-teams experience, which may interest the Patriots in the later rounds.