The New England Patriots are hot on the wide receiver trail ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft, and Mecole Hardman's Instagram page provides the latest evidence.
Hardman, a fleet-footed receiver prospect out of Georgia, recently posted a photo (since deleted) on his Instagram story from inside the Patriots' locker room, suggesting he's meeting with the team in Foxboro ahead of the draft.
Hardman is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 187 pounds but ran a scorching 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the exact same time as current 5-foot-10, 192-pound Patriots wideout Phillip Dorsett.
Hardman caught 35 passes for 543 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior last season before declaring for the NFL Draft a year early.
The Patriots' apparent interest in Hardman is no surprise. Bill Belichick attended Georgia's Pro Day in late March to check on Hardman and fellow wideout Riley Ridley, among others. The Patriots also took two Bulldogs with his first two picks in last year's draft: offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn and running back Sony Michel, whose nameplate is pictured in Hardman's photo above.
New England Patriots
Additionally, Hardman is projected as a third-round pick, which is around the time New England could consider drafting a wide receiver, as our Phil Perry points out in his latest seven-round Patriots mock draft.
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