Offensive draft prospects who fit Bill Belichick's early-90s wish list

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Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Network stumbled upon a gem late last month. In the middle of some spring cleaning, he found a set of notes he was given during a "scout school" session during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. Now the lead draft analyst for NFL Network, they were notes Jeremiah was happy to rediscover.

Compiled by scout Dom Anile, who'd previously worked for the Browns under head coach Bill Belichick, the notes were dated Feb. 13, 1991. In those sentences and paragraphs, chock full of scout speak, were position-by-position traits of what Belichick wanted his staff to be looking for as their roster was built.

With the 2020 draft just days away -- and the meeting that resulted in those notes almost 30 years in the rearview -- it's an interesting exercise to try find matches for Belichick's wish list at each position. Let's start where Anile's bullets did, on the offensive line.

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OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Lucas Niang, TCU

"Big guys who are strong [and] powerful players," is how Belichick's wish list begins. Sure that's Louisville's Mekhi Becton (6-foot-7, 364 pounds) and Iowa's Tristan Wirfs (6-5, 320), but those are potential top-10 selections.

Someone who might be found a little later in the draft who fits this description? Niang, who checks in at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds. He still has the "frame to get bigger" if needed, but he's already a mammoth human with 34-inch arms and 10.5-inch hands. Someone who can most definitely get his hands on people, Niang also checks the boxes of "nasty" and "smart."

The Athletic describes him as someone who "competes with fire," and his football IQ is evident. He committed only three penalties in his career (almost 2,000 snaps) and did not allow a sack. Hip surgery cut his 2019 season short and will likely drop him down boards.

GUARD: Robert Hunt, Louisiana-Lafayette

Hunt is another big dude (6-5, 323) who can both knock people off the ball and keep them on the line of scrimmage in passing situations. Though competing largely against lesser competition, Hunt allowed just two pressures on 196 pass-blocking snaps in 2019, per Pro Football Focus. He also had PFF's fourth-highest run-blocking grade.

And for anyone concerned those metrics might be a fluke, give him a look against Mississippi State in Week 1. He was a monster at right tackle, but his skills will play at guard at the next level. Former Belichick pupil and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said of Hunt, "Plays nasty and angry. Love it. Should be a very good pro."

TIGHT END: Devin Asiasi, UCLA

This was a tough decision. "Has to be a catcher," according to the wish list. Blocking? Not as important as you might think. "We can work around his blocking ability." In order, duties listed are "catch, run, block." It's also noted that a "good measure" of a tight end is "what he does after the catch." The best player after the catch at this position is probably Hunter Bryant from Washington. But he's about the size listed for the No. 2 or 3 tight end, indicating he's "not quite a TE but not fast enough to be a WO."

Next-best after the catch is Harrison Bryant from Florida Atlantic, but he's had issues with drops, which violates the first line in the description we're trying to fill. Notre Dame's Cole Kmet and Dayton's Adam Trautman both have traditional tight end size but don't offer much after the catch. We settled on Asiasi because of his size (6-3, 257 with long 33-inch arms), his hands (one drop in 2019) and his after-the-catch work (5.6 yards after the catch per reception, per PFF). That he's a determined blocker is gravy.

NO. 2 TIGHT END: Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech

The player in this role "needs to be the blocker for situational running situations" and can be an "in betweener." This is the type who's not quite a tight end, nor a receiver. A "6-3, 235 minimum type guy" who's "big enough to get in the way." That looks like Keene, who could end up a hybrid player at the next level. The 6-4, 253-pounder played all over the Hokies offense -- inline, fullback, slot, H-back -- and is also a load after the catch (nine broken tackles on 59 catches, per PFF). He was one of the better athletes at the position at this year's combine and should be a special-teams factor early on.

RUNNING BACK: Zack Moss, Utah

Belichick was looking for a tough inside runner back in 1991, someone who was a "n/s" (or north-south) guy who "has enough to bounce it outside." Moss (5-9, 223 pounds) seems like that type. He can run through defenders and has broken 0.33 tackles per attempt over the last three years, which is third-best among backs in that time, according to PFF. His PFF pass-protection grade has also been above-average during that stretch so he has the ability to "step up and take on the blitz."

Now "needs to be able to catch the ball" is a lot to ask of some of these tough runners, but Moss can. It may not be his forte, necessarily, but he grabbed 28 of 31 targets sent his way in 2019.

THIRD-DOWN RUNNING BACK: Antonio Gibson, Memphis

A complement to the No. 1 back on this wish list, the third-down back "needs to be smart enough to block the right guy on the blitz . . . and can catch." It's noted that this player does "not have to be a runner necessarily."

Gibson fits. He wasn't a runner necessarily. He was used primarily as a wideout last season. But his combination of size (6-feet, 228 pounds), athleticism and hands make him an intriguing pass-catching back option. He broke 17 tackles on 38 catches last season and broke 16 more on 33 rush attempts. He's elusiveness personified. Plus, according to the Athletic, he "pounces in pass protection with physical hands and the blocking attitude desired."

RECEIVER: Michael Pittman Jr., USC

The list here is pretty straightforward. "Get off [line of scrimmage] . . . catch . . . run disciplined routes . . . needs good running ability after the catch." Speed? Well, according to this wish list, "speed only enters the equation in relation to players' ability to escape the [line of scrimmage]." Not only that! "Good leap and timing are more important than speed." It even sounds like "upper body strength and quickness" are more significant prerequisites than speed.

Pittman isn't slow (4.52-second 40 at 6-4, 223 pounds), but speed isn't his game. The other stuff listed here is. He releases off the line of scrimmage cleanly using his strength against smaller defensive backs. He catches everything (five drops on 176 catchable passes, according to PFF). He has the quickness to run sharp routes (6.96-second three-cone, 4.14-second short-shuttle). He's also strong and determined enough to create after the catch, forcing 14 missed tackles last season.

And you want leaping ability? He might have the best catch radius in the draft class, with the length and body control to suck up targets steered high and away from coverage.

QUARTERBACK: Jake Luton, Oregon State

Well now. Didn't think this is the name that we'd end up seeing here. But let's run through the qualifications.

No. 1? "Make good decisions." The argument could be made that Luton did that as well as any quarterback last year, throwing 28 touchdowns against just three interceptions -- one of just three quarterbacks in the country with 21 touchdown passes and three or fewer picks. The other two? Two of the best passers in each of the next two draft classes: Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Justin Fields.

"Then arm." OK. At 6-foot-6, 224 pounds with 10.5-inch hands, Luton has enough there to drive the football. He won't be mistaken for Oregon's Justin Herbert or Washington's Jacob Eason any time soon. But Luton has plenty of zip.

The rest? "Size" (check) . . . "physically tough" (check; returned to full strength after suffering a thoracic spine fracture in 2017) . . . "leadership" (check; 2019 captain) . . . "can't be sloppy, fundamentally unsound guy with ball-handling, [techniques], etc." (check; no fumbles in 2019) . . . they're all there.

Georgia's Jake Fromm challenges Luton from a character and decision-making standpoint (only one turnover-worthy play on 445 dropbacks last season). But Fromm's arm and size aren't quite at the same level. Projected No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow is the best option here based on this wish list. But when you factor everything together, Luton might be the next best representation of this desired blend of traits.

We'll hit the defensive side of the ball tomorrow.

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