{"numbering":"asc","slides":[{"index":1,"title":"","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/spark_prototypical_2020_combine.jpg","caption":"

We haven't yet laid out our annual Prototypical Patriots series leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft, but last week's scouting combine put a number of players on our radar as fits in New England.

As a reminder, our series takes into account height, weight, athletic testing numbers, on-field production, off-field reputation and college program in determining who looks like a "prototype" when compared to what Bill Belichick has drafted over the last two decades.

Some names are very clearly going to be "prototypes" without much research. The speed demon from Alabama. The lineman from Georgia. But here we'll focus in on the measurements and testing portions of the formula, hitting you with one name per position that landed on our radar after a week of workouts in Indy...

"},{"index":3,"title":"Quarterback: Cole McDonald, Hawaii","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/cole_mcdonald_combine.jpg","caption":"

You know Justin Herbert and Jordan Love are going to make the list of prototypes. So what's with the Hawaii guy? Unless you're a Hawaii football fan, or unless if you're the NFL Wire's Mark Schofield, who discussed McDonald (and others) at length with us for the Next Pats Podcast, odds are you don't know much about McDonald. He projects to be a Day 3 pick.

But at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and with hands that measured over 9.5 inches, he checks most of the boxes the Patriots have typically drafted when it comes to stature. He also came in as one of the most athletic passers at the combine (4.58-second 40, 36-inch vertical, 7.13 three-cone). Though he's not a Power Five conference player, his statistical production was very good and he looks like he'll end up a late-round "prototype" once we get closer to the draft.

"},{"index":5,"title":"Tight End: Cole Kmet, Notre Dame","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/cole_kmet_combine.jpg","caption":"

Kmet wasn't exactly flying under the radar prior to the combine. In some places, he was getting attention as a potential first-round pick. I don't think he'll end up going in the top-32 in April, but he tested as a much better athlete in Indy than I anticipated he would. At 6-foot-6, 262 pounds with 10.5-inch hands, he came in as one of the biggest players at the position in this year's draft. The Patriots will appreciate that. But he also ran a 4.70 40-yard dash, jumped 37 inches in the vertical and 123 inches in the broad. He's an explosive athlete.

Consider this: Rob Gronkowski (coming off injury) ran a 4.68-second 40, jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical and 119 inches in the broad. Gronkowski's change-of-direction numbers were better (7.18 to 7.44 seconds in the three-cone), but Kmet is certainly athletic enough to deserve consideration at One Patriot Place. Dayton's Adam Trautman (6.78 three-cone) deserves an honorable mention for that one particularly absurd time. Moving a 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame that way isn't normal.

"},{"index":7,"title":"Receiver: Denzel Mims, Baylor","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/denzel_mims_combine.jpg","caption":"

The Patriots can be picky when it comes to what they want out of their receivers athletically. On average, the outside-the-numbers types they've drafted highly have about a 4.40 40, a 6.87 three-cone and a 36.5-inch vertical. They're freaks. Mims, at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, fits the bill. He ran a 4.38-second 40, jumped 38.5 inches in the vertical and 131 inches in the broad. Plus, his 6.66 three-cone time -- better than the average slot receiver the Patriots have drafted -- was remarkable.

His 4.43-second short shuttle was a tick slower than what the Patriots typically like, but because the shuttle and cone times were not impressive for the vast majority of other receivers -- many skipped agility drills altogether -- Mims was one of the few who tested out as a clear Patriots fit when it comes to speed, explosiveness and balance. Only four receivers hit sub-7.0 seconds in the three cone. USC's Michael Pittman (6.96 three-cone at 6-4, 223 pounds) was one of them.

"},{"index":9,"title":"Running Back: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/jonathan_taylor_combine.jpg","caption":"

What do the Patriots what to do with Damien Harris? Is he the next "big back" in New England? Looks that way, with Sony Michel there as the lead man at the moment. If they ever felt they needed a beefier backfield, though, Taylor would make a lot of sense. At 5-foot-10, 226 pounds, he ran a remarkable 4.39-second 40 with a 36-inch vertical and a 7.01-second three-cone. That's moving a large frame.

Among the most impressive pass-catching backs in Indianapolis was Cam Akers from Florida State (30 catches last season), who ran a 4.47 40 to go along with 35.5-inch vertical and 122-inch broad jumps. Memphis receiver Antonio Gibson, who worked out at running back at the Senior Bowl, is another big-time athlete who looks like an exciting sub-back prospect.

"},{"index":11,"title":"Guard: Danny Pinter, Ball State","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/danny_pinter_combine.jpg","caption":"

The hype is real. Not necessarily about Pinter. He's hardly been hyped, as far as I can tell. That's why he's on this list. Going for under-the-radar-ish guys here. But the hype about this offensive line class is . . . legitimate. Not only are there players with hours of impressive tape who will go in the first round, there are athletes. Everywhere.

Pinter was one I'd never heard of prior to the draft. He played tackle the last two seasons after transitioning from tight end, but he might be a fit for the Patriots at guard, where they'll likely be looking for candidates to replace Joe Thuney. His 6-foot-4, 306-pound frame would fit inside, as would his athleticism. He ran a 4.91-second 40, jumped 29.5 inches in the vertical and 110 inches in the broad. His three-cone wasn't great (7.76 seconds), but he checked a lot of boxes as a late-round option. Temple's Matt Hennessy wasn't quite as fast (5.18-second 40) but had a better three-cone time (7.45 seconds) and might be an even better fit inside.

"},{"index":13,"title":"Tackle: Ezra Cleveland, Boise State","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/ezra_cleveland_combine.jpg","caption":"

Like Pinter, Cleveland isn't the "prototype" in that he's from a non-Power Five program. He was perhaps the most athletic tackle at the combine (4.93 40, 30-inch vertical, 7.26-second three-cone time), though. The Patriots have both starters at the tackle spots returning from 2019, and they drafted a tackle who took a red-shirt year in Yodny Cajuste. But if an athlete like Cleveland is available at a point in the draft that makes sense, his athleticism makes him one of the most intriguing trench athletes in this year's class.

"},{"index":15,"title":"Linebacker: Malik Harrison, Ohio State","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/malik_harrison_combine.jpg","caption":"

Harrison of Ohio State, someone we pegged as a Patriots type based on his size alone during Senior Bowl week, tested like a monster and deserves to be mentioned here. He's 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, one of the biggest off-ball 'backers at the combine, and still ran a 6.83-second three-cone with some explosive jumps (36-inch vertical, 122-inch broad jump).

Bonus player? For a team that likes its off-the-ball linebackers to have some size, Wyoming's Logan Wilson isn't the tallest (6-foot-2) but he is sturdy (241 pounds). His 4.63-second 40, 7.07 three-cone and 4.27 short-shuttle are all impressive for someone at that weight. Even if it's primarily as a special-teamer, Wilson's test numbers make him look like a fit in New England.

"},{"index":17,"title":"Edge: Casey Toohill, Stanford","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/casey_toohill_combine.jpg","caption":"

At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Toohill looks built to play as an outside linebacker in Belichick's 3-4 style defense. Athletically, he nailed every test in Indy, running a 4.62 40, jumping 39 inches in the vertical and 126 inches in the broad. Pair that with a blazing 7.08-second three-cone and a 4.21 shuttle and you have one of this year's top front-seven testers. Toohill had eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season.

North Dakota State's Derrek Tuszka gets the honorable mention here after running a 6.87-second three-cone at 6-foot-4, 251 pounds.

"},{"index":19,"title":"Nose Tackle: Leki Fotu, Utah","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/leki_fotu_combine.jpg","caption":"

Fotu might've been the only true nose at the combine at 6-foot-5, 330 pounds. A mountain of a man with 10.5-inch hands and 34-inch arms, Fotu has some athleticism. He clocked a respectable 5.15-second 40 time at that weight. If the Patriots have to replace free-agent-to-be Danny Shelton, maybe Fotu could enter the mix via the draft.

"},{"index":21,"title":"3-4 Defensive End: McTelvin Agim, Arkansas","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/mctelvin_agim_combine.jpg","caption":"

You want off the radar? You got it. Thing is, at this position, the options -- well-known or not -- were few and far between at the combine. There was a dearth of long, powerful five-technique ends who look like they might have the ability to play over offensive tackles and eat up space in a 3-4. Many have mocked Iowa's A.J. Epenesa to the Patriots, presumably to play this role, but at 275 pounds he'd be undersized. The Patriots tried to play a similarly-built player there last season, Deatrich Wise, and he was an awkward fit in the scheme.

The "prototype" is someone like Lawrence Guy or Ty Warren. Power players with some length who weigh over 300 pounds and can hold their ground. It's unclear if Agim is that type, but he looks the part at 6-foot-3, 309 pounds, with 10-inch hands and 33.5-inch arms. Agim also ran an impressive 4.98-second 40.

"},{"index":23,"title":"Cornerback: Michael Ojemudia, Iowa","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/michael_ojemudia_combine.jpg","caption":"

Patriots want athletes in their secondary. They look loaded at corner, but it's one of those positions where you can never have too many. With the standards being around a 4.5-second 40, a 6.75 three-cone, a 4.21 short shuttle, a 33-inch vertical and a 116-inch broad for corners drafted relatively highly in New England under Belichick, Ojemudia looks like their type. At 6-feet, 200 pounds, he has good size, and his explosiveness is obvious. He ran a 4.48 40, jumped 41 inches in the vertical and 135 inches in the broad. He did not do agility tests, though, so questions remain about his quickness.

Not the case with Penn State's John Reid (5-foot-10, 187 pounds), another "prototype," who ran a 4.49 40, a 6.95-second three-cone and a ridiculous 3.97-second short shuttle. That's elite change-of-direction ability. And he was explosive to boot, with a 36.5-inch vert and a 129-inch broad. Reid could end up a slot option if the Patriots want to play Jonathan Jones more at safety next season.

"},{"index":25,"title":"Safety: K'Von Wallace, Clemson","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2020/03/05/kvon_wallace_combine.jpg","caption":"

Is he a safety? Is he really a slot corner? We'll find out. The latter was Wallace's primary role in college. Either way, we know he's an athlete. His 4.53-second 40 is fast enough, but it's his 38-inch vertical and his 133-inch broad jump that indicate he'll be explosive in tight spots down by the line of scrimmage. He'll also have no problem adjusting to the quickness exhibited at the pro level with his 6.76 three-cone and 4.15-second short shuttle times.

Kyle Dugger from Division 2 Lenoir-Rhyne and Wallace's Clemson teammate Tanner Muse are also worth keeping track of during the pre-draft process. Dugger could end up going in the first round after recording a 42-inch vertical and a 134-inch broad to go along with a 4.49-second 40 at 6-1, 217 pounds. Muse, meanwhile, clocked a 4.41 at 6-foot-2, 227 pounds. He could be a later-round special-teamer with upside to be either a box safety or an undersized linebacker.

"}]}

Patriots prototypes pop at NFL Scouting Combine