New England Patriots Possible Target in the 2015 NFL Draft – Jamison Crowder, WR Duke
 Jamison Crowder is a very productive, if undersized slot receiver out of Duke.With three straight 1000 yard seasons as well as a dangerous punt returner, he'll be a player to watch. (USA Today Image) |
As the 2015 NFL Draft draws closer we’ll profile some of the players that may be on the Patriots radar. Some of these players have already been linked to New England as possible targets others, we feel would be a great fit.
Check out our earlier 2015 NFL Draft profiles on PatsFans.com:
DE/OLB Nate Orchard from Utah
WR Tyrell Williams from Western Oregon
DT Jordan Phillips from Oklahoma
DT Carl Davis from Iowa
RB David Johnson from Northern Iowa
CB Steven Nelson from Oregon State
OLB Zack Hodges from Harvard
CB Ronald Darby from FSU
WR Devin Funchess from Michigan
OG A.J. Cann from South Carolina
RB Mike Davis from South Carolina
ILB Benadrick McKinney from Mississippi State
OLB Hau’oli Kikaha from Washington
T Jeremiah Poutasi from Utah
OLB Kyle Emanuel from North Dakota State
RB Jay Ajayi from Boise State
The Patriots don’t have a pressing need at wide receiver, their top three wide receivers return after a successful 2014 season and the team will be bolstered by the return of a healthy Aaron Dobson as well as Josh Boyce. Brian Tyms was re-signed and the tandem at tight end of Rob Gronkowski and Tim Wright was bolstered by Scott Chandler.
There are still openings available for depth and looking towards the future. The jury is still out on Dobson and Boyce as the team is waiting for them to become the players that were projected. With Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola in the fold, it will be hard for a youngster coming out of the draft to immediately make an impact but it also takes a lot of pressure off a young player drafted as it will allow him time to develop.
Jamison Crowder from Duke is a talented, extremely quick and productive slot receiver who is looking to become the first Blue Devil wide out to get drafted since 1990. Came off the bench as a freshman and then had three straight 1000 yard seasons.
A pint sized slot receiver at 5’8, 175, Crowder is considered more quick than fast but improved on a 4.56 time in the 40 to a 4.39 in a workout for the Patriots, he said as a result of improved technique at getting off the start fast.
Crowder has excellent route running skills as well as the ability to cut in and out of cuts on a dime. Has excellent burst at the line to top speed which will gain separation from defenders. A willing if undersized blocker, he’ll give himself up downfield.
Not afraid of running the tough routes over the middle, Crowder has played inside as well as outside and has special teams value as a punt returner.
Crowder in an interview with USA Today was asked to describe himself. “When NFL teams ask me about how I'll overcome my lack of size in the pros, the main thing I tell them is I'm a competitor, a fierce competitor,” he said. “Size doesn't matter — it's what's on the inside that really counts. All my life, I've been a guy that, first coming in, I've been overlooked. But once the rubber met the road, I showed the ability and always caught somebody's eye in some way or fashion. I'm going to play bigger than my size. I always have.”
Pros:
- Polished, crisp route runner, cuts sharp in and out with excellent balance
- Very productive slot receiver with three straight seasons of 1000 yards
- Good punt returner gives value in special teams
Cons:
- Smallish at 5’8, won’t win contested jump balls
- Has trouble against press man coverage due to size
- Most of his production comes from bubble screens and quick hit passes
Where can the Patriots can get him?: Crowder drew the interest of the Patriots for a reason, they’ve been successful with bringing in small, slot receiver types and make them successful with their preponderance on the short-to-medium passing game.
Crowder didn’t test well at the NFL Combine with a 40 time of 4.56 and short shuttle time of 7.17 but obviously the Patriots didn’t take that one as an end-all, be-all. So if he falls to be a Day 3 prospect….that would be an added bonus.
Crowder isn’t going to blow by corners and become a deep threat; he doesn’t have the length but can be sneaky fast and occasionally slip by defenders for a big gain. Crowder is much like the guys who have come before him in Foxboro; he’s quick, shifty and very reliable when the ball is there.
A very crisp route runner that is lightning fast out of his breaks, Crowder has been a very productive wide receiver…much like Tavon Austin. If he gets the ball in space he can be an extremely productive receiver. And with a talented core surrounding him with the Patriots he would be able to operate with some space.
His special teams value as a punt returner makes him even more valuable, notching four punt returns for touchdowns. Be sure to watch the highlight video below of his return ability. He won’t replace Danny Amendola this season, but if the Patriots make him their selection in the middle rounds, then you’d be looking at his eventual successor. Crowder compares to Austin and Eddie Royal in terms of size and playing ability.
Here is a highlight film of Crowder at Duke courtesy of NFL Draft Geek:
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