2017 Patriots Draft Contacts Thread

[manxman2601]

Yay! My favourite thread of the year. First contacts come via Rich Hill

NFL Draft contact tracker: Which prospects have the Patriots met with in 2017?


QB

Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech - informal meeting combine

RB

D'Onta Foreman, Texas - Combine Interview
Jahad Thomas, Temple - Combine Interview
Alvin Kamara, Tennessee - Pro day contact (BB)
De'Veon Smith, Michigan - Pro Day meeting (Caserio?)
Kareem Hunt, Toledo - Combine interview


WR

Noel Thomas, UConn - Spoke with Patriots at combine
ArDarius Stewart, Alabama - Combine Interview
Tanner Gentry, Wyoming - Pro day meeting
Drew Morgan, Arkansas, Shrine Game

TE

Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech - informal meeting combine
Jordan Leggett, Clemson - Combine Interview
David Njoku, Miami - Combine Interview
Adam Shaheen, Ashland - Combine Interview
Jason Croom, Tennessee - Pro day contact (BB)




OL

Roderick Johnson, FSU - informal meeting at combine
Sam Tevi, Utah - Pro day meeting


DL

Josh Tupou, Colorado - Shrine Game
Chris Wormley, Michigan - Senior Bowl
Tanzel Smart, Tulane - Senior Bowl
Elijah Qualls, Washington - Combine interview



EDGE/LB

Jimmie Gilbert, Colorado - Shrine Game
Carroll Phillips, Illinois - Senior Bowl
Derek Rivers, Youngstown State - Senior Bowl
Carl Lawson, Auburn - Combine Interview
Charles Harris, Missouri - Combine Interview
Jordan Willis, Kansas State - Senior Bowl
Derek Barnett, Tennessee - Pro day contact (BB)
Corey Vereen, Tennessee - Pro day contact (BB)
Tarrell Basham, Ohio - Private workout (BB)
DeMarcus Walker, FSU - Combine interview

Off Ball LB

TJ Holloman, S Carolina - Pro day contact
Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt - Pro day Workout (BB)
Jaylen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee - Pro Day contact (BB)
Eric Wilson, Cincinnati - Private workout
James Onwualu, Notre Dame - pro day contact (Patricia)
Rae'kwon McMillan, Ohio State - pro day meeting


CB

Teez Tabor, Florida - Combine interview
Kevin King, Washington - Pro Day Contact
Cameron Sutton, Tennessee - Pro day contact (BB)

S

Leon McQuay III, USC - Shrine Game
Obi Melifonwu, UConn - Senior Bowl, Combine Interview, two scouts watched at pro day
Marcus Williams, Utah - Combine Interview
Josh Jones, N Carolina St. - Pro day meeting
Delano Hill, Michigan - Pro day meeting

 

[luuked]

Yes @manxman2601 it's my favorite thread of the draft season as well (apart from the live thread during draft night). Lots of interesting speculation and reading of tea leaves..

 

[manxman2601]

Yes @manxman2601 it's my favorite thread of the draft season as well (apart from the live thread during draft night). Lots of interesting speculation and reading of tea leaves..

It helps give you an idea of the positions they're looking at and how important they consider those positions to be in terms of draft position.

Last year, Cyrus, Jonathan Jones, CJ Johnson, Malcolm Mitchell and Lucien were on the list. And apparently we met with KGH the day before the draft so it was missed by those reporting this kind of thing.

 

[manxman2601]

Lance Zierlein on Tupou's strengths:

STRENGTHS
Wide as a house. Squatty frame with big, strong legs. Can drop a heavy anchor and man his area of the turf. Centers struggle to get any kind of movement against him without help. Space-eater who can post and eat up the gaps. Good upper body strength to fend off shoulder or hip-torque moves to tilt him off balance.

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Tupou

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

If they are looking at Tupou, donuts to dollars says that Joe Augusta will be on their board. A little bigger and more athletic than Tupou, but will need some coaching to unleash his talent. These are two of the only true NTs in this draft. Alan Branch insurance?

No combine invite for either, so we won't get any more follow up with either, any time soon at least.

 

[manxman2601]

If they are looking at Tupou, donuts to dollars says that Joe Augusta will be on their board. A little bigger and more athletic than Tupou, but will need some coaching to unleash his talent. These are two of the only true NTs in this draft. Alan Branch insurance?

No combine invite for either, so we won't get any more follow up with either, any time soon at least.

USC has an unpronounceable NT too don't they?

Yep. Stevie Tu'ikolovatu

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

USC has an unpronounceable NT too don't they?

Yep. Stevie Tu'ikolovatu

Yep, he's closer to Tupou, as a straight run stopper I believe. Augusta has the far higher ceiling compared to the other two, but has less of a niche carved out in the pros. At least with Tupou and Alphabet, you know they can play on designated run plays from day one.

 

[manxman2601]

Yep, he's closer to Tupou, as a straight run stopper I believe. Augusta has the far higher ceiling compared to the other two, but has less of a niche carved out in the pros. At least with Tupou and Alphabet, you know they can play on designated run plays from day one.

Just a note, it's Josh Augusta. Did a google search for Joe and thought he was a figment of your imagination because I couldn't find him anywhere .

I haven't watched either so I'm going by Lance Zierlein's break down and his comments on both Augusta and Tupou are almost exactly the same. Big immovable objects with little in the way of lateral movement ability. He rates 'alphabet' a fair bit higher.

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Stevie Tu'ikolovatu

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Augusta

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Tupou

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Just a note, it's Josh Augusta. Did a google search for Joe and thought he was a figment of your imagination because I couldn't find him anywhere .

I haven't watched either so I'm going by Lance Zierlein's break down and his comments on both Augusta and Tupou are almost exactly the same. Big immovable objects with little in the way of lateral movement ability. He rates 'alphabet' a fair bit higher.

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Stevie Tu'ikolovatu

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Augusta

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Tupou

Hah, I clearly have too many names kicking around my head.

That's a pretty common mindset with Augusta, but I think it's focused on this season when he played about 20lbs heavier than he should have. As a junior, he had some really solid movement skills, but he just looked gassed and slow this past year.

I imagine a team that trusts their strength and conditioning team, and only looks at tape from his Junior season will move towards Augusta. But, some teams will just want that big run stopper as well.

 

[long distance]

I have some names NE scouts were reportedly possibly scouting in games/practices during the season if that means anything ..

OT Adam Bisnowaty, Pitt (6’6, 305)

TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech (6’6, 245)

ED Ejuan Price, Pittsburgh (6’0, 255)

RB James Conner, Pittsburgh (6’2, 240, 4.60)

RB Wayne Gallman, Clemson (6’1, 215)

 

[manxman2601]

I have some names NE scouts were reportedly possibly scouting in games during the season if that means anything ..

OT Adam Bisnowaty, Pitt (6’6, 305)

TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech (6’6, 245)

ED Ejuan Price*, Pittsburgh (6’0, 255)

RB James Conner, Pittsburgh (6’2, 240, 4.60)

RB Wayne Gallman, Clemson (6’1, 215)

If only Bucky Hodges didn't drop so many balls he'd be quite the weapon.

 

[long distance]

They were reportedly heavily scouting RBs (some didn't declare) so it is likely this year they do take 1.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

FYI. Typo on the weight for the Colorado nose tackle. It's 326 not 362.

 

[manxman2601]

FYI. Typo on the weight for the Colorado nose tackle. It's 326 not 362.

362 according to the Shrine game weigh ins.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

362 according to the Shrine game weigh ins.

Nope. The weigh in reported was a typo. I double-checked several different sources, and most had him at 326, while a few others had the digits transposed / copied the original report.

 

[manxman2601]

Nope. The weigh in reported was a typo. I double-checked several different sources, and most had him at 326, while a few others had the digits transposed / copied the original report.

That makes sense. Too much of a coincidence that the last two digits are the same but reversed. Thanks.

 

[manxman2601]

What I do like, as I'm a fan of the Colorado secondary, is that they've shown interest in two Colorado defenders. Means the team is on the Pats radar.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

That makes sense. Too much of a coincidence that the last two digits are the same but reversed. Thanks.

I only knew because I heard directly from an insider. I looked at pictures of Tupou and Augusta, and there's a big difference.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I only knew because I heard directly from an insider. I looked at pictures of Tupou and Augusta, and there's a big difference.

That does help a lot! If Tupou is only 326, I don't know where he fits. He is an absolute rock in all the good and bad ways.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

What I do like, as I'm a fan of the Colorado secondary, is that they've shown interest in two Colorado defenders. Means the team is on the Pats radar.

Plays on an earlier idea I had about scouting good positional groups together.

I remember when BB drafted Harmon, apparently way too high for people's interest, his reasoning was that every time they looked at tape of Ryan, Harmon was always in the right position. That stuff seems to matter to our staff, and should benefit some of the deeper positional groups out there for the secondary(Wash, Colo, fla, Bama, OhSt).