2020 NFL Draft – Potential Patriots Targets

The New England Patriots will certainly be very active in this years’ NFL Draft. They could maybe be even more active than ever before. This year’s cap space is small and the need to bring new young talent remains a focal point for this football team. Here are a few targets that I believe the Patriots will be on a hot pursuit for.

Defensive End: A.J. Epenesa, Iowa

Honestly, what’s not to love about this guy and how can his talent be denied coming up onto the NFL. There is no question in my mind that Bill Belichick needs to bring more size and power on defense. This guy right here as the 23rd pick of the first round would not be a bad start for the Patriots’ 2020 Draft on April 23rd. I know Epenesa isn’t what one would consider as an “elite” tester. But, AJ is definitely productive, fast and his strength is undeniable. This makes him a perfect fit for the New England profile “Do Your Job”.

Kicker, Tyler Bass – Georgia Southern

New England will certainly be in the hunt for a kicker. There is definitely talent found on this guy right here, Tyler Bass. At 23 years old, Bass is very much a sound kicker with a very strong leg and he puts it to good use. His 2019 stats also can speak for his performance and what he can bring to this New England Patriots team:

2019 Stats: 13 games; 20 of 28 field goals (71%, 2 blocks), (100% performance on extra points), 1 out of bounds, 55 touchbacks, 72 kickoffs, 2 tackles.

I can certainly see why Bill Belichick would be after him, he has a really good range, excellent kicker between the 30-50 yard lines. Sure, his profile is not high, but Belichick can do wonders with low profiles!

Linebacker, Malik Harrison – Ohio State

Malik Harrison might honestly be one of the most sensational draft picks and frankly fits perfectly for what the New England Patriots may be looking for in this position. Harrison is strong at recognizing plays, even the ones meant to misdirect. He can naturally find the ball, and has great patience in the versus play-action area. The LB brings a solid range horizontally when asked to play sideline-to-sideline. Harrison is also a very strong player capable of challenging blockers. He drops his shoulders well, is great at blitzing and his confidence is also a strength. One of the few weaknesses I can see in this guy is, he struggles having to drop in open space for coverage. But, I can see Jerod Mayo certainly working with him a lot to improve this part of his game.

Quarterback, James Morgan – Florida International

With no clear understanding on who New England’s next quarterback will be, it is clear to me that New England will be chasing after talent in this position. Jarrett Stidham at the moment seems like the most logical choice for the starting position. But in this area, there’s a need for size and this may just be the exact fit for those needs. Josh and Bill would certainly be in the chase to groom and develop someone alongside of veteran Brian Hoyer and Stidham. Personally, I think Morgan would be the way to go. Florida International’s James Morgan brings ideal size to the table to succeed as a pocket passer. While he may be mostly a developmental prospect, he does pose a lot of intriguing traits. Morgan, 22 years old, is certainly not afraid to pull the trigger in the pocket at the last second. His arm is steady and fast. The accuracy is solid on both short and intermediately. One of his weaknesses is his arm isn’t as strong, tends to float his passes and also misses his receivers high. Personally, I do see Bill choosing to go this route. After all, it is reported that he had a virtual visit with the Patriots.

Linebacker, Zack Baun – Wisconsin

This years’ 2020 draft offers plenty of depth and talent in this area. Especially on the edge and moving positions, Zack Baun’s performance and talent may be one that New England Patriots can’t pass up. Baun would be a tremendous boost for New England with capabilities of filling numerous roles in defense. His versatility, size, arm length, and speed could become a gigantic asset for New England allowing Baun to become a hybrid linebacker like Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy, filling the gap left. Although, Baun may need to bulk up, improve his bull rush, and work on staying healthy given his injury history, I believe Kraft and Belichick would be after him.

Offensive Tackle, Joshua Jones – Houston

While New England is expected to count on Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon along with 2019 third-round pick, Yodny Cajuste, by adding Joshua Jones, New England would be bringing reliability to the position for the team.

Joshua Jones is explosive. The man checks off all the boxes for size, can dominate the position quite well, has length and demeanor. He also brings a lot of athleticism, can make difficult reach blocks, and is very good in the vertical and broad jump game end of things. My only concern with Jones is his injury history. He missed nine games last year due to knee injuries. That could become a concern for the team, especially as Cannon and Wynn are coming back from injuries as well. Overall, I do not see any harm in bringing more depth to the offensive line. Therefore, I could see him landing with the Patriots.

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