5 standouts from the Senior Bowl who make sense for the Patriots to draft
Recent history suggests that the Patriots will select multiple players who participated in this year's event.
One of the early stages of the NFL Draft process has come and gone, as Senior Bowl week wrapped up with Saturday’s All-Star game.
As many players made their cases to improve their draft stocks during practice and in the game, it’s likely that a future Patriots player participated at some point during the week. New England has routinely selected players who have participated in the game, drafting five players who participated in the 2023 Senior Bowl last year. Two of the Patriots’ last three first-round picks also participated in the Senior Bowl (Cole Strange and Mac Jones).
So, here are five players who stood out this past week who would make sense as possible draft picks for the Patriots.
South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler
If the Patriots opt to add a more proven veteran quarterback and bypass selecting one with the No. 3 overall pick, Rattler could be an option to add a young, backup quarterback in the early rounds of the draft.
The South Carolina product seemed to have the best week of all the quarterbacks in Mobile, Alabama, which included Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. During the practices, Rattler impressed scouts and draft evaluators with his decision-making and accuracy, helping him win top quarterback of the American Team during the sessions.
Rattler continued his impressive play during the game itself, completing all four of his passes for 65 yards. His best throw of the day came when he connected with Georgia wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint on a deep, 29-yard touchdown pass for a touchdown.
Rattler ended up winning MVP honors for the game despite playing in only two series.
While Rattler seemed to impress most people who were in attendance at the Senior Bowl this week, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler isn’t sure if he “dramatically” improved his draft stock at the event. Pro Football Network projected Rattler to be a late Day 2 pick or an early Day 3 pick prior to the Senior Bowl.
Rattler was once projected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft, but his struggles in 2021 not only caused his draft stock to take a hit, but he was also benched in favor of Caleb Williams at Oklahoma. He transferred to South Carolina after that season, throwing for 6,212 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions with seven rushing touchdowns over his 25 games with the Gamecocks.
Michigan WR Roman Wilson
Wilson made a handful of impressive plays that drew praise from evaluators in Mobile over the two practices he took part in. NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah wrote that Wilson was “super explosive,” while Brugler wrote that the Michigan receiver was able to get corners to get off balance deeper in routes.
In addition to showcasing quick speed, Wilson also showed off strong hands. One of the highlight plays of the week came when Wilson made a one-handed grab as he was falling along the sideline.
The performance at the Senior Bowl seemed to help Wilson’s draft stock as he didn’t get many pass-catching opportunities in Michigan’s run-heavy offense. He only had 48 receptions in 15 games this past season, but Wilson made big plays once he had the ball in his hands. He posted 789 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, including the game-tying grab in Michigan’s win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Wilson has a smaller frame for a wide receiver, being measured at 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds this past week. But his quickness and hands seem to have offset that as Wilson has been projected to be a possible Day 2 pick. In fact, Brugler believes Wilson has solidified himself as a top-75 prospect in the draft, making him a possible option for the Patriots with their second- or third-round pick.
Georgia WR Ladd McConkey
The former Bulldogs receiver continued his consistent play from his college days on the practice field at Mobile this past week and in Saturday’s game.
McConkey’s route running seemed to stand out the most among draft evaluators, with NFL Media’s Eric Edholm calling him a “thoughtful route-runner who attacks defenses with a well-defined route plan.” One particular play from Tuesday’s practice garnered a lot of attention on social media, with McConkey creating quick separation on a short out route before reaching down to make a reception in a 1-on-1 drill.
Unlike Wilson, McConkey played in Saturday’s game. He recorded just one reception, but he was still able to create separation on routes even when his quarterback didn’t throw the ball on target.
McConkey was among Georgia’s top players on offense over the last couple of seasons, recording 58 receptions for 762 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. His numbers took a dip in 2023 because he missed time due to back and ankle injuries. But he was productive in the games he appeared to be fully healthy in, recording a combined 17 receptions for 311 yards and two touchdowns over a three-game stretch in late October, early November that included ranked wins over Missouri and Ole Miss.
McConkey might actually be a first-round pick, with a handful of mock drafts having him selected late in Day 1. He seems to be a possible option though for the Patriots with the No. 34 overall pick if they want to select a wide receiver.
Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton
In terms of offensive linemen, no one seemed to garner more buzz from those at the Senior Bowl than Guyton.
Guyton’s size and athleticism were constantly praised by draft evaluators. He measured at 6-foot-7 and 328 pounds with 34 1/4-inch arms, showing he can more than play the part of an NFL offensive tackle. Jeremiah wrote that Guyton “lost a couple” of reps during 1-on-1 drills, but Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema wrote that he has natural strength that could overcome technique.
Guyton was only a full-time starter in college for one season, which could explain the questions about his blocking technique. He recorded just 1,081 snaps at offensive tackle in college, with the vast majority of those coming at right tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t give up a sack and only allowed 12 pressures this past season, per PFF.
The issue for the Patriots is that if they want to select Guyton, they might have to get creative. Both Jeremiah and Brugler wrote that they expect him to be selected in the top half of the first round as most mock drafts also have him selected in the middle of the first round, right in between the Patriots’ first two picks in the draft.
Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske
While the Patriots’ biggest needs fall on the offensive side of the ball, they can always use extra help on defense, especially along the defensive line.
Fiske was viewed as one of the big winners of the week, regardless of position. He was voted the top defensive lineman on the American Team during practices as those in attendance were impressed by his quickness.
Fiske was productive in the game as well, recording a sack, four tackles, and 1.5 tackles for loss. Charles Davis, who was on the call for the game on NFL Network, even said Fiske should have been named the game’s MVP for his constant disruptiveness.
Florida State had several standouts in its front seven this past season, and Fiske was among them. He recorded six sacks in 2023, including three in Florida State’s win over Louisville in the ACC title game. He was also credited for 22 pressures, according to PFF.
Prior to transferring to Florida State in 2023, Fiske was one of the top interior defensive linemen in the non-power conferences. He recorded six sacks and 58 total tackles with Western Michigan in 2022, being credited for 38 pressures by PFF that season.
Fiske is currently viewed as a Round 3 prospect in most mock drafts.
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