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1. THE PATRIOTS SEEM TO HAVE NARROWED THEIR QB CHOICES

It's true the reporting done on meetings between prospects and teams at the NFL Combine is overrated. Every front office speaks annually with well over 100 players in Indianapolis, occasionally just for smokescreens and giggles. Especially in the Patriots' case, there's zero guarantee a combine conference is indicative of team interest in drafting that player.

Yet it can also be true an absence of contact may offer some insight into a team's process.

For example, New England's decision to formally interview zero quarterbacks, according to Patriots Wire, would indicate the team has largely made up its mind on this year's class. Because as one former assistant told MassLive, team evaluators often determine whether a quarterback can play in Foxborough during these type of sit-downs. But instead of trimming their list of potential Tom Brady successors in Indy, the Pats opted to sit across from other prospects.

Why?

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For starters, this quarterback class has a clear structure to it. Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins and Oklahoma's Kyler Murray are a cut above the competition. Any team that's outside the top 10 and unwilling to trade up for either passer can forget about drafting them.

Next up are Missouri's Drew Lock and Duke senior Daniel Jones, who simultaneously accepted as second-tier passers and potential first-round picks. Down below, most see Ryan Finley of N.C. State and West Virginia's Will Grier renting out the third tier with one or two others until late April. Arguments for Brett Rypien (Boise State), Tyree Jackson (Buffalo) and Jarrett Stidham (Auburn) as early Day 3 picks can also be made.

It's likely New England has ruled out Haskins and Murray and perhaps a few of the second and third-tier quarterbacks. Or maybe all of them. Or it's in love with Jones, Finley or Grier, all of whom have become Patriots in recent mock drafts.

Who knows?

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What is know is the Pats spoke with Grier and Jackson at the Senior Bowl and that Finley (who's said he's met with every team), Lock, Jones and Stidham were also there, along with Penn State's Trace McSorley and Washington State's Gardner Minshew. And that this all may mean nothing.

But assuming New England arrived having already dissected each player's college tape, the fact team brass gave this class the silent treatment in Indy should speak volumes.

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West Virginia QB Will Grier up now. Confident guy. Has met with the Patriots during the pre-draft process, but nothing on the schedule for here in Indy. Says he’s watched a lot of Tom Brady tape and that WVU incorporated Patriots plays into its offense. pic.twitter.com/Wl9iX0Ww6Z — Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) March 1, 2019

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2. NEW ENGLAND WON'T LACK FOR OPTIONS IN THE 1ST ROUND

At this point, Patriots fans can safely expect a happy ending on Day 1 of draft weekend.

Most experts see a small gap between prospects ranked in the high teens and low 40s, meaning least one top-25 talent should fall during the first round and perhaps all the way into New England's lap.

Keeping that in mind, here are a few players worthy of a top-25 pick who nonetheless may wait to hear their name called by the Pats at No. 32.

Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence

Notre Dame DT Jerry Tillery

Mississippi State DT Jeffery Simmons

Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown

Ole Miss WR A.J. Brown

Iowa TE Noah Fant

Delaware S Nasir Adderley

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3. BUT THE IOWA TIGHT ENDS MAY BE GONE BY THEN

There's a growing sense that the longer Rob Gronkowski takes to announce his decision of return vs. retire, the better the odds are he'll return.

If so, that's doubly good news for New England. The player most capable of replacing him — Iowa's T.J. Hockenson — should be long gone by the time the Pats pick at No. 32.

Hockenson finished second only to Fant in the vertical jump and broad jump, as well as the ever-important three-cone drill. Once the most popular projection to New England in first-round mock drafts, Hockenson could become a top-15 pick. Fant, on the other hand, blew away all position competition at the combine and should be a first-round lock.

He's not quite the blocker Hockenson is, but no one can boast to better receiving skills in this year's tight end class.

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Did the Iowa tight ends entrench themselves as top 15 picks at the #NFLCombine?



Noah Fant

40: 4.50 (1st for TEs)

Vert: 39.5” (1st)

Broad: 10’5” (1st)

3 cone: 6.81 (1st)



TJ Hockenson

40: 4.70 (7th)

Vert: 37.5” (2nd)

Broad: 10’2” (2nd)

3 cone: 7.02 (2nd) — Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) March 2, 2019

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4. PROJECTED PATRIOT WIDEOUTS SAW THEIR STOCK RISE

If you liked UMass star wideout Andy Isabella or Clemson slot receiver Hunter Renfrow or Ohio State's Terry McLaurin or West Virginia stud David Sills V before the combine, you are now part of a larger fan club since it ended.

All four receivers posted impressive times in the 40-yard dash and/or three-cone. Isabella seems destined to become a Day 2 pick after clocking a 4.31 in the 40. McLaurin's stock rose with high marks in every drill, as did Renfrow's with an excellent 6.8 in the three-cone.

New England rarely drafts a wideout in the first three rounds, but may be forced to make multiple exceptions this year in order to secure its top targets.

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5. NEW ENGLAND COULD LOAD UP ON D-LINE TALENT

The deepest position in this year's class, the defensive line somehow boosted its collective stock even higher with a series of ridiculous performances (See: 260-pound Montez Sweat running a 4.41-second 40).

Specific to the Pats, they could reasonably add multiple top-50 talents with selections at No. 32, 56 and 64 through names like Lawrence, Tillery, Boston College's Zach Allen and Michigan's Chase Winovich. The latter pair have been frequently tied to New England and would step in immediately if Trey Flowers leaves via free agency.

Winovich erased questions about his athleticism by flying to a 4.59-second time in the 40-yard dash — the fifth-best among defensive linemen — and an excellent 6.94 in the three-cone, the third-lowest produced by players at his position. Allen's relentlessness and versatility are apparent to anyone who's flipped on his film. It may be too late for the Pats if they wait to take him 56th.

Other names to follow either late Day 2 or Day 3: Alabama's Christian Miller, Akron's Jamal Davis, Eastern Michigan's Maxx Crosby, TCU's Ben Banogu and Texas product Charles Omenihu.

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The #Patriots should be in the D-line market come draft day. Here's how the DL often tied to the Pats performed at #NFLCombine, plus 5 DBs to watch today in Indy https://t.co/XuGNE0LY9f — Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) March 4, 2019

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6. DON'T DISCOUNT AN O-LINE SELECTION ON DAY 2

The 2019 offensive like class is headlined by two surefire top-15 picks and backboned by more than a dozen quality prospects.

A few said early last week they've met with the Patriots: Kansas State captain Dalton Risner, Ole Miss' Greg Little and Alabama State Tytus Howard. From this view, Howard is the most likely of the three to land in Foxborough.

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7. SAFETY CLASS INCLUDES A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PAT CHUNG SUCCESSORS

There were a few commonalities that emerged among the safeties who told reporters last week they'd been interviewed by the Patriots.

They were physical, versatile, tough and sure tacklers. Sound like anyone in New England's secondary?

Coming off a broken arm, Patrick Chung will turn 32 this summer and, like all veterans, will soon require a replacement. The same could be said for 31-year-old Devin McCourty, who only recently announced he would postpone retirement this offseason. In either case, expect New England to infuse some youth into the back end of its defense by drafting a safety.

Here are the names that came up in Indianapolis and/ir make sense given the team's draft track record at the position:

Washington's Taylor Rapp

Delaware's Nasir Adderley

Virginia's Juan Thornhill

Kentucky's Mike Edwards

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8. PATRIOTS MAY BE SEEKING ANOTHER JAMES WHITE

It would be outright stunning to see New England select a running back in the first round of consecutive drafts.

But after pick No. 32? Not so much.

Most of the backs mentioned with the Patriots at the combine shared a similar James White-like profile: smaller, shiftier backs with great receiving potential.

They were ...

Washington State's James Williams (5-9.5, 197)

Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams (5-8, 206)

Memphis' Tony Pollard (5-11, 210)

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9. UNDERSIZED LINEBACKER CLASS OFFERS POTENTIAL, CREATES QUESTIONS

Linebacker shouldn't rank among the Pats' top draft priorities this year, and yet it's one of the more interesting positions when searching for optimal fits.

Plenty of prospects meet the New England prototype requirements from a intangible or resumé standpoint — smart leaders who play with discipline and an undeniable toughness. Few, however, stack up physically.

Players like Notre Dame's Drue Tranquill, Minnesota's Blake Cashman, Florida's Vasean Joseph and New Mexico State's Terril Hanks among others are all undersized playmakers. Might the Pats be willing to sacrifice physical traits at the second level in a league that's growing faster and more pass-happy by the year?

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10. GREG SCHIANO CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH SCOUTING PROCESS

While New England wrapped up its latest Super Bowl run in late January, incoming defensive coordinator Greg Schiano scouted players down at the Senior Bowl without an official title.

A month later and still without an official title, he was spotted in a Lucas Oil Stadium booth surveying combine drills with Bill Belichick and later on Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort. Schiano is an expert on defensive back play and extremely familiar with his former players at Ohio State. His presence in Indianapolis was notable, and his knowledge of college prospects is surely being put to maximum use back at Gillette Stadium.

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NFL Network shows Greg Schiano and Patriots college scouting director Monti Ossenfort sitting side by side at the combine, watching closely as DBs work out. — Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) March 4, 2019