The New England Patriots needed a tight end in the 2019 NFL Draft, but that need was elevated by Rob Gronkowski‘s recent retirement. Gronkowski was a once-in-a-lifetime talent and nobody can directly replace him. Despite this, the Patriots need to invest in some better tight ends, as Matt LaCosse and Jacob Hollister currently top the depth chart. With six picks in the first three rounds, the New England Patriots could look to add Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. to the tight end room.

Jeffery Simmons: New England Patriots 2019 NFL Draft Targets

New England Patriots 2019 NFL Draft Targets: Irv Smith Jr.

Smith Jr. spent the 2018 season establishing himself as one of the best dual-threat tight ends in college football. Appearing in 15 games, the tight end recorded 44 receptions for 710 yards and seven touchdowns. Showing a knack for getting open in the red zone, Smith Jr. could immediately help an offense which ranked 12th in red zone touchdown percentage.

What truly sets Smith Jr. apart from his competition, however, is his run blocking. T.J. Hockenson is the best all-around tight end in the class, but he should be long gone by the time the Patriots are on the board. Outside of Hockenson, nobody in this draft class boasts Smith’s combined blocking and receiving ability. Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen were two of the best run-blocking tight ends in football, and neither will be back for 2019. Even if it takes Smith Jr. some time to develop chemistry with quarterback Tom Brady, the Alabama product can immediately contribute in the blocking game.

Fellow tight end prospect Noah Fant might be the better pass-catcher, but he’s a liability as a blocker. Even if he fell down to 32, the Patriots might pass on the Iowa product. New England ran the ball on 54.91% of their offensive snaps last season, the seventh-highest rate in the league. With first-round pick Sony Michel set to take on a larger role, the Patriots will need to find a tight end who can open holes in the running game while also contributing in the passing game. Smith Jr. fits this job description to a tee.

The Downside

Smith Jr. has a high floor, but the Alabama product has a relatively low ceiling. The Louisiana native projects as a player who can be good at a lot of things, but never great at any one thing. Rob Gronkowski was great at everything, and Smith will never be able to replicate what Gronkowski meant to this offense.

The counterpoint to this is that Gronkowski was a generational talent and no single player could do what he could. Trying to replace Gronkowski straight-up will ultimately result in failure, so the best solution is not to try. The Patriots never replaced Randy Moss after 2010, yet New England’s offense has remained one of the best over the past decade. They did this by reinventing themselves on the fly, and they’ll have to do it again. The Patriots don’t need another elite tight end but instead should work on grabbing a well-rounded player who can do a little bit of everything.

Outside of not being Rob Gronkowski, there’s not much to dislike about Irv Smith Jr. By all accounts, he’s a team-first player capable of doing anything asked of him. He spent his collegiate tenure under former Bill Belichick disciple Nick Saban, so he should respond well to New England’s coaching.

Last Word on Irv Smith Jr.

Irv Smith Jr. is exactly what the 2019 Patriots need. Anyone expecting Smith Jr. to replace Gronkowski is going to be disappointed, simply because Gronkowski cannot be replaced. The Patriots need a tight end who can block and catch 40-50 passes a season, and that’s exactly what Smith Jr. is.

Drafting Smith Jr. with the 32nd overall pick is probably a reach, but he should be a no-brainer selection if he falls to pick 56. The Patriots have three third-round picks, so they could easily trade up to grab him in the second while taking the best player available at 32.

Conversely, the Patriots could choose to trade down from the 32nd overall selection. Unless a player like Christian Wilkins falls to the end of the first, there won’t be much of a talent difference between the 32nd pick and the 56th. The Patriots could easily trade out of 32 for a 2019 second-round pick and a mid-round pick. If they do this, New England could still get their guy in Smith while gaining more draft capital.

Jeffery Simmons: New England Patriots 2019 NFL Draft Targets

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