Tom E. Curran tells us who he thinks the Patriots will be trying to get a better read on at the Combine in Indy.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College, 6-7, 305 Nate Solder, OT, Colorado, 6-8, 314 Both players may seem more well-suited with their size to play right tackle. A left tackle needs extreme agility to deal with the league's best quick defensive ends and linebackers. The Patriots could still flip Sebastian Vollmer over to left tackle and let one of these leviathans hold down the opposite side.
Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida, 6-4, 310
Twin brother of Steelers rookie standout Maurkice Pouncey, you know how the Pats like their Florida kids. And versatility.
RUNNING BACK
Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois, 6-0, 230 LeShoure (above) is probably the best power back in the draft. He had some stupidity in 2008 and 2009 however, and he'll have to interview well for the Pats to be interested.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama, 6-3, 309 Played end in the 3-4 for Nick Saban. He played five-technique (outside the offensive tackles outside shoulder) much of the time for the Tide. Seen as one of the top 10 or 15 players in the draft but if the Patriots fall in love . . .
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri, 6-4, 258 Tough kid who played through injury in 2010 and had a very productive year. Bill Belichick is always going to look for the next Willie McGinest/Lawrence Taylor type - huge, fast, violent. Smith's size and temperament could make him a good fit.
WIDE RECEIVER
Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland, 6-1, 205 Extremely fast, explosive in the return game and not yet a polished wide receiver, this is the kind of player the Pats had in Brandon Tate a couple years back. It will be up to them to decide whether he's teachable because he has a ways to go. Could be a third-round possibility.
TEAM TALK
- Ask PFW: Sanders, the Combine and CBA uncertainty.
- Paul Perillo discusses a CBS Sports article with Clark Judge listing Bill Belichick as the first of four of the best coaches of the decade.
- Patriots Today - Best of 2010: Important play. (5.27 min. video)
- PFW in Progress - 2/22/11: In this edition we discuss which top prospects we are looking to see at this week's Scouting Combine and talk about which of this year's free agents are a good fit with the Patriots. (2 hour audio)
LOCAL LINKS
- Ian Rapoport tells us why the Patriots are in a different post-lockout situation than the Jets.
- Ian Rapoport reports Devin McCourty is one of the two players featured on the NFL Combine promo, spotlighting them as success stories from last year.
- Ian Rapoport notes the Patriots are sending a full complement of coaches to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, which runs from Thursday through Tuesday.
- DJ Bean offers some cautionary tales of the NFL Scouting Combine.
- Mike Reiss posts the finalized schedule for this year's Draft.
- Ian Rapoport notes that if there is no CBA by April, we can expect an odd change to the Draft day activity. Trades for picks will be allowed, but not trades for players.
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Mike Reiss compares the Patriots vs. Ravens when looking at the first three rounds of the Draft over the last five years, and also the Patriots vs. Packers.
- WEEI scouts out potential Patriots in the Draft: WR Leonard Hankerson (Miami) - .
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag, with questions ranging from a Moss reunion, potential draft picks and lockout implications.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tony Pauline (SI) NFL Scouting Combine storylines.
- Adam Caplan (Fox Sports) Build the franchise around these players.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Five safeties to watch at the Combine.
- Greg Gabriel (Nat'l Football Post) Scouting Linebackers: Breaking down the traits of a good prospect.
- Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Peterson, Amukamara headline crop of DB prospects.
- Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) An intense Combine time: The stakes are high at NFL Combine.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) A 15-player trade? We can outdo that ...
- Peter King (SI) MMQB Tuesday Edition: Mailbag and why it's good to be in the dark on NFL-union negotiations.
- AP (Fox Sports) NFL, union meet for fifth day of talks.
- Brad Biggs (Nat'l Football Post) Report: NFL calls special meetings for teams in Indy. League will brief clubs on the latest in labor situation.