That's the week right there. I believe that Jarrett (3rd or 4th round) is a quality fit with the Patriots, as is Carter (2nd round). While I do like Carter's body of work and I believe that he is the best safety prospect for the Patriots, I think the 2nd round price tag is a little too expensive. Jarrett provides an economical fit with solid upside. So if the Patriots add a free safety in the draft early-to-middle part of the draft, look for it to be either Carter or Jarrett.
Let's look at some additional prospects after the jump!
Mark LeGree, Appalachian State - Smooth defender who consistently makes plays. He's played against lesser talent, but he dominated, which is what you would hope for an NFL prospect. He's rising up draft boards an has plenty of upside. Look for him to be drafted in the 5th-6th round, but he'd be a great prospect in the NFL. He lays the wood and he has soft hands. He could be a starter after a year in the system.Chris Conte, California - Only spent one year as a starter at free safety after spending his career at cornerback, but he made the most of that year. He showed solid tackling and ball skills, as well as instincts in stopping the run and in pursuit. He's a raw talent, but he's got the talent; he'll only continue to get better in the NFL. He may be overdrafted due to his potential, but Belichick won't pay any more than fair price for a one year starter. Look for Conte to be picked in the 4th-6th rounds.
Chris Culliver, South Carolina - A free safety with plenty of kick returner experience. Culliver can help blitz, stop the run, and drop into coverage. He spent the last season injured, but he was high on a lot of boards prior to his injury. He lays the wood when he hits, but that can cause him to miss some tackles. He's a player with great instincts, but he needs to work on his ball skills. He's another 4th-6th rounder.
Chris Proinski, Wyoming - Smart player with phenomenal speed, route recognition skills, and tackling ability. He's a little weak to get into the fray to stop the run, but think of him as an economical version of Rahim Moore, with a lot more speed. When I say smart, I mean that the kid got into Harvard and Princeton. He's a 7th round pick work taking a look at.
---
All in all, this is not a very strong safety class. As a result, some safety-hungry teams may overdraft players out of the Patriots' reach. That's fine since the position is not of any great need, but it would mean that the Patriots would only take a free safety towards the end of the draft. I like Legree out of these additional players and I feel like Proinski is a Patriots' type player.