New England Patriots links 4/15/21 - Off their Mockers: Analysts all over the place with Pats’ 1st pick

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2021 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Mike Dussault reports members of the Patriots coaching and scouting staff were on hand to watch Justin Fields’ second pre-draft throwing session.
• Patriots Draft Preview: Wide Receivers. (6 min. video)
• Draft Prospect Review podcast: Wide receivers and Tight ends. (11.23 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan lays out how the Patriots incorporate analytics into their draft process, and you can forget the 40-yard dash. /Good read.
• Khari Thompson points to three things the Patriots will miss most about Julian Edelman: 1. He was the ultimate security blanket.
• Bob Socci writes how Julian Edelman rose from obscurity to change Foxboro forever.
• Bill Burt calls Brady and Edelman brothers at heart, connected forever. “The big plays between Brady and Edelman were endless.”
• Michael Hurley notes ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio will vote for Julian Edelman for Hall of Fame.
• Karen Guregian talks about how some Patriots players are exercising their right to stay away from voluntary offseason workouts.
• Ryan Hannable posts the recent statement from Patriots players regarding voluntary offseason workouts
• Zack Cox takes looks at this year’s QB class and their potential fit in New England: North Dakota State’s Trey Lance.
• Andy Hart profiles potential Pats prospects: North Dakota State QB Trey Lance.
• Mike Kadick offers four reasons why Justin Fields could fit in New England.
• Ryan Hannable argues history shows if the Pats want a QB of the future it needs to come in Round 1 of the draft.
• Thomas Murphy (DiehardBostonSportsFans) Perfect Patriots prospects? UCLA RB Demetric Felton and Kentucky LB Jamin Davis .
• Doug Kyed picks a wide receiver for the Pats in every round of this year’s draft.
• Ryan Hannable thumbnails five draft prospects who could potentially replace Julian Edelman.
• Jack Long (MusketFire) 3 slot receivers Pats can draft after Julian Edelman’s retirement
• Phil Perry profiles prototypical Patriots who would fit best in New England: Defensive tackles.
• Mike Luciano (MusketFire) 3 top draft prospects who’d be awful fits in New England.
• Jim Hackett reflects on the career of Julian Edelman, what he’ll miss, admire and hope to see again in players that come through New England from this day forward.
• Thomas Carannante (MusketFire) What should Patriots do with newfound cap space from Julian Edelman?
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Ranking the Patriots’ opponents for 2021, from the Jets to the Buccaneers.
• Darren Hartwell talks about the results of a simulation that looked at what if Jarrett Stidham took over as the Patriots starting QB in 2020.
• Tom E. Curran tells us how the military has influenced Belichick, the McCourtys and the Pats.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Five Patriots & NFL things to know: 3) One big question would then be whether or not the Patriots would take QB Justin Fields if he were to fall down the board, which would obviously be a massive shift from how they’ve operated in the past in terms of their offense.
• Ricky Doyle relays The Athletic’s seven-round 2021 mock draft that projects the Patriots picking Tulsa LB Zaven Collins at No. 15 and taking Stanford QB Davis Mills in Round 2.
• Sean T. McGuire highlights CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and why believes the Patriots will trade up to No. 4 overall.
• Adam London hears from Ex-NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum, who thinks New England could be aggressive on Day one, and projects the cost for them to acquire the No. 10 pick.
• Hal Bent (FullPressCoverage) Quick look at the team needs and Patriots mock draft version 2.0. Alabama WR DeVonta Smith at 15.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Dr. Jessica Flynn discuss Edelman’s injury, as well as the prognosis for Cam Newton’s health heading into 2021. (37 min.)
• NESN Patriots podcast: Zack Cox and Doug Kyed look back at Julian Edelman’s Illustrious NFL career. (36 min.)
• Patriots Talk podcast: Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discuss the intellectual dishonesty of the anti-Edelman argument; Who replaces his role on offense; More. (56 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) Here’s an insider’s look at how the top 10 picks could unfold, with the Patriots moving up.
• Albert Breer (SI) Mailbag: Should Eli Manning and Julian Edelman be Hall of Famers? Plus, will Orlando Brown Jr. be traded, will the Eagles take a wide receiver, will we see full stadiums next year and more draft questions.
• Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: How the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers kept the band together for another run.
• Jeff Legwold (ESPN) NFL draft board building 101: Inside the secretive yearlong grind.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Draft prospects 2021: Big board of top 100 players overall, updated position rankings.
• Cynthia Frelund (NFL.com) Best team fits for top quarterbacks? Five analytics-based pairings. No Pats.
• Mark Schofield (TouchdownWire) The top 11 cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL draft.
• Eric Edholm (Yahoo! Sports) Our penultimate 2021 mock draft. Pats pick Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle at 15.
• Doug Farrar (TouchdownWire) Mock draft 3.0: Last of the big movers. New England trades up to No. 4 to pick Ohio State QB Justin Fields.
• Charley Casserly (NFL.com) 2021 NFL mock draft 2.0. Pats pick South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn at 15.
• Mark Lane (TouchdownWire) 5 NFL teams who have the best chance to go 17-0 in 2021. Bills included. No Pats.
• Mike Decourcy (SportingNews) 15 reasons why promoting Patriots’ Julian Edelman for Hall of Fame is ludicrous.
• Myles Simmons (ProFootballTalk) Patriots players say “many of us” won’t participate in voluntary workouts.
• Jeff Legwold (ESPN) Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks among NFL teams saying they won’t report to voluntary offseason workouts.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA won’t push teams to boycott offseason program, due to workout bonuses.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA: NFL’s modified offseason plan does not address players’ concerns.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL plans for on-field offseason workouts for all players from May 24 through June 18.
• Business of Sports podcast: Andrew Brandt ‘rants’ on the NFLPA’s priority for teams to stay away from the off season workouts (2:12) & the legality of the Bills requiring COVID vaccinations to attend home games (7:06).

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Josh Peter (USA Today) Attorney seeks assault charges against Rams star Aaron Donald for alleged club incident.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) New lawsuit filed against Texans QB Deshaun Watson brings total back to 22