Patriots 2015 NFL Combine: Aided by Scarnecchia, Pats To Target Trenches
The Patriots are behind in their preparation for the 2015 NFL Combine and Draft due to their being involved in the Super Bowl, but as Bill Belichick pointed out a week ago, it is a problem they’ll gladly suffer.
Belichick has also granted some members of the coaching staff the option of skipping the combine because of all the long hours of work they’ve put in during the season. But the team is also being bolstered by two retired members of the coaching staff in their player evaluations this week in Indianapolis.
Former offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia who retired after the 2013 season and special teams coach Scott O’Brien who recently called it quits after the Super Bowl win over Seattle will both be in attendance.
Scarnecchia spent 32 years in the NFL, 30 of which was as a member of the Patriots coaching staff. He was instrumental last season in the drafting of Bryan Stork, spending time on the Florida State campus with OL coach Rick Trickett with whom he is reportedly very close. With two FSU offensive linemen possibly on the Patriots radar in this year’s draft, Coach Scar may have dipped into that pipeline again.
While the Pats will be closely monitoring all of the prospects in Indy, they know they must improve in 2015 if they want to repeat a trip to the Super Bowl. Here are the four areas that they need to improve their depth at in 2015.
Offensive Line: The Patriots offensive line was a carousel until they settled into the starting five that proved to be the backbone of the offense during the seven game winning streak. Stork selected with the 105th pick in the 4th round of the 2014 draft was a big key taking over the center position.
Dan Connolly was the guy providing the leadership of the unit, taking over for Logan Mankins at the left guard position. But Connolly will turn 33 this season and is a free agent. Josh Kline played right guard and while the team will look to bring back Connolly, it won’t be the long-term answer. The team needs an uptick of youth and size in the OL and that is right where Scarnecchia comes in.
Other than Mankins in 2005, the Patriots were always a team that drafted linemen in the middle rounds and used Scarnecchia to find hidden gems that he could coach up to meet their needs. That could change this season.
With a couple of guards that could go early in the process, keep your eyes on a few guards in Indianapolis. A.J. Cann from South Carolina is generally deemed the best guard in the draft. The Gamecock could find his way to NE at the end of the 1st round.
Other guards to monitor include Duke’s Laken Tomlinson, Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio and a pair of Florida State players, Tre Jackson and Josue Matias. Given the rapport of Scarnecchia and Trickett, the Pats should have the low-down on those two as well as Seminole tackle Cameron Erving who may also be on the Patriots radar.
Interior Defensive Line: With the healthy return of Vince Wilfork, the Patriots defensive line got a big boost in play in 2014. But Wilfork turned 33 during the season and the team has to make a decision on whether they want to again open talks on re-doing his contract in 2015. Sealver Siliga played thru a myriad of injuries and spent time on IR-Return. Alan Branch is a free agent and both Chris Jones and Joe Vellano are suspect against the run.
The team spent their first pick on Dominique Easley in 2014, and his ACL surgery at the end of his college career slowed and ultimately ended his rookie season early. Now he’s getting healthy and if he regains his burst, should be a big addition in 2015.
Some of the big men inside to keep an eye on if they fall to the Patriots at the end of Round 1 include Malcolm Brown from Texas, Jordan Phillips from Oklahoma and another FSU prospect, Eddie Goldman. A Day 2 prospect to watch will be Auburn’s Gabe Wright, another lightning quick penetrator who can be a disruptor in the backfield.
Defensive End/Edge Rusher: The Patriots pass rush was inconsistent in 2014 and benefitted at times from the secondary being so adept at covering that they eventually would be able to take down an opposing QB that just couldn’t find anyone open.
It is no secret the team needs depth here as both Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones have logged too many snaps and the depth falls off if they go down. When Jones was injured, the Pats brought in Akeem Ayers in a trade with Tenn., and he performed well but is a free agent. Zach Moore is still raw and Michael Buchanan was hurt in his sophomore season.
Some names to keep your eyes on this week include the big Arik Armstead from Oregon, Owamagbe Odighizuwa from UCLA and Alvin “Bud” Dupree from Kentucky. For the edge rushers at OLB, Clemson’s Vic Beasley and the sleeper Nate Orchard the DE/OLB from Utah, who has Patriots-type player written all over him are some names to watch.
Running Back: The Patriots return in 2015 with LaGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray, James White, Brandon Bolden and Tyler Gaffney in the fold with Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley free agents and likely gone in 2015.
If Vereen is indeed gone, then the biggest need will be to replace his prowess on 3rd down as a receiver out of the backfield. White was someone they drafted last season to do just that and he flashed in the spring and summer before basically getting a red-shirt type season as a rookie in 2014. He’ll have to show he’s ready right off the bat in 2015 to fill some pretty big shoes in Vereen.
It is doubtful that the Patriots would draft a RB in the first round although if Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon or Georgia’s Todd Gurley (torn ACL in 2014), were to be available they would definitely be on the team’s radar.
Day 2 prospects to watch include Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah, Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon, Miami’s Duke Johnson, Indiana’s Tevin Coleman and South Carolina’s Mike Davis.
The wide receiver and tight end positions will probably be addressed in free agency. Jeff Howe from the Boston Herald has the Patriots interested in Charles Clay the Dolphins TE/H-back if he makes it to free agency. The Patriots already have Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and Tim Wright there and would add to their depth with the addition of Clay.
The Patriots wide receiver position is set (for now) with their starters in place with Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola. The team may opt to re-do a deal with Amendola and still have 2013 draft picks Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce who didn’t contribute in 2014 in place. But they may not want to cut their ties with either just yet.
For this weekend, look closely at the interior OL/DL prospects. That’s probably where the team will look to upgrade the most during the draft. And having the warhorse Scarnecchia there to help taking a look at the available talent, they’ll look to pluck a couple of good prospects during the draft.
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