With less than a month to go until the draft, it’s time to dig into the weeds. The Patriots’ options in the first round have been – and will continue to be – discussed at length. Yet they have nine other picks split between the final two days of the draft, which is nothing to sneeze at.

When the Patriots released their All-Dynasty team last year, it included 11 players who were taken in the third round or later. Over the last few years, he’s grabbed guys like James White (2014, Round 4/Pick 130), Trey Flowers (2015, 4/101), Shaq Mason (2015, 4/131), Joe Thuney (2016, 3/78), Deatrich Wise (2017, 4/131) and Michael Onwenu (2020,6/182), with selections that likely wouldn’t be considered ‘premium picks.’

Who are some of the prospects to keep an eye on beyond the first night of the draft this year? Each week between now and the draft, we’ll be giving you our “weekly five” players to know outside of first round prospects. This isn’t a mock draft or big board, just a selection of players that stand out as potential Patriots fits for a variety of reasons.

• WR Dez Fitzpatrick, Louisville

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  Heading into the offseason, Dez Fitzpatrick was hardly on the radar of NFL Draft experts. That changed in late January, when he put on a show during Senior Bowl week, culminating with a six-catch, 90-yard performance in the game. At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, he has a knack for positioning himself through contact, and boxing out cornerbacks to get to the football. He is also a surprisingly strong route runner for a guy his size.
  
  After a breakout freshman year at Louisville, Fitzpatrick’s play became inconsistent for the remainder of his college career which, combined with a deep class at the position, resulted in his initial low draft stock. However, he bounced back in 2020 with 43 catches for 833 yards, which led some to wonder if his inconsistency was more tied to the Cardinals’ up-and-down quarterback play as opposed to his own abilities. If the Patriots want to take a chance on him, it will likely take a mid-Day 3 pick.

• C Michal Menet, Penn State

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  The Patriots have struggled to find a true backup/developmental center for the last few years. Last season, they drafted Dustin Woodard in the seventh round, only to have him retire before training camp.
  
  If they want to take another stab at it this year, Penn State’s Michal Menet would be a logical choice. He has solid technique, good athleticism, and understands the game well, allowing him to help the quarterback with pre-snap adjustments at the line of scrimmage. He’ll need to develop as a run blocker at the next level, but his issues are all coachable - and what better place to learn than New England. He should be a Day 3 pick.

• DL Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh

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  If Jaylen Twyman’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you saw his insane Pro Day workout which included him finishing 40 reps on the bench press (topping fellow Pitt DL product Aaron Donald). Twyman was projected as a second-round pick heading into last year’s draft, but elected to return to school before ultimately opting out of the 2020 season.
  
  There aren’t many defensive linemen with Twyman’s makeup. He mainly plays as a three-tech tackle, but excels as a pass rusher as opposed to a run stopper. In his last full season, he had 10.5 sacks in 13 games. At 290 pounds, he’s undersized if he wants to be a three-down player at the next level, but there’s value in pass rush specialist DT’s, especially given how rare they are.
  
  The Patriots just lost such a player in Adam Butler, and it’s not unrealistic to project Twyman into that role. However, it will likely take a third or fourth round pick to get him, and Bill Belichick has been hesitant in the past to invest that much in rotational players.
• S Caden Sterns, Texas

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  A three-year starter for the Longhorns, Caden Sterns brings a ton of versatility to the free safety position. Texas mostly used him as a center fielder, but he has experience with man coverage as well. A smart and highly instinctive player, Sterns had a knack for finding passing lanes and causing havoc down the field. On top of that, he played a key special teams role in Austin, highlighted by a blocked field goal in an upset over USC as a freshman.
  
  It’s not unrealistic to think Sterns could come right in and compete for Duron Harmon’s old role, which was filled last year by a number of different cornerbacks playing out of position. Long term, if he really hits his ceiling, he could at least be a candidate to take over as the starting deep safety when Devin McCourty leaves. He’s expected to be an early Day 3 pick.

• K Evan McPherson, Florida

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  Following Justin Rohrwasser’s release, the Patriots don’t have a reliable long-term plan at kicker. Nick Folk is 36 years old and on a one-year contract, while Roberto Aguayo is a reclamation project at best. Given their plethora of picks, the Patriots could end up selecting a kicker for the second year in a row.
  
  We know the team has at least some interest in the position, given they reportedly met with Florida’s Evan McPherson last month. During his three years as a starter for the Gators, McPherson recorded the highest field goal percentage in SEC history (min. 15 attempts), knocking through 51 of his 60 kicks (85 percent). He should be the first or second kicker off the board, depending how teams view Miami’s Jose Borregales.

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Patriots.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.

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