Patriots one of two teams expected to attend Justin Fields’ second pro day
With no NFL Combine this year, draft prospects are finding creative ways to get in front of scouts. For Ohio State’s Justin Fields, that entails holding a second pro day, which will take place this Wednesday.
The session will be closed to the media, which means teams that want a closer look at Fields will need to show up in person. As of Monday morning, only two teams have RSVPed. That includes the New England Patriots, according to SI’s Albert Breer.
This will be the second time the Patriots get an in-person look at Fields, after the team sent ‘front office consultant’ Eliot Wolf to his original pro day last month. According to Breer, this time around the Patriots are expected to send the maximum number of personnel, led by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
But perhaps even more interesting than the Patriots’ attendance is the team set to join them – the San Francisco 49ers. With the first and second picks more or less locks at this point, the remainder of the draft hinges on the Niners third pick, which they acquired from the Dolphins for a haul of future picks last month. Breer says both GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan are expected to make the trip to Columbus.
Currently, the consensus reports seem to have San Francisco leaning towards Alabama’s Mac Jones. If they still haven’t made up their minds though, and Fields can sway them, it could change the dynamic for the Patriots when it comes to trading up for the fourth, seventh, or eighth pick.
Fields isn’t the only quarterback holding a second pro day this week. North Dakota State’s Trey Lance will throw for NFL personnel next Monday, hoping to follow up on a very impressive session he had in mid-March. There’s no word yet on who will be in attendance for that one. The Patriots sent Matt Groh, their longest tenured scout, to Lance’s first workout.
If the Patriots can’t move up to get Fields or Lance, they’ll still have quarterback options on the board. Here’s a look at some of the mid-round talent they could target, from Matt Dolloff.
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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 [email protected].
