In Patriots lore, there will probably never be another draft success story like Julian Edelman. But let’s just start at the next starting slot receiver.

The answer could already be within the organization with third-year wideout Jakobi Meyers, who officially hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent on Monday. Meyers certainly isn’t the same type of receiver as Edelman, but he’s another converted quarterback who went undrafted in 2019. He played the most snaps on the team at receiver from Week 8 on in the 2020 season.

Despite Meyers’ presence as the potential slot option, his size could also enable him to play outside or move around the field as a “Z” type in the Patriots’ offense. And the Pats have found value before in relatively undersized receivers who pick up the offense, get separation with their short-area quickness, and move the sticks successfully.

Slot receivers have become more of a hot commodity in the NFL Draft in recent years, now that teams are even using their star receivers (like Tyreek Hill) inside. It’s a position the Patriots helped popularize with Tom Brady and receivers like Edelman, Wes Welker, and Danny Amendola. So their next leading slot guy may have to come from an early pick. They may not find the “next Edelman” in that they find a future team Hall of Famer in the seventh round, but they’re going to need to identify a long-term starter at that spot.

There are some talented options for the Patriots that are projected as late-first-round picks, with others expected to come off the board early on day 2. And you can’t rule out the Patriots unearthing another gem among the day 3 picks and undrafted rookies. So here’s a variety of slot receivers to know about ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, which begins April 29.

• Kadarius Toney, Florida

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  One of Toney's "weaknesses," according to Lance Zierlein at NFL.com, is that he's "more quick than speedy." Is this really that much of a problem? For the Patriots, probably not.
  
  The Pats have always valued short-area quickness over straight-line speed in their receivers. It makes sense to value a guy who can run an excellent three-cone despite not scoring the best 40 time. That being said, Toney isn't exactly slow ... his 4.39 40-yard dash ranks him eighth among all WRs, per data collected by Pro Football Reference. His 6.88 three-cone time is solid, but ranks him 14th, behind a pair of players who appear later on this list.
  
  The point, here, is that Toney has first-round measurables. Combine that with short-area shiftiness and toughness over the middle, and you have one of the best slot receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft and a future starter for whoever drafts him. Scouting reports say his overall route-running could be tightened up, so if the Patriots drafted Toney they may want to develop him for a year before unleashing him along with a new, young starting quarterback.

• Elijah Moore, Mississippi

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  Not to be confused with Rondale Moore, whom we had the Patriots moving up to select late in the first round in a recent mock draft. But despite being a 5-foot-9 slot receiver, Elijah Moore is another prospect expected to go in round 2. The Patriots may have to move up from the 46th pick if they want to go get him.
  
  But as a player, Moore checks a lot of boxes for New England in the scouting reports. Early separation. Strong hands. Toughness to take hits and hold onto the ball. Second-best three-cone time among all players at 6.63 seconds (via Pro Football Reference). He honestly sounds like a perfect kid for the Bucs to take and plug in with Tom Brady.
  
  The likelihood for the Patriots is that even in the post-Brady era, they still want to control the middle of the field offensively. That's why Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry are both here. But the roster lacks lack a pure slot receiver with as much upside as Moore. They may see increased value in him as other teams dock him for his size (5-foot-9, 184 pounds) and relative lack of playing strength. If he slips into the Patriots' range at 46, keep an eye on him.

• Amari Rodgers, Clemson

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  The former Clemson wideout could be a candidate to slip well into day 2 of the draft due to unexciting measurables (4.52 40-yard dash, 7.07 three-cone time) and his 5-foot-9 frame. But Rodgers' running back build makes him hard to bring down with the ball in his hands, and his combination of competitiveness and football instincts could make him more NFL-ready than a lot of rookies.
  
  Scouting reports consistently describe Rodgers as a sure-handed receiver who can catch the ball away from his body and bring down 50-50 balls down the field. But they also describe a player who needs improvement breaking away from press-man coverage and catching more contested balls against physical corners. He seems to have the baseline qualities to develop those skills, though.
  
  The Patriots must love that Rodgers was a three-year starter and played in a lot of big games while catching passes from Trevor Lawrence. He seems like he'd be a good culture fit in New England as a starting slot, if not a true No. 1 receiver.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC

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  St. Brown is unique from the other receivers on this list in that he's a bigger slot. Multiple sites list him at 6-foot-1, while NFL.com tops him out at 5-foot-11 1/2. But he's another classic "more quick than fast" receiver that holds more value to the Patriots than a lot of other teams.
  
  Scouting reports generally emphasize words like "smooth" and "fluid" when describing St. Brown. He may lack the top-end speed that you'll find in elite outside receivers, but he makes up for it with body control, ball-tracking, and savvy route-running. His skill set ultimately makes him more of a slot or possession receiver, but a talented and tough one at that.
  
  One detail that might inch St. Brown up the Patriots' draft board is that he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school who drew interest from Alabama, Notre Dame, and Michigan. The Patriots have taken highly recruited players whose draft stock fell for one reason or another in the past. They may look at St. Brown and see a player who's potentially just as good as anyone else who goes in the first or second round, and just needs the right development.

• Riley Lees, Northwestern

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  Here's a flier for you. If there's a guy in the 2021 draft who would truly turn out to be the "next Edelman," it's Lees. He's a former high school quarterback who converted to wide receiver and steadily improved during his time at Northwestern. And he still showed off his arm on trick plays while there.
  
  Like you'd expect from a converted QB, Lees still needs time to refine his route-running and techniques as a receiver. But the kid's confidence seems to be off the charts. He told the Chicago Tribune in a recent profile piece: "I see myself as a receiver. My coaches used to joke that I was a quarterback playing receiver, but now I think that I’m a receiver through and through."
  
  Lees will need to improve his play strength (seven bench press reps) no matter what team decides to take a chance on him. But the quickness is there: Lees scored a very solid 6.78 in the three-cone drill. The raw skills and work ethic are there for him to eventually develop into a starting slot receiver at the NFL level. And if there's any team that would take a shot at him as a late-round pick or as an undrafted free agent, it's the Patriots.

MORE: Belichick Outlines Potential Draft Strategy

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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