Zolak & Bertrand: Is it worse for the Patriots to be mediocre?
On Thursday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, the crew debated whether it’s worse for the Patriots be a mediocre team next season.
Being mediocre doesn’t build towards anything…
Marc Bertrand: I think at some point after sucking like this and I agree two years ago it was bad. Not trying to tell you it was good or that we enjoyed it. It’s just that it wasn’t as bad as it was this past year. This year was so much more dreadful than two years ago. This year Denver won eight games. They have the 12th pick in the draft. So because you can’t handle having the 12th or 13th or 14th pick, you have to have the fourth pick or third pick next year and I say fourth or third because both of those teams are four win teams. As is Washington for that matter. But you’ve got to have a top five pick again? You can’t have a top half of the first round pick and be satisfied. You’d rather be completely terrible again. No! Four win seasons mean you really do suck and that’s what we saw. There is a big gap between winning eight games and winning four games in this league. That’s not a small gap.
Tim McKone: Two years ago we were waiting for them to blow out the whole offense. We’re waiting for the the whole letter from the Krafts to say, hey, we’re going to take a look at this. Bill O’Brien’s coming in. He felt better about it, but that season, you weren’t building towards anything. I want them to be competitive. If you’re winning eight games and you feel better about the direction, that’s one thing.
Marc Bertrand: That’s what I’m asking for.
Tim McKone: But if you’re rolling Jacoby Brissett out there and you’re slapping it together because you’re beating the Colts by three points rather than losing by four. That’s not building towards anything. Yes, I would rather have a high pick and and have the promise of getting some elite talent in here rather than sitting at 12 feeling good because I beat the Colts by a few extra points. If you’re beating teams that aren’t competitive, I don’t care if you’re not competitive. Build towards something and actually be in some of these games. Have a competent offense.
Scott Zolak: That’s ridiculous. I do, because I think you have to build culture. If you sit here and say we need to suck again and you get used to winning four games and get your ass kicked 13 games and being noncompetitive. It Becomes contagious and you become that rudderless organization that we see other organizations become.
Jan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo addresses media with owner Robert Kraft (not pictured) at a press conference at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Listen to the full segment!
Patriots draft preview 2024: Running backs
Day 2 running backs
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 11: Blake Corum #2 of the Michigan Wolverines carries the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Beaver Stadium on November 11, 2023 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The ceiling for running backs this year is the late second round. Among the players expected to go in that range are the lead backs from two of the most successful teams in college football this past year.
Blake Corum is coming off of his second-consecutive 1,200-plus yard season, despite undergoing knee surgery in December 2022. Perhaps more impressively, he scored a total of 28 touchdowns last year. He projects as the kind of well-rounded back that can handle any role in an offense, but is more of a grinder and doesn’t have the explosive big-play upside that it takes for backs to get into the top 50. Trey Benson of Florida State is a similar style of running back, but doesn’t have the production Corum did.
Jaylen Wright of Tennessee is more of a true combo back, and expected Day 2 pick. He had a breakout year last year, rushing for 7.4 yards per carry in 12 games as the Vols’ starting back. He also caught 22 passes for 141 yards. Wright is coming off of a strong Senior Bowl and Combine.
The true bruiser back of Day 2 is Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen. Allen is the latest star running back prospect from a Badger program that has become known for producing NFL stars at the position. While he does play a more physical style at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, he did just turn 20 in January. At that age, teams may not worry as much about the wear and tear that comes with his style of play at the position.
Then there’s Jonathon Brooks of Texas. Brooks has big-time explosiveness both as a runner and a receiver, putting up 1,425 all-purpose yards on 212 touches this year – his only year as a full-time starter. However, he tore his ACL late in the season and hasn’t taken part in any pre-draft workouts, which has impacted his draft stock. In terms of projected draft position, he’s the wild card at the position this year.
Early Day 3 backs
Oct 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back MarShawn Lloyd (0) runs the ball against Arizona Wildcats safety Dalton Johnson (43) during the second half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
If the projections hold, and a limited number of backs go on Day 2, it wouldn’t be surprising for there to then be a run on the position early on Day 3. If the Patriots feel they’ve taken care of their immediate needs at the top of the draft this could be a logical running back spot for them, either with pick 103 or pick 137.
There’s also the question of what kind of back the Patriots want. If they want to add a speed complement to the room and a player who will factor more in the passing game, the names to know in this range are MarShawn Lloyd from USC, Bucky Irving from Oregon, or Will Shipley from Clemson.
Based on the way they handled running backs last year, and the way Alex Van Pelt split carries in Cleveland, the concept of having early down and passing down backs may trend more towards do-it-all backs rotating by drive rather than situations. If that ends up being the case, Lloyd in particular is an intriguing player for the Patriots. He’s still pretty raw but showed a wide-ranging skillset in a pass-heavy offense in 11 games last year in his first season at USC (he transferred from the other USC, South Carolina). He’s a big play threat who projects as a strong spell back at the next level.
The more bowling ball, power backs at the top of Day 3 are Notre Dame’s Audric Estime and Kentucky’s Ray Davis. Estime is a true bruiser at 5-foot-11, 221 pounds. his 4.27 yards after contact per carry last year ranked second among qualifying draft eligible backs in this year’s class. His skillset would play well off the quicker approach of Stevenson and Gibson.
Mid-Day 3 backs
Sep 25, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New Hampshire Wildcats running back Dylan Laube (20) returns a kick-off against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
As we turn our attention to the middle of Day 3, we’ll once again split the backs into those who are more explosive and those who are more physical. However, we have to start with Louisville’s Isaac Guerendo, who checks both boxes. Guerendo ran a 4.33-second 40 wit ha 41.5-inch verical at the NFL Combine at 6-foot, 221 pounds.
So how does Guerendo end up in the fifth-round range? Simply, he doesn’t have a ton of in-game experience. He spent his first four college seasons in a reserve role at Wisconsin before transferring last year. In his lone season for the Cardinals he got to be a feature back and ran for 810 yards while adding 234 receiving with 11 total touchdowns in 14 games. He’s going to need to keep improving to earn a rotational role (or more) in an NFL backfield, but all the physical tools are there.
Among the pure downhill runners, the best player in this range is Dillon Johnson from Washington. While the Huskies became more well known for their passing game that features Michael Penix and three receivers expected to go in the top 150, Johnson came up big for them time-and-time again in big games. He finished the season with 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns, often wearing down defensives late in games to seal wins. Frank Gore Jr. from Southern Miss and Isaiah Davis from South Dakota State are other downhill runners here.
Then there are the three-down backs in this range. That group is highlighted by Dylan Laube of New Hampshire. Laube has been lauded for his skills as a pass-catcher – even playing some slot receiver at the Senior Bowl – but don’t sleep on him as a pure rusher either. His ability to put his foot in the ground and change direction, exploding in and out of cuts, looks rare. For him, it will just about about adjusting to the speed of the game coming from the FCS level. Daijun Edwards from Georgia, Cody Schrader from Missouri, and Jawhar Jordan from Louisville.
Late Day 3 backs
Oct 21, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Cody Schrader (7) runs the ball against South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle D’Andre Martin (99) during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
The most interesting of the late-round backs, and one of the most interesting players in this draft, is Cody Schrader from Missouri. After spending four seasons at Division-II Truman State – including a 2,000-yard rushing season in 2021, he joined the Tigers as a transfer. This past season he was a key part of their offense, and a team captain.
Despite his 5-foot-8, 207-pound build Schrader was a tough tackle for SEC defenders, with his 51 broken tackles on 277 carries ranking fifth among draft-eligible Power Five running backs this year. He also flashed some upside as a pass catcher.
Speaking of pass catchers, the Patriots sent running backs coach Taylor Embree to the Purdue pro day, likely to watch Tyrone Tracy Jr., who is actually a converted wide receiver having just made the switch last year. If the Patriots want a true pass-catching back, he’d make sense as a target.
Going in the other direction, what if the Patriots want a goal line back in this range? They could turn their attention to Kendall Milton from Georgia. Milton is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and runs with a great motor which makes him tough to get to the ground on first contact. Adding to his ability as a short-yardage back, he also has a knack for finding small creases between blockers.
Notable UDFAs
FRISCO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 19: Rasheen Ali #22 of the Marshall Thundering Herd runs with the ball during the first half of the Frisco Bowl against the UTSA Roadrunners at Toyota Stadium on December 19, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
A UDFA running back would make a lot of sense for the Patriots this year. Here are a few names to know…
Historically, the Patriots have liked productive back, and few in this draft were more productive over the course of their careers than Rasheen Ali from Marshall, who rushed for 2,809 yards and 39 touchdowns in 28 games over the last three years. A drag-it-out back, he likely would have been a mid-to-late Day 3 pick in this draft but he suffered a ruptured biceps tendon at the Senior Bowl. Recovering from that injury could cut into his rookie season, which will hurt his stock.
Before his injury, Ali was one of the standouts at this year’s Senior Bowl. Another was TCU’s Emani Bailey, who earned a late invite to Mobile after a strong showing at the Hula Bowl. Bailey is quick more than fast and wins by making tacklers miss in space. He’s also capable in the pass game, a skill set he showed plenty of at the Senior Bowl.
On the other side of things is Kimani Vidal out of Troy, who isa bit of a wrecking ball at 5-foot-8, 213 pounds. Vidal played behind an iffy offensive line but that didn’t matter. His 1,661 rushing yards in 2023 are the most of any player in the draft, as are the 94 missed tackles he forced – 20 more than the next closest back.
