Gasper: The Best Path For The Patriots is To Trade Down in The NFL Draft
On Friday’s edition of Felger & Mazz, Chris Gasper of the Boston Globe, joined the show. While discussing the possible avenues for the Patriots in the upcoming NFL Draft, Gasper explained why it would be best for the team to trade down in the first round in order to justify their draft selection.
“I’m Not Sure That I Want Them To Stay At Four…”
Felger: I believe it was Field Yates who reported that the growing consensus is, is that the quarterbacks will be gone in the top three. What does that mean for the Patriots? Well, first of all, do you agree with that.
Gasper: I mean Field, he’s there and I’m not. He has great insight, so I’m not surprised by that. I would agree to just because I feel like every year teams talk themselves into over drafting quarterbacks. So I could see teams like the Giants, especially now that Stafford is off the board and went back to the Rams. I could see those teams making that decision, particularly the Giants at three, to roll the dice with whoever’s left, whether it’s Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders. That would be bad news for the Patriots, because I really feel like the best path for them is that one of those quarterbacks is there at four, and they can convince Brady and the Raiders to move up, or some other quarterback desperate team to move up, and they move down and get more draft capital. Unless it’s Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. Even then on Hunter, I’m still not sure. I feel like his real value is that he can play both ways. I’m not sure that I want them to stay at four and pick somebody, and that I feel like there’s somebody really worthy at four.
Felger: So that’s interesting. I was going to say the quarterbacks going high helps the Patriots because the better player drops. But you don’t think there’s necessarily that better player?
Gasper: If it’s Abdul Carter it absolutely helps the Patriots. I’m just not as high on Hunter. He’s a unique player. What he was able to do at Colorado was incredible. I just disagree with him. I don’t think he’s going to be able to do that in the NFL. I think he’s, for the most part, going to have to pick a lane. It’s not going to be on both sides of the ball. I think it could be more like 80%, one position, and 20% the other. Even then I’m not totally sold on that. Let’s say he’s a wide receiver 80% of the time. I’m not sold that that wide receiver that you’re getting is Julio Jones, A.J. Green, or a Justin Jefferson caliber of player. I think it could be a step down from that.
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