Why Patriots ought to take into account drafting WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Harrison at No. 3: By the point director of scouting Eliot Wolf and the Patriots’ personnel and training staffs full their analysis course of in late April, the best-case situation for them could be if they’re satisfied by the three prime quarterbacks — USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

Selecting certainly one of them at No. 3 — probably Daniels or Maye — would imply they decisively imagine they’ve recognized their quarterback of the long run. Few would argue it is a very powerful place.

However what if that conviction finally is not there?

That is the place Ohio State huge receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., barring a tantalizing provide to commerce again, probably enters the chat. Wolf stated on the NFL scouting mix that certainly one of his objectives is to “weaponize” the offense, which head coach Jerod Mayo described as figuring out gamers “the protection has to arrange for — whether or not that is double-teaming or something like that.”

How typically did Harrison, whom Wolf stated matches any offensive system, see double groups at Ohio State?

“Each sport,” Buckeyes offensive coordinator/receivers coach Brian Hartline advised ESPN, earlier than sharing what traits stand out most to him.

“When you get to a sure stage, ‘eliteness’ is discovered from the neck up. I believe that sort of embodies Marv. He has a excessive ceiling that God blessed him with, that his dad and mom have introduced alongside in him. However his means, individually, to maximise what he’s able to, is basically the [secret] sauce to reaching the highest.

“Yeah, he reached the very best of highs as a school receiver. However that is the shortest factor on his purpose checklist in relation to his profession. It isn’t how he talks. It isn’t what he needs occurs. It is his every day routine. It is his way of life. It is an entire totally different ballpark than most individuals will most likely perceive.”

Harrison, who measured 6-foot-3 and 209 kilos on the mix, totaled 155 receptions for two,613 yards and 31 touchdowns over his three collegiate seasons.

Hartline performed receiver within the NFL from 2009 to 2015 with the Dolphins and Browns, and what he sees in Harrison’s bodily talent set is uncommon.

“He’s an fascinating construct, if you’ll. He is 6-3, however I at all times felt his decrease physique was like a 6-footer,” he stated. “He truly has a extremely lengthy torso. He has lengthy arms [31.8 inches]. However his decrease half has the transition of a 6-footer, so he is capable of quick-twitch. His acceleration is superb due to that. He is low to the bottom, so his middle of mass is just not high-waisted. I believe he is in-built a approach you’d need to be — tall sufficient, with a shorter individual’s decrease half, after which with the flexibility to run; unbelievable pace. He is sort of constructed like his dad.”

Longtime Patriots followers, in fact, want no introduction to Marvin Harrison Sr., who performed a central function within the Patriots-Colts rivalry as Peyton Manning’s prime goal when Tom Brady and Manning engaged in traditional duels by the 2000s. Harrison Sr. was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2016 and Hartline shared his perception that Harrison Jr. has an All-American/Corridor of Fame make-up as properly.

For a Patriots staff badly in want of an infusion of offensive expertise, but additionally with gamers whom Wolf stated will match the tradition of doing greater than the norm, Harrison is perhaps the most secure selection.

“There’s plenty of variables with offenses and quarterback play, and longevity and well being and all that, however when it comes from a life-style and residing the sport standpoint, he has all of that,” Hartline stated. “He is an incredible younger man. His character, how he operates, how he does what he says, is at an all-time excessive.”

2. NFLPA survey: One of many objectives of the NFL Gamers Affiliation gamers report card survey, which was launched final week, is to determine areas that groups can enhance working situations for gamers. With out it, who would have identified the Patriots are certainly one of simply seven groups that do not present daycare help for gamers’ youngsters on sport day?

One apparent theme, as mirrored by the Jaguars leaping from twenty eighth final 12 months to fifth this 12 months, is how a lot a brand new facility will assist a staff’s score. The Patriots’ facility, glowing when it opened in 2002, was considered as outdated by gamers and contributed to the franchise’s unflattering No. 29 rating.

With every little thing housed inside Gillette Stadium, the Patriots are in contrast to most different groups which have standalone amenities. Former assistant Steve Belichick not too long ago famous that there’s one window within the staff facility.

I am advised staff officers beforehand had in depth discussions and a imaginative and prescient/plan for main adjustments, which might embrace every little thing from stand-alone new workplaces together with an indoor facility on website, amongst different issues. It appears probably that may come to fruition in time.

3. Analytics change: Patriots president Jonathan Kraft was a part of the “Way forward for Soccer: Innovation on the Gridiron” panel on the 18th annual MIT Sloan Sports activities Analytics Convention on Friday. Of the numerous notable matters mentioned was how the staff can be evolving analytics-wise within the transition from Invoice Belichick to Mayo.

“We had been so fortunate to have Invoice the final quarter century as a result of Invoice has pretty much as good of a set of algorithms as a human being can have of their head, and we benefited from that. Invoice was so good, and so a lot better than his competitors at these issues, that we did not evolve it on the technical facet,” Kraft stated on the panel hosted by ESPN’s Michele Steele.

“Jerod labored at Optum, which is the division of United Healthcare that was bringing expertise to conventional well being care to attempt to evolve that enterprise. I believe you will see us with Jerod, and Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh — who’re working our soccer operations — begin to convey extra conventional analytic instruments. Now we have them on our enterprise facet. We’ll begin to convey them to the soccer facet now.”

4. Kraft on Mayo: On the succession plan of Mayo taking up for Belichick, Kraft stated on the convention: “For us, the soccer facet of the constructing has at all times been about Invoice. We have been blessed to be in that scenario. Whenever you transition from one thing like that, in any enterprise, you must go in a really totally different course as a result of no one will be Invoice Belichick.”

Among the many issues Kraft famous about Mayo was his standing as a former NFL participant, and the way his post-playing expertise in enterprise at Optum has him “properly positioned for at present’s NFL” to assist create a brand new tradition in New England.

5. Onwenu dynamic: As of late final week, pending Patriots free agent offensive lineman Mike Onwenu had not formally employed a brand new agent, which means he was technically representing himself in any talks with the staff main as much as Tuesday’s deadline for golf equipment to make use of the franchise tag. It stays to be seen if that’s his plan shifting ahead.

Director of scouting Eliot Wolf on pending free agent Mike Onwenu shifting on from his agent (query through @cpriceglobe): “It does not impression us. Mike is a core participant for us. It is no secret we need to attempt to preserve Mike, and it’ll simply be a bit little bit of a wrinkle coping with him….

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 27, 2024

6. Maye’s message: When Maye arrived for his assembly with the Patriots on the mix, he advised reporters one of many first issues he did was congratulate Mayo on being named head coach. Maye stated he did the identical factor with head coach Antonio Pierce and the Raiders, and Raheem Morris and the Falcons.

In his interview with reporters, Maye additionally rattled off names of assistant coaches when assembly with different groups, resembling Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, Falcons quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard, in addition to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, Giants coach Brian Daboll and basic supervisor Joe Schoen.

In doing so, Maye confirmed he was dialed in and had accomplished his homework.

7. Miller time: The Patriots have about $101 million in wage cap house, in keeping with ESPN’s Roster Administration System, an eye-opening complete that highlights Richard Miller’s important function.

Miller enters his twenty ninth season with the franchise and is liable for managing the cap, participant prices, contract analysis and statistical traits, monetary and strategic planning and helping the personnel division with draft, free company and sport advance analytics. Wolf particularly referenced Miller final week, saying he has helped “make the Patriots go behind-the-scenes over time.”

8. Tag thoughts: The abundance of cap house makes it extra tenable for the Patriots to make use of the franchise tag on security Kyle Dugger ($17.1 million) or Onwenu ($20.9 million) by Tuesday’s deadline, though Mayo made it clear that wasn’t the choice.

“You need these guys to be joyful and be right here for the long run, so that is the plan,” he stated.

9. They stated it: “I do not need to name it a sluggish burn, as a result of we can be aggressive, we’ll put a superb staff on the market. Will we win a championship? I do not know, and I do not need to make these guarantees. However on the similar time, I really feel assured about our plan to actually flip this ship round.” — Mayo, on if he views the Patriots’ rebuild as one that may take time

10. Do you know: The Patriots have drafted solely eight gamers from Ohio State of their historical past, however three of these had been within the first spherical — defensive again Tim Fox (1976), receiver Terry Glenn (1996) and linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer (1999). The others had been defensive deal with Pete Cusick (third spherical, 1975), particular teamer Nate Ebner (sixth spherical, 2012) and offensive linemen Mike Ingram (1962), Bob Vogel (1963) and Rod Foster (1963).