![]() ![]() Jim, his wife, Mary Anne, and Chris’ younger siblings Jeff and Erinn learned long ago not to be surprised by Chris’ athletic exploits. “We were very plussed by the fact that Chris was mentioned as one of the better athletes he’s coached.” “That meant a lot, especially coming from an icon of coaching who doesn’t give praise out to really anybody and deflects most of it with reporters,” Jim said. How else would he have elicited such high praise from a most unlikely source? There was the normally taciturn Patriots coach Bill Belichick recently describing Hogan to reporters as “one of our best players.” In Belichick’s world, that's akin to a Hall of Fame endorsement. The drive that led Hogan to turn a three-year lacrosse career at Penn State into a one-year football tenure at Monmouth into one of the unlikeliest success stories in recent NFL lore remains as intense as ever. “Still, every so often he tweaks himself, realizing he’s playing in the NFL, on one of the best teams, and he just won a Super Bowl. “Chris is very focused and hardworking, he doesn’t take anything for granted,” Chris’ father, Jim, said in a phone conversation Wednesday. Yet if it seems as if so much has changed in a year, for those closest to the onetime Ramapo High School star, all that matters is what hasn’t. That said, he is a raw prospect that needs to improve his technique to make up for a lack of explosive power.While Hogan had already done plenty to prove himself across a breakout season that included a monster performance in the AFC Championship game and a key late catch in the epic Super Bowl comeback victory over the Falcons, it was a season-ending knee injury sustained by fellow receiver Julian Edelman this preseason that really threw the 2017 glare Hogan’s way. ( via Justin Melo)ĭT Raequan Williams, Michigan State (6040, 308 lbs): While his starter upside appears to be limited, Williams does offer value as a rotational depth player capable of serving in a two-gap scheme like the one run by the Patriots. The 22-year-old may not have the biggest ceiling due to his comparatively limited athleticism, but his experience in combination with a solid overall skillset project well at the next level. ( via Justin Melo)ĭE Kenny Willekes, Michigan State (6035, 264 lbs): Willekes is a big-bodied edge defender capable of setting the edge in the running game and making plays with his high motor and sound technique. He offers good strength and plays the game with a physical edge, but needs to get more consistent in applying his technique and positioning himself well in zone blocking schemes. OG Damien Lewis, LSU (6020, 327 lbs): Lewis, who also had a meeting with the Patriots at the scouting combine, enters the draft as a developmental prospect along the interior offensive line. OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State (6060, 311 lbs): A raw talent that likely needs some development before being able to compete as a starting-caliber offensive tackle at the next level, Cleveland delivered an impressive combine workout: the Boise State product ran the fastest three-cone drill and shuttle among all offensive linemen and was one of just three linemen to finish the 40-yard dash in under five seconds. According to reports by Music City Miracles’ Justin Melo, they held interviews with the following four draft prospects that way: One of those methods involved calling up draft hopefuls via FaceTime - and the Patriots have been quite busy in this area. ![]() This holds especially true these days, with the Coronavirus limiting teams’ abilities to evaluate prospects during the pre-draft process.īelichick’s team, therefore, has decided to turn to alternative scouting methods now that personal meetings and workouts are no longer safe and pro days all over the country have been canceled. Since that day in 2009 a lot has happened, with technology becoming increasingly important not just in the automotive industry but in pro football as well. The NFL Films documentary A Football Life: Bill Belichick includes a scene of the New England Patriots head coach sitting in his car, struggling to set the clock.
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