The NFL Combine is finally in the books, and it certainly didn't lack for big moments.
Saturday featured some monster quarterback workouts, all but solidifying four passers as top-10 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. Thursday's defensive lineman and EDGE workouts were simply ridiculous, with athletic freaks coming out of the woodwork left and right. And though the receiver group doesn't look as strong at the top as it did last season, there were a couple players who made themselves some money.
Whether you're talking about the No. 14 overall pick or Day 2, the chances of the Patriots landing multiple first-round talents are looking pretty solid.
Here are five prospects the Patriots should be watching intently after their big-time performances at the Combine.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Truthfully, he might’ve just pushed himself out of range for the Patriots with his dominant Combine performance, putting on a route-running clinic and obliterating agility drills.
That guy could run a 4.7 at his Pro Day (if he even runs), and he would deserve to go by pick 12 at the latest.
If he doesn’t, somehow, the Patriots should do it, no questions asked.
Yeah, I know. “New England needs offensive tackles!” “He’s too short/slow!” Blah, blah, blah.
Do not lose the thread here. This dude is an EXCEPTIONAL athlete. Just because past teams made the mistake of letting similar players (Cooper Kupp, Amon-Ra St. Brown) drop in the draft doesn’t mean the Patriots need to.
Had Smith-Njigba been healthy in 2022 and done anything remotely close to his 2021 season, we wouldn't even be able to have this discussion because he'd be a top-10 pick. (He may yet be.)
He’s one of the rare rookie receivers from this class that would immediately come in and change an offense. It's getting harder to justify letting him pass the Patriots by if he lasts to No. 14, especially since the receiver class isn't as deep as other positions.
Also, shout out to Zay Flowers, who stepped up with a 4.42 40 after putting on 13 pounds of muscle for the Combine and looked strong in on-field drills as well.
Adetomiwa Adebawore
"Tomi" was out there hoopin' on Thursday.
The Patriots have already had their eye on Adebawore dating back to the Senior Bowl. His utter destruction of the Combine will likely only make them more intrigued by his potential.
The man ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and had a 37.5-inch vertical at 282 pounds. That's insane.
His scheme versatility and crazy athleticism could make him that classic inside-outside guy the Patriots love, moving him around depending on the down in order to best deploy his skills. His elite quickness can help him win on the interior against slower centers and guards, and his length and strength (27 bench press reps) can help him hold the point of attack against offensive tackles.
He should be there in the second round if the Patriots want him.
Deonte Banks
As much as Christian Gonzalez belongs in this conversation as well as a height-weight-speed cornerback, Banks' performance was arguably even crazier.
Banks showed off easy speed and major explosiveness, jumping 42 inches in the vertical and 11-4 in the broad jump. He packages that with a six-foot, 200-pound frame, giving him the raw tools to stick with the beasts in the AFC East the way few corners on the Patriots currently can.
"Banks is sticky without needing to use his size," his Pro Football Focus scouting report. "That’s a rarity for a 200-plus-pound corner. And it’s scary to think what he could become once he learns to use that size advantage consistently.
Despite some concerns about his press-man coverage instincts and need to track and play the football better, Banks still only allowed opponents to catch 43 percent of targets that came his way.
Banks' testing might have pushed him up into the mid-to-late-first-round range that could make it hard for the Patriots to get him unless they were to trade back. But depending on how the board falls, one wonders if he could be someone the Patriots might consider trading up for with their second pick if they pass on corner with their first selection.
Blake Freeland
The great thing about this offensive line class is that you can find star-level talent outside of the first round if you miss out on/opt out of the top prospects.
Freeland's electrifying Combine was an example of that.
The BYU product ran a nonsensical 4.96 40-yard dash (with an especially crazy 1.68 10-yard split) and had a vertical jump of 37 inches -- a Combine record for an offensive lineman.
His explosiveness and movement skills at his size are rare and drew comparisons to Philadelphia Eagles star Lane Johnson, which should get you excited for his future once he adds some more strength to his base.
Freeland's play on the field reflected his ability: he allowed just one sack in three seasons (none allowed last season) and had a 91 overall blocking grade (90.7 pass-blocking, 87.9 run-blocking) via Pro Football Focus.
The Senior Bowl prospect is currently thought of as a Day 2 pick, and the Patriots should absolutely seek him out if he's available. He'd be a first-round talent with arguably as much potential as any of the options they could select near the top of the draft.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Buy the stock while you can, folks, because it is about to fly off the shelves.
It's hard enough not to see visions of Alvin Kamara when you watch Gibbs play; the running style and all-around brilliance as a playmaker out of the backfield and in space make it feel like you're watching identical twins.
The crazy thing is that Baby Kamara has even more juice than the original version. The Crimson Tide running back lit up the 40 for an official 4.36, which put him second behind Texas A&M's Devin Achane at the position.
On top of that, his position drills were simply art, his footwork and change-of-direction skills immaculate.
His size (5-9, 199 pounds) leaves something to be desired, but his raw burst and versatility could have him as the second running back off the board behind Texas' Bijan Robinson, who had a dominant Combine himself.
It's impossible to predict when running backs will start coming off the board, but perhaps it's safer to think of Gibbs as an early Day 2 option. Like, get him before he's gone within the first few picks on Day 2.
The Jets made waves last year when they decided to trade up in the second round for Breece Hall with the No. 36. Gibbs deserves consideration as that kind of player this year. His immediate impact could be just as powerful, too.
Who better to tap into Gibbs' potential than Bill O' Brien, the guy who just spent the last two years helping the dynamic back become a top prospect?