It seemed to be lining up perfectly for the Patriots. Their pick was coming up in the first round and there were several top-rated cornerbacks still on the board.
Instead of drafting one, the Patriots traded out. Why?
In his weekly notes column, ESPN’s Mike Reiss quotes an NFL scout who explains one possible reason why the Patriots didn’t stay at No. 21 overall and select Washington corner Trent McDuffie, whom the Chiefs nabbed. "One NFL scout pointed to McDuffie's shorter-than-ideal arm length (29 3/4) as a possible reason the Patriots didn't race to turn in their card -- especially since they have traditionally preferred to play press-man coverage on the outside (where some view arm length as critical),” Reiss writes.
That’s an interesting perspective that clarifies some of the unexplainable, though it doesn’t rationalize why the Patriots didn’t pick another cornerback in the first round, such as Florida’s Kaiir Elam (the Bills traded up and selected him at No. 23).
New England took its first cornerback, Marcus Jones out of Houston, in the third round before following up with Arizona State corner Jack Jones in the fourth. Both players were commonly viewed as reaches.
The Patriots seemed to prioritize athleticism this year, and both Jones’ have great speed. But they are undersized: Marcus Jones is 5-foot-8, and 5-foot-10. Their combined weight is 350 pounds, which is about one Trent Brown.
Unfair or not, Marcus and Jack Jones are going to be compared to the corners the Patriots passed over in the first round for years to come. But at least they have longer arms.