Even before Julian Edelman announced his retirement, wide receiver figured to be a top priority for the Patriots in the NFL Draft, which is two weeks from Thursday.
Now that he’s out of the picture, it seems almost a lock the team will select a wide out with one of its first few picks.
Fortunately for the Patriots, this appears to be another great class.
“This draft is unprecedented in its sheer number of really good slot WRs,” an experienced top evaluator told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
So, who could the Patriots potentially be looking at to help replace Edelman?
Here are five names to keep an eye on.
1. Jaylen Waddle
In order for him to come to the Patriots he would need to be available at No. 15 overall, which is up for debate at this point. In six games last year at Alabama, he finished with 28 receptions for 591 yards and four touchdowns. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury, but was able to return in a limited role for the National Championship. Waddle lined up both inside and outside and the offense was designed to get him the ball in space. Josh McDaniels would likely have a lot of fun working with Waddle, who is just under 6-feet tall and 180 pounds.
2. Kadarius Toney
Toney isn’t just a receiver, as he lines up all over the field, evident by being listed on the Florida roster as “athlete.” The speedster could be described more as a gadget player, but he does most of his damage in the passing game. Last fall, he finished with 70 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns. There are some concerns with him off the field, so he could be a name that slips and perhaps a scenario plays out where the team trades up to the end of the first round or early second to grab him.
3. Elijah Moore
The Ole Miss product is one of the more true slot receivers in the draft and had a solid career in the SEC. In 2020, he led the conference in catches per game (10.8) and yards (149.1). Moore is expected to be a second-round pick, so the Patriots wouldn’t really need to look to trade up to get him. He will likely be available when they are on the clock in Round 2.
4. Rondale Moore
Due to injuries, he only played in 20 college games, so the lack of a sample size could be an issue for some NFL teams. His best year came as a freshman when he had 114 catches and a Purdue-record 2,215 all-purpose yards, but then has missed 11 of 18 games the last two seasons because of injuries. At 5-foot-7, he doesn’t have much size, but the Patriots have made that work in the past. Like the other Moore, he figures to be a second-round pick.
5. Marquise Goodwin
Goodwin isn’t a rookie and is a free agent, but he’s arguably the best one still available and could potentially help the Patriots offense. His best season came back in 2017 with the 49ers when he had 56 receptions for 962 yards and two touchdowns. The 30-year-old still has something left and while he wouldn’t be the No. 1 option, he could be a helpful depth piece for the position if still available as training camp nears.