On paper, cornerback might not seem like an area of focus for the Patriots heading into next week’s draft.
The team’s starting three cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones are presumably all returning for at least one more season in Foxboro, and the addition of cornerback/safety hybrid Jalen Mills will present tough matchups for opposing offenses. Add in the young depth from Joejuan Williams and Myles Bryant and the depth chart appears full.
But Gilmore, Jackson and Jones are scheduled to be free agents after the season and Williams, who was a second-round pick two years ago, has yet to carve out a definitive role for himself early in his career. Bryant, who was undrafted a year ago, showed some nice flashes throughout his rookie season, but is still very much a work in progress.
When you do the math, cornerback might not necessarily be a need for the 2021 season, but it very much is beyond that. With a very strong cornerback class this year, perhaps Bill Belichick sees the impending need on the horizon and jumps a year early.
If you look at enough mock drafts, South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn is a popular pick amongst draft pundits at No. 15 for the Patriots. But South Carolina had another, perhaps more versatile player in their defensive backfield the past few seasons: Horn’s teammate Israel Mukuamu.
Israel Mukuamu – South Carolina
Week 1 Age: 21
Size: 6’4” 212 lbs
2020 Stats: 10 total tackles, 2 interceptions
Projected Round: 5
At 6’4” 212 lbs, Mukuamu was a chess piece for the Gamecocks defense, seeing time as an outside cornerback, in the slot, and even at safety. He possesses elite size wherever he lines up, creating matchup problems for opposing receivers and tight ends.
As a press corner, his frame comes with plus strength, allowing him to win at the line of scrimmage. He has the power to fight through the block and athleticism to make a play on the ball.
Mukuamu struggled with a groin injury throughout the 2020 season, resulting in only six games played. He then followed in the footsteps of his teammate Horn in opting out of the remainder of the 2020 season after head coach Will Muschamp was fired in November.
Mukuamu’s 2019 tape was actually much better than last year’s, when he totaled 59 tackles, 4 interceptions, including one for touchdown, and nine pass break ups. He had three in one game against Georgia’s Jake Fromm.
It’s pretty safe to say, Mukuamu has a knack for finding the football.
He was also a fairly reliable tackler in the run game, but often times isn't always able to finish. He’ll need to clean that portion of his game up, especially if he is to be tasked with moving around the defense.
Is he a fit for the Patriots? Last week, Bill Belichick noted the unique challenges this season presents for evaluating prospects, following a college football season riddled with shortened and altered schedules and player opt outs due to COVID-19.
“In some respects, the ’19 film is probably better, more of an apples-to-apples comparison of where players were,” were Belichick’s exact words.
Perhaps Mukuamu fits into that category. Stats, while not painting the full picture, will show his play dropping off after a strong 2019 season.
The Patriots drafted Joejuan Williams two years ago to be a big-bodied cornerback with the ability to move inside and handle tight ends. It simply just hasn’t panned out yet. Mukuamu’s physical style and long frame could present the same matchup challenges for opposing offenses that the team envisioned when they drafted Williams. There’s no denying Mukuamu’s versatility, something we have seen the Patriots emphasize in their defensive back room for decades. The Patriots could target Mukuamu on day three, have him study and learn from Gilmore – a fellow Gamecock – for a season, and put him in a position to serve as a versatile option in the defensive backfield in 2022 and beyond.