Over the month of April WEEI.com will offer up a total of 28 prospects who could be potential Patriots selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. While the top five projected overall prospects – QB Trevor Lawrence, QB Zach Wilson, WR Ja’Marr Chase, TE Kyle Pitts and OT Penei Sewell – won’t be included, all other players at all positions will be considered potential targets for Bill Belichick and his staff. Today brings yet another Alabama prospect, this time in the defensive backfield.
Patrick Surtain
CB Alabama
6-2, 208
Resume: Surtain is obviously the son of Patrick Surtain, longtime Pro Bowl Dolphins defensive back. … The younger Surtain actually played high school football for his father as his defensive coordinator and then head coach at American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). … Surtain helped lead his team to back-to-back 5A state championships, including a 27-game winning streak over his junior and senior seasons. … Surtain earned All-American honors as a senior defensive back and also was part of the school’s 4x100 relay team that was tops in the country. … Surtain was the No. 1 cornerback prospect and No. 6 overall player in his 2018 recruiting class. … Chose Alabama over Clemson, Miami and LSU, the latter the team he grew up rooting for. … Was immediately a starter for Nick Saban’s Tide, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2018. … Started final 38 straight of 41 games played over three seasons at Alabama, earning Unanimous First-Team All-American honors as well as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year nod this past fall. … Had 31 passes defensed and four interceptions to go along with six tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles in his time with the Tide. … Passed up on his final year of eligibility to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Pre-Draft Buzz: Surtain has clearly been a dominant, productive defensive back force throughout his football career both in high school and college. … Has elite size and technique in an abundance of man coverage at Alabama. … Though he has high-end speed, including a 4.41 at his pro day, there are some questions about Surtain’s quickness and change of direction skills. … That said, his smooth playing style and instincts are rare. … The Ringer compares Surtain to former Cowboys first-round pick and current Dolphins star Byron Jones. … NFL.com’s draft profile declares that Surtain has “been well-schooled at home and at Alabama. He's wired like a future All-Pro cornerback.” NFL.com compares him to former Raiders All-Pro Nnamdi Asomugha. … NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah calls Surtain the “top cornerback in the draft,” while slotting him to No. 12 overall to the Eagles. … Surtain is almost universally considered the top cornerback prospect, likely to come off the board at or just after the top 10 picks come off the board.
Why Surtain fits the Patriots’ needs: As a likely true No. 1 NFL cornerback with elite bloodlines and top man coverage experience in Saban’s Alabama program, there is a lot to like about Surtain. His combination of size, instincts, experience and proven success seem to have him destined for NFL greatness. The Patriots have impressive talent in the back end, but as we’ve written about before the long-term futures of Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson are less than certain. Surtain may not last to the No. 15 pick, but if he landed in New England he would project to bring stability to the cornerback spot at Gillette Stadium for years and years to come.