Over the next eight weeks leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we’re going to take a look at possible hidden gems that could be unearthed in the middle to later rounds; guys that could potentially be on the Patriots radar for a variety of reasons, like need, scheme fit, value and previous draft tendency.
The blue-chip prospects are well covered at this point, and if you’re into mock drafts, odds are you’ve got your list of players you’re hoping the team takes at No. 15 in late April.
First up: quarterback.
It’s no secret the Patriots have a gaping hole at the most important on the field. After two decades of premier quarterback play, the team’s production took a gigantic step back in 2020. Cam Newton’s 2,657 passing yards, eight touchdown passes and 47.0 quarterback rating all ranked well below league averages, while the team ranked 30th out of 32 teams in total passing offense.
At the time of this article, the team’s current depth chart consists of Jarrett Stidham and 2020 practice-squadder Jake Dolegala. And despite all of the rumors swirling about who will be under center in 2021, Marcus Mariota remains a Raider, Jimmy G a 49er, Gardner Minshew a Jaguar, and Newton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jacoby Brissett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Andy Dalton potential free agent signings in mid-March. It’s safe to assume the team will not be heading into next season with just Stidham and Dolegala as options, but the question is whether the depth will be bolstered via free agency or the draft.
If it is the latter, they’ll probably be looking to secure one of the top guys after presumed No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence – Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones. It was reported Tuesday the team is “heavily scouting the top five quarterbacks in the class.” But even if the Patriots address the position early on, it wouldn’t hurt to double dip later on.
Who is someone they can take a swing at in the later rounds? Look no further than Notre Dame’s Ian Book.
Ian Book – Notre Dame
Week 1 Age: 23
2020 Stats: 2,830 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes, 3 interceptions, 64.6 completion percentage, 9 rushing touchdowns
Size: 6’0” 206 lbs
Projected Round: Round 6-7
Book is a consistent winner. In fact, he’s the winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history. The graduate senior logged his third consecutive solid season in 2020, leading the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 season and a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
There’s a decent number of things to like about Book. First, his athleticism allows him to extend plays with his feet, something the position almost demands in today’s NFL.
Defenders respect his mobility, and rightfully so. His nine rushing touchdowns ranked second on the team last season. Take a look at this play against Clemson.
It would’ve been a footrace to the pylon, but Book’s mobility pulls the defender off his man and Book delivers a perfect strike to the now open wide receiver. Classic ‘take what the defense gives you’ type of play.
Book excels in the short and intermediate area of the passing game. Sound familiar? Here he runs through his progressions, and put the ball up where only his 6’3” receiver can get it.
Book had a rather up and down week in Mobile, AL at the 2021 Senior Bowl, showing his mobility outside of the pocket and displaying decent accuracy, but throwing a terrible interception on a Hail Mary attempt.
Yahoo! Sports’ Eric Edholm had the following on Book:
On short and intermediate passes, Book was highly accurate, threw crisp spirals and generally speaking gave his receivers a chance to maximize their yards after the catch. The problem came on deeper throws, where Book wasn’t as accurate and his passes fluttered more.
Also, while extending plays with your feet is never a bad thing, Book was known to leave the pocket prematurely to rely on his mobility to make plays. That won’t translate at the next level.
So, is Book a fit for the Patriots? For 20 years the team has thrived off of a methodical offensive passing game. Outside of the Randy Moss years, the Patriots offense was never reliant of a dominant downfield passing game. 10-15 yards between the hashes is the bread and butter, and that’s exactly where Book thrives. His mobility is a crucial bonus given his smaller size.
The following is picturesque of what Book can do when he’s on. BYU’s Zach Wilson made plays like the 2nd one all season long, and he’s going in the top five.
By no means is Book on Wilson’s level, but the athleticism is certainly comparable.
Another thing to keep in mind on Book – he checks some pretty important boxes as part of Bill Parcells’ quarterback prospect rules. The former head coach infamously listed seven traits he values when evaluating college quarterbacks in the draft:
· Be a three-year starter
· Be a senior in college
· Graduate from college
· Start 30 games
· Win 23 games
· Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio
· Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown
Here’s how Book scores:
· Be a three-year starter: YES
· Be a senior in college: YES
· Graduate from college: YES
· Start 30 games: YES, 35 starts
· Win 23 games: YES, 30 wins (winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history)
· Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio: YES, 3.7 to 1
· Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown: YES, 63.8%
Seven for seven.
You might think this may be a silly tool when evaluating college quarterbacks, but the Patriots certainly don’t. Here’s how the 12 quarterbacks drafted in the Bill Belichick era grade out on the Parcells scale.
· Tom Brady, 2000: 3/7
· Rohan Davey, 2002: 2/7
· Kliff Kingsbury, 2003: 7/7
· Matt Cassel, 2005: 3/7
· Kevin O’Connell, 2008: 3/7
· Zac Robinson, 2010: 7/7
· Ryan Mallett, 2011: 3/7
· Jimmy Garoppolo, 2014: 7/7
· Jacoby Brissett, 2016: 4/7
· Danny Etling, 2018: 5/7
· Jarrett Stidham, 2019: 4/7
Obviously, the tool is not perfect, as made evident by Brady, Kingsbury and Robinson’s careers, but interesting nonetheless.
With only a pro day left in late March and series of virtual meetings with interested teams before the draft, Book is currently slotted as a day three option. The Patriots will have their 2021 starter secured before then, but Book still presents an interesting developmental project.
