Giving Mac Joes what he needs to be comfortable and competitive in the increasingly challenging AFC East, and AFC overall, appropriately seems a priority for the New England Patriots. Tuesday’s pre-draft meeting shows the Patriots are invested in the idea of enhancing the weaponry around their second-year QB, or at least doing their due diligence, seeing as they’re hosting one of his favorite collegiate targets.
According to a report the Patriots are hosting Alabama wide receiver John Metchie in Foxboro as part of their top-30 pre-draft player meetings. This marks the second time the Patriots will have met with Metchie, the previous occasion being at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. It was there where Metchie said, “Mac 10 and I would be special,” when pressed on the idea of being drafted by the Patriots. Tuesday’s meeting brings that possibility one step closer potentially.
Metchie can play both the inside and outside as receiver, bringing with him the kind of versatility the Patriots offense covets, in addition to his pre-existing chemistry with Jones. The two connected a few times once Jones took over for Tua Tagovailoa in 2019, Metchie’s freshman season, and then many more times in 2020 en route to a national title. Metchie finished that year as Alabama's second-leading receiver with 55 catches for 916 yards and six touchdowns.
Metchie had his best season as a junior in 2021, catching 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns in the SEC. Draft experts have him slated as a mid-second round pick this April (the Patriots hold the 54th pick overall). He is recovering currently from ACL surgery, having gone down last December with an injury in the SEC Championship, but looks to be on track for the 2022 NFL season.
While there may be disagreement as to how much of a priority the wide receiver position is for the Patriots in the upcoming draft (they just traded a 2023 third-round selection to Miami for DeVante Parker), there’s no denying the playmaking and positional flexibility of Metchie will be in demand early on Day Two.
His teammate, receiver Jameson Williams, will likely be drafted by the middle of Round 1 (the Patriots have the 21st pick in the first round). This could leave Metchie as the next immediate chance for the Patriots to continue their drafting of a player from Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide (they’ve done so each of the last three season). And the best possible chance to unite the Pats QB with a college receiver he had success throwing to, a developing trend in the fast-paced NFL that New England’s Jones will be working hard to keep up with.
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