Looking for a wide receiver to get excited about in the 2022 NFL Draft? John Metchie made quite the case Wednesday in Indianapolis.
The Alabama prospect confirmed he met with the New England Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine, and that the meeting went "really well."
More intriguing for Patriots fans, though, is that Metchie is a big fan of Mac Jones, who was his starting quarterback at Alabama during the 2020 season.
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"Mac and I are really close," Metchie told reporters in Indy, via our Patriots Insider Phil Perry. "He was my quarterback that year, so Mac and I got along really well. We also spent a lot of time together my freshman year on the two team, so we have a lot of chemistry."
Metchie caught 55 passes from Jones for 916 yards (second on the team behind DeVonta Smith) and six touchdowns during that 2020 campaign, which ended in a Crimson Tide national championship victory. He put up even bigger numbers this season, tallying a team-high 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight scores.
The 21-year-old admitted it'd be "cool" to reunite with his college QB in New England -- and try to replicate the success that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had this season while teaming up with his former LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow.
"It's definitely something I've heard, and especially seeing the trend of teams liking to unite quarterbacks and receivers or just former teammates together," Metchie said. "I think Mac 10 and I would be special, for sure."
Metchie was considered a late-first-round prospect before tearing his ACL against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 4. The injury likely will make Metchie a Day 2 selection, but the six-foot, 195-pound wideout said he plans to be fully healthy before training camp.
"In June I should be cleared, no restrictions," Metchie said.
New England Patriots
There's obviously a risk in drafting a player with Metchie's injury history, and the Patriots have several other needs, so they can't afford to squander a high pick on a player who might be limited by an injury. But if Metchie can fully recover, he could present great value if he drops to New England in the second round at No. 53, while allowing the Patriots to address a defensive need like cornerback or linebacker in Round 1.
"It's something we all expected," Metchie said of Jones' success during his rookie season, "so it was cool to see him finally do that on the NFL stage and get the respect he deserves."