The 2022 Senior Bowl is set to take place on Saturday, and you can bet Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots will be paying close attention.
The Patriots have had an affinity for Senior Bowl players over the years. In the 2021 NFL Draft, they selected Senior Bowl participants Mac Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Joshuah Bledsoe. The previous year they drafted Division II prospect Kyle Dugger, who starred in the Senior Bowl and has developed into one of the most important players on New England's defense.
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It's safe to say they'll continue the trend of drafting top talent from the Senior Bowl in 2022. So, who should Patriots fans have their eyes on Saturday when the game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET? Our Phil Perry shared some names to monitor on the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast.
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Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
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"This would be an X receiver for the Patriots. He's played in the kicking game, we know the Patriots like that. The toughness that can indicate, the athleticism that it takes to play as a returner. He's averaged over 20 yards per catch at North Dakota State. He was clocked at 21 mph this week in Mobile, so he has speed. Little thin for someone who's 6-foot-4, just over 200 pounds, but if they're looking for that field stretcher type, somebody who can do some damage after the catch as well based on what he's done in the kicking game and the track record that he has there, that's somebody the Patriots should be keeping an eye on."
Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
"Six-foot-8, 387 pounds. Thirty-five inch arms, 11-inch hands. ... These guys don't grow on trees. We've heard Bill Belichick say that many, many times before whether he's talking about a 350-pound defensive tackle or a corner with incredibly long arms. There are certain players who have unique physical skill sets, Daniel Faalele is one of those. He moves well as well. Is he the most athletic tackle in the class? Of course not. But with some coaching, if they get their hands on this player and he brings things to the table that other players simply can't, because he was born with it and they weren't, that could be a guy who ends up in New England."
Chad Muma , LB, Wyoming
"Six-foot-2, 241 (pounds). I think that's big enough for the Patriots, especially for a rookie. They may try to add to somebody like that, try to make them a little bit closer to that 250 range, but that's big enough for us to at least be tracking. One of the best off-the-ball linebackers in the draft class this year, one of the best linebackers at the Senior Bowl."
Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
"Undersized guy, very short arms. That's sort of been the buzz on McCreary this week. ... But all kinds of speed and really strong ability to transition, which I know personally from talking to the Patriots and their coaches over the years is something they value very highly. So, even if you blow the (40-yard dash) the way Malcolm Butler did, that's OK in their eyes. ... I don't know if he's even going to get to (the No. 21 overall pick) because I think he's one of the best corners in this year's draft class, but that's a player we should be watching in Mobile this weekend."
Listen to the latest Next Pats episode for more Senior Bowl players Pats fans will want to keep an eye on this weekend.
Also discussed in this episode: Former NFL executive Joe Banner on how Brian Flores’ lawsuit will impact the future of the NFL. Will other coaches need to join Flores to gain traction? And should the Patriots build around the offense or the defense?
Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube below: