The New England Patriots took home an eclectic group of talent during the 2022 NFL Draft.
The team selected 10 players across three days back in April, many of them hailing from the offensive side of the ball, in hopes to surround quarterback Mac Jones with as much talent as possible to aid him in making the all important second-year leap. So, when one NFL writer took a look at potential “Draft Gems” from each team, there was intrigue with who he’d select for the Patriots.
Could it be the blazing second-round wide receiver? How about the dynamic third-round defensive back? What about one of the many offensive or defensive linemen taken across the three days? Nope, it was the sixth-round running back.
“Kevin Harris was a dominant rusher at South Carolina before a back injury derailed his collegiate career and drastically hurt his draft stock,” Bleacher Report’s Ian Wharton wrote. “He’s similar to incumbent starter Damien Harris. Considering Damien Harris missed two games in 2021 and that he’s a free agent after this season, the door is open for his replacement to earn a solid workload.
“If Kevin Harris’ final collegiate game (182 rushing yards and one touchdown) was any indication of his health, the Patriots have another impactful starter for the foreseeable future.”
While Wharton certainly wasn’t wrong in his reasoning — citing the Patriots penchant for rotating their backs — he may have overlooked the presence of second-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
Stevenson rushed for 606 yards in 12 games as a rookie, tacking on an additional 123 receiving yards on 14 catches with five total touchdowns, making for one of the better rookie running back seasons that have ever been had under Bill Belichick.
If you factor in the presence of the aforementioned Damien Harris and Pierre Strong Jr., as well as the returning James White, Kevin Harris has a long way to make the roster, let along becoming a “gem” on New England’s offense.
