How Patriots Exec Feels About This Year’s Receiver Prospects

FOXBORO, Mass. — This year’s group of receiver prospects might be the most polarizing wideout class in recent memory.

Early in the offseason, many forecasted multiple receivers to go in the first round of the 2023 NLF Draft. TCU’s Quentin Johnston, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, USC’s Jordan Addison and Boston College’s Zay Flowers all were viewed as potential Day 1 picks.

But opinions shifted over the last month, with some now believing only Smith-Njigba could hear his name called on Thursday, April 27.

“One thing has become clear on calls around league past couple weeks,” former NFL scout stand current Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy tweeted in early April. “NFL isn’t nearly as high on this year’s WR class as media. Frequently seeing 4-5 wideouts in mocks. Have spoken to numerous teams that have only one first-round grade at the position. That guy is (Smith-Njigba).”

So, how do the New England Patriots, who’ve met with all of the top wideout prospects, feel about this year’s crop of receivers? When asked that question Tuesday morning, director of player personnel Matt Groh noted that things can change in a hurry on draft day.

“Yeah, you know, it only takes one,” Groh said at Gillette Stadium. “It only takes one team to say, ‘Hey, we need a wide receiver’ — and one goes. And somebody else says, ‘Well, we better go get one, too.’ So, there’s a little bit of different flavor between guys like Zay to some of the bigger, longer guys. And we’ve worked really hard to try to get everywhere and get eyes on these guys.”

Groh also offered a reminder that being a first-round pick isn’t a prerequisite for being a great NFL wideout.

“Look, I think if you’re looking for a guy, it’s not just a first-round guy,” Groh said. “There’s a lot of good wide receivers in this draft, and there’s a lot of good wide receivers in this league that weren’t just first-round picks. So, you can find these guys throughout the draft. Obviously, if you’re taking one in the first round, you better have some conviction about him.”

Flowers is among the receivers who’ve met with the Patriots during the pre-draft process. The most productive pass-catcher in Boston College history, Flowers is viewed by some as a likely slot weapon in the NFL and by others as a do-everything talent.

“Depending on the offense, you’ve gotta be able to move these guys around,” Groh said when asked about Flowers’ potential role in the NFL. “Especially a player like Zay that can do a lot of things. … I think there’s a certain type (of slot receiver) that a lot of the fans have seen around here with those smaller guys getting in and out of their breaks and getting inside. … But we’re talking about a pretty fast guy (Flowers) here, too, who can also stretch the field vertically from the outside.”

The Patriots have used a first-round pick to draft a receiver eight times in franchise history, but just once during the Bill Belichick era (N’Keal Harry in 2019). New England used a second-round pick last year to select Baylor wideout Tyquan Thornton, who experienced an uneven rookie season in Foxboro.

The Patriots own the 14th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.