Patriots Draft Rumors: Versatile Safety Visiting New England

With Devin McCourty now retired, it would not be surprising to see the New England Patriots select a safety in the 2023 NFL Draft.

They plan to bring one to Gillette Stadium for a closer evaluation.

Florida State safety Jammie Robinson has a top-30 visit scheduled with the Patriots, according to a report Wednesday from The Draft Network’s Justin Melo.

Robinson was a three-year collegiate starter (one at South Carolina, two at FSU) who played all over the Seminoles’ secondary. Last season, he logged 352 snaps as a deep safety, 252 in the box and 167 as a slot cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus’s 2023 draft guide. He’s undersized for his position at 5-foot-11, 191 pounds but is lauded for his tackling ability and allowed just one touchdown in coverage last season, per PFF.

“He thrives when playing downhill, where anticipation and burst provide quick closure to make plays on the throw,” Lance Zierlein wrote in Robinson’s NFL.com draft profile. “He has twitchy feet to match up from the slot but tends to stay behind if he falls behind in the route. He’s a run supporter with a nose for the ball but average stopping power. Robinson lacks ideal measurables and was unimpressive in NFL Scouting Combine athletic testing, but he’s a feisty defender whose success could be determined by how a team decides to deploy him.”

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Robinson ranked in the 42nd percentile among safeties in the 40-yard dash (4.59 seconds) and the 20th percentile in the broad jump (116 inches). His 23 bench-press reps were tied for the second-most by any defensive back at this year’s combine, and he did not take part in the vertical jump or agility drills.

Though he is not an elite athlete, Robinson checks several Patriots boxes with his versatility, experience and tackling ability. He also attended the Senior Bowl, which annually produces a handful of New England draft picks. He’s likely to hear his name called on Day 2 or early Day 3.

The Patriots are set to return nearly their entire secondary from last season, but it’s unclear how they plan to replace McCourty, who started every game at free safety over the last seven seasons and rarely left the field.