Surtain II leads the way defensively
Beyond this season, questions arise at cornerback for Pats
Welcome to Potential Patriots!
Each day leading up to kickoff of the NFL Draft on April 29, the Herald will unveil prospects the Pats are likely targeting at a certain position. The Patriots have10 picks this year, starting at 15th overall, which will be just the first domino to fall in a crucial draft. As for their other picks, the Pats could pad their depth at virtually position, having already reloaded in free agency.
Below is a breakdown of the Patriots’ best prospect fits at cornerback.
Days 1-2
Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Ht./Wt.: 6-2, 208
Projected round: 1
Scouting report: On most boards, he’s considered the top corner in the draft. With the possibility of both Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson departing next season, the Patriots might want to land a future replacement. Surtain is the son of a Pro Bowl cornerback.
He was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, and lived up to the billing in college as a lockdown, pressman corner for Nick Saban. He has what experts consider “elite physical and athletic traits.” He has the type of length and short-area quickness the Patriots love.
Said NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah: “There’s a lot to love about Surtain’s game. The three things that stand out to me are his size, instincts and ball skills. That’s a great foundation to start with when you’re trying to build an upper-echelon NFL cornerback.”
Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 205
Projected round: 1
Scouting report: Horn is an elite athlete with excellent man-to-man skills whether covering in the slot or outside. He’s a supremely confident athlete who’s highly competitive and extremely physical. He also has an NFL pedigree, with his father Joe Horn, a former Saints receiver.
Jeremiah is also a fan of the South Carolina star.
“This is a very dynamic football player on tape,” he said. “You see the explosiveness and, man, did it translate into his pro day. He jumped out of the gym, ran sub-4.4, and then the field workout, in talking with folks who were there, very fluid, very smooth, very easy mover.”
At the very least, either Surtain or Horn could provide talented depth to the secondary this season, before moving into a top role should either Gilmore or Jackson depart. Another first-round talent is Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, but recent back surgery could drop him down the board.
Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
Ht./Wt.: 5-10, 180
Projected round:
2 Scouting report: He has a lot of similar traits to his father and namesake, a two-time Super Bowl-winning All-Pro with the Patriots.
He’s quick, and a natural in coverage. He’s also a smart and savvy defender who has great route awareness and anticipation of plays. Bill Belichick loves players with high football IQs, and Samuel fits that mold.
Even with his size, he can play inside in the slot, but he can also handle playing outside on occasion. In college, he frequently shadowed and covered an opposing team’s No. 1 receiver wherever he lined up.
He’s been described as a “Malcolm Butler-type.”
Day 3
Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota
Ht./Wt.: 6-3, 200
Projected round: 4
Scouting report: He was a four-star recruit for Michigan, and played as a true freshman before transferring to Minnesota the following year.
With his size, frame and long arms, he should match up well with the larger receivers. He’s shown to be proficient in both press-man and off-man coverage.
Watching his tape, it’s pretty impressive, even with no interceptions on the books. He should be a great fit for any NFL team. He was difficult to play against given his physicality, length and timing to compete for balls at the catch point.
He also showed well in run support, fighting through blocks to make tackles. The Patriots will like his upside as an outside corner. He graded well at the Senior Bowl according to Pro Football Focus.
Paulson Adebo, Stanford Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 198
Projected round: 4
Scouting report: He caught people’s attention his freshman year with 20 passes defended and four interceptions. He also had 64 tackles, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors.
He wasn’t quite as good his second season in 2019, and opted out in 2020, which may have hurt his draft stock. Overall, he had eight interceptions and 30 other passes defended over just 22 games.
He’s got the skill set of a potential top defender. He’s long and rangy with outstanding ball skills and playmaking ability. He was a former high school receiver. He sometimes runs the routes better than receivers, a trait Gilmore also possesses.
He had a terrific Pro Day, where he was hoping to make up for lost ground not playing this season.
Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas
Ht./Wt.: 6-0, 193
Projected round: 4/5
Scouting report: A former track star, he’s a freakish athlete with good size, length and explosiveness. He was a running back and receiver in high school, so he has good ball skills. He was primarily a press-man corner but has all the tools to play and be effective in a variety of coverages, especially with his speed, clocked at 4.43 in the 40-yard dash.
He had nine interceptions over his two full seasons as a starter, and 12 career takeaways. He earned first-team FCS All-American honors, and even though he was an alpha at that level, he’s still a bit raw. He’ll need a little time to develop, but has the traits to work with and an incredibly high ceiling.
As we saw last year with Kyle Dugger, the Patriots don’t shy away from small school athletes. Rochell was also the rare FCS player getting an invite to the 2020 Senior Bowl, so the Patriots scouting staff got a good look at him.