New England Patriots Rundown: D.J. Swearinger and Percy Harvin
There is plenty of 2013 NFL Draft news to go around, and a look at several prospects is what is mainly featured in this New England Patriots Rundown issue.
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1. D.J.Swearinger out of South Carolina is a safety that I’ve been touting for the last couple of months, and he’s starting to attract more buzz among NFL Draft analysts due to comments they’ve been hearing from NFL scouts. Swearinger held the distinction of being the most underrated SEC player heading into the draft (or, at least that’s what it seemed like), because nobody really talked about the electrifying strong safety. Swearinger has enough talent to be a top 50 pick, and he would be a steal for the Patriots in the late second-round if they chose to go that route.
Daniel Jeremiah asked two NFL execs about which safety was their favorite to watch, and both guys said Swearinger over more well-known names like Kenny Vaccaro, Matt Elam, and Eric Reid. The two praised Swearinger’s instincts and electrifying hitting ability. Swearinger is an explosive, impact player in the secondary, and those are traits that are key at SS. He’s also adept in coverage, and I have no idea why people only rate him as a third-rounder.
2. Percy Harvin is a favorite wide receiver target for New England Patriots fans in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, but I just don’t see it happening. Harvin reportedly wants $12 million per year, which would make him the third-highest paid wide receiver in the game. Does he really think he’s the third-best WR in the game? Harvin will also want a lengthy deal, and if you are making the argument that the Pats should not sign Wes Welker based on money, then you had better not trump up Harvin. Not only is he going to be expensive financially, but it will also take plenty of assets to pry Harvin from the Vikings. It’s just far too much money to give up, and it is nearly impossible to envision him playing for the Patriots.
3. ESPN’s scout Kevin Weidl is one of my favorite draft scouts out there, so when he praises Missouri Southern State’s NT Brandon Williams, then I am all ears. Williams has ridiculous size at 340 pounds and had a nice Senior Bowl, so there is definitely something to this guy despite him coming from a small school. Weidl said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Williams get selected with one of the top 40 picks because of his explosiveness, power, and athleticism. NEPD’s Mike Loyko tweeted back to him praising Williams’s character.
4. Speaking of NE Patriots Draft, here is another well-written up scouting report from them on Zach Ertz of Stanford. The tight end isn’t a New England Patriots target, but I still think you’ll find their evaluation of Ertz interesting. They wrote that he has a chance to sneak in as a back-end of the first-round selection and could be the best TE in this class.
5. Weidl’s “advanced scouting” series on ESPN Boston is just awesome, because Weidl goes in-depth with scouting notes on several top New England Patriots 2013 NFL Draft prospects. His most recent piece was on Alabama’s Jesse Williams, who is a possible selection for the Pats at the end of the first-round. Williams is one of the standouts in a deep class of DTs, and he is a scheme-versatile player. However, Williams is more of a run-stopper than pass rusher on the inside and might not be the best fit for the Patriots.
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