2015 NFL Draft: Evaluating Roster Chances of Every New England Patriots’ Pick
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Round 5, 166th Overall: LS Joe Cardona
Roster chances: 9.99/10
After the release of Tyler Ott yesterday, one has to assume that the Patriots are banking on Cardona to be their long snapper in 2015. Unless his commitment with the Navy stands in the way of him playing this season, Cardona appears to be the Patriots’ starting long snapper.
Cardona’s snaps have been clocked at over 40 miles per hour, the fastest speed ever recorded. What does that mean for the Patriots? Well, ideally Cardona would be able to get the football to Ryan Allen all that much faster, allowing Allen to punt without pressure in his face. As long as Allen doesn’t out-kick his coverage, the addition of Cardona could bolster the Patriots’ punt game significantly.
Bill Belichick is a huge believer that favorable field position wins games. That’s why he took a long snapper in the fifth round. That’s also why Cardona will make the final roster, as long as the Navy doesn’t come looking for him.
Next: Matthew Wells