Patriots should consider Tajae Sharpe
As the 2016 NFL Combine nears, a lesser-known name the New England Patriots should have on their radar is UMass wide receiver Tajae Sharpe. Certainly the most productive wideout to come out of UMass in the program’s history, Sharpe would be best off staying in the state of Massachusetts for a post-graduation job.
Over the last three seasons, Sharpe has steadily improved in the UMass offense. After a sleepy freshman campain in which he caught just 20 passes for 206 yards, Sharpe exploded for 680 yards and four touchdowns on 61 catches in 2013. Sharpe drew national attention in 2014 when he snagged 85 balls for 1,281 yards and seven touchdowns. He then sealed his future as a top-tier NFL prospect this past season by accumulating 111 receptions, 1,319 yards and five touchdowns.
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At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds Sharpe is tall, lean and speedy. One knock on him is his small hands, which were measured at just eight inches during Senior Bowl week, but according to Pro Football Focus, Sharpe dropped just three of 114 catchable passes thrown his way in 2015. Perhaps Sharpe’s best trait is getting in the right places to display those trusty hands; you won’t find a better route runner in the 2016 NFL Draft than Sharpe.
Where would Sharpe fit in New England? Well, for starters, he would introduce some fresh blood into the training camp competition at wideout. In addition, the Patriots’ receiving corps are by no means set in concrete; due to salary cap eyebrow-raisers concerning Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman is pretty much the only guy guaranteed to be back next year.
At the very least, the Patriots should consider plucking Sharpe from the pool in the later rounds. If he manages to skate through the draft without his phone ringing, Sharpe should be at the top of the Patriots’ undrafted free agent list.
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Admittedly, this writer is biased because he’s watched Sharpe play every Saturday for a few years now as a UMass student. But he’s a special player.