New England Patriots: Ranking New England’s 4 most athletic players

CB Eric Rowe

Prior to being selected in the second-round of the 2015 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Eric Rowe ranked third among cornerbacks with a pSPARQ score of 133.7 and a Z-score of 1.6. Rowe ranked in the 94th percentile among the league’s cornerbacks. That’s higher than first-rounders Trae Waynes, Kevin Johnson, and Marcus Peters.

At the 2015 Scouting Combine, Rowe was a named a ‘Top Performer’ in every drill he participated in. He clocked a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and 6.70-second three-cone drill, along with a 39-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-5-inch broad jump. Rowe posted a 3.97-second 20-yard shuttle, 11.38-second 60-yard shuttle, and 19 reps on the bench press.

As evidenced by his 6.70-second three-cone drill, Rowe possesses the short-area quickness needed to mirror agile receivers. And his 39-inch vertical leap gives him the ability to swat jump-balls and create pass breakups.

While he may not have the production of Malcolm Butler or Stephon Gilmore, Rowe’s measurables offer a good indication of his upside. His impressive results in the three-cone drill, shuttles, and jumping drills signify good balance despite his lanky 6-foot-1 frame. Rowe’s 19 bench press reps also show his 31-and-a-half-inch arms have the strength to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.

All in all, Eric Rowe has the best physical traits of New England’s entire cornerback group. Following his first full offseason with the Patriots, the best of his play is still to come.