The New England Patriots made headlines for their fifth-round pick, their first of Day 3, and unfortunately, it's not for a good reason. While there are plenty of reasons to trust what Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf see in their latest selection, cornerback Karon Prunty, many analysts and draft experts are already labeling him a massive reach.
For many, he was projected as an undrafted free agent, so the fact that he went at pick No. 171 makes the Patriots' decision-making process.
However, not everything is always as it seems, and the newest Patriots cornerback revealed a coaching connection he has in New England, one that stems back to his days in high school, and that should be something fans consider before jumping to conclusions about what kind of player Prunty will or won't be.
Karon Prunty's connection to a Patriots' coach might have helped get him drafted
While speaking to reporters immediately after being drafted, Prunty revealed that current cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton recruited him out of high school when he worked at Virginia Tech.
To some, that might not help simmer down any concerns they have about why the team decided to reach for him in the draft, but clearly, Wolf trusted the intel he got from Hamilton, on top of what he learned during their top-30 visit leading up to the draft.
Better yet, hearing straight from Prunty what fans should expect out of him now that he's in New England, it's hard to argue that he doesn't have the right attitude for the job.
"I'm a consistent player. A guy that has great awareness, great instincts. A guy that gives you everything he's got...each year I've gotten better, and I don't see that stopping when I get to the next level."
Obviously, he will have a few chips on his shoulder from the moment he walks through the doors at Gillette Stadium after hearing all of the negative reactions to his selection. But that's only helped the Patriots in the past, as the doubt has fueled players to reach new heights and prove everyone wrong.
It would be interesting to see if Prunty can do the same.
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