Who are the Patriots looking to draft? Here are the top prospects connected to the team

By this stage, the Patriots have checked in with additional than 100 prospective customers who are qualified for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The staff is usually thorough and goes higher than and further than to place alongside one another a draft board each and every spring. The course of action commences when players are underclassmen. By the time they are suitable to be drafted, the Pats kick it into higher gear. Prospective customers perform out privately, travel to Gillette Stadium for official visits, satisfy with the Patriots’ reps at the NFL Mix and are scouted at events this kind of as the Senior Bowl.

The Patriots use these options to understand far more about the players as they consider to figure out who may fit in their method. It all culminates in the NFL Draft, which will start out Thursday night with Spherical 1. When all is reported and performed, the Patriots will have drafted several gamers to whom they’ve been connected and have talked with over the last handful of months.

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Past yr, quarterback Mac Jones was nicely linked to the Patriots together with Christian Barmore and Joshuah Bledsoe. In 2020, it was Michael Onwenu, Josh Uche and Cassh Maluia. In 2019, N’Keal Harry, Damien Harris and Yodny Cajuste all experienced pre-draft speak to with the Patriots. In 2018, the Patriots drafted four players with whom they experienced speak to — Isaiah Wynn, Sony Michel, Duke Dawson and Christian Sam. In 2017, Derek Rivers was a person of the most very well-linked prospective clients with the Patriots before they drafted him. In 2016, they have been very well-linked to Malcolm Mitchell.

Around the very last two months, we have compiled a list of players with whom the Patriots have been speaking.

Below are the best potential clients related with the Patriots ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft:

Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Washington

McDuffie is one of the ideal cornerback prospective clients in the 2022 NFL Draft. He met with the Patriots at the NFL Merge, where by he spoke with head coach Invoice Belichick. McDuffie then traveled to Foxboro for a pre-draft take a look at. The Patriots also saw him do the job out at Washington’s Pro Day. He’s a absolutely sure-fireplace first-round select.

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Romeo Doubs, huge receiver, Nevada

Doubs has been on the Patriots’ radar all offseason. The standout receiver and returner at Nevada to start with satisfied with the Patriots at the Senior Bowl. The Pats followed that up by meeting with Doubs in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. The crew observed him perform out yet again in Nevada at his Pro Working day. He’s projected to be drafted in the fifth or sixth spherical.

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Aaron Hansford, linebacker, Texas A&M

Hansford is an athletic linebacker who transitioned from the receiver situation. The Patriots satisfied with him at the Senior Bowl in Cell, Ala. They adopted that up with an job interview at the NFL Combine. He also worked out in front of the Patriots at his Pro Day. Hansford is projected to be drafted in the fifth or sixth spherical.

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Tariq Carpenter, basic safety, Ga Tech

Carpenter is a hybrid safety and linebacker prospect who assignments as a main unique-teamer. He 1st fulfilled with the Patriots at the Hula Bowl, which this year was held in Orlando, Fla. The Pats then interviewed him at the Senior Bowl. Carpenter also labored out in entrance of the Patriots through his Professional Day. He is projected to be drafted in the seventh round.

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Jack Jones, cornerback, Arizona Point out

Jones has had off-subject concerns and problems at USC and Arizona State. The Patriots have satisfied with him a number of instances, probably to try to gauge whether or not or not these complications are at the rear of him. Jones experienced an formal pre-draft go to in New England. The Patriots also went to Arizona State to have a conference with him. The Pats also saw him perform out at his Pro Working day. Jones is a projected sixth- or seventh-round draft decide.

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Slate Bolden, receiver, Alabama

Bolden is the prospect who is most linked to the Patriots in this draft. He was a roommate of Mac Jones at Alabama and idolizes previous Pats receiver Julian Edelman. He satisfied with the Patriots at the NFL Merge. Bolden also experienced a non-public exercise with the Patriots past month. Belichick was also at his Pro Working day. Bolden is a projected seventh-spherical select or precedence undrafted absolutely free agent.

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John Metchie, receiver, Alabama

Metchie’s name has been well-liked amid Patriots mock drafts this offseason. The Alabama receiver 1st achieved with the Patriots at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Metchie did not perform out since of a knee injury at Alabama’s Professional Day but he was there — together with Belichick. The receiver then arrived to New England for a pre-draft go to with the Patriots. He’s projected to be drafted in the 2nd or third round.

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Other potential customers to consider

We can join the Patriots to hundreds of prospective clients in this week’s draft. The over record signifies the gamers with three diverse levels of get hold of.

If we were being to expand the checklist, we would incorporate players this sort of as cornerback Andrew Booth, Clemson (Pro Working day, check out) deal with Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan (Professional Day, pay a visit to) cornerback Marcus Jones, Houston (Pro Working day, take a look at) James Cook dinner, Georgia (pay a visit to, Pro Day) quarterback EJ Perry, Brown (check out, Pro Working day) deal with Tyler Vrabel, Boston Higher education (Professional Day, take a look at) and protection Colby Tippett, Rhode Island (Pro Day, check out).

Guard Kenyon Green (Texas A&M), deal with Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa) and edge rusher Joshua Onujiogu (Framingham Point out) also experienced formal pre-draft visits with the Patriots.

This article initially appeared on The Providence Journal: In this article are the leading prospective customers connected to the Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft