A Patriots Fan's Draft Wish List for Day 1: Travis Hunter

John Angelillo. Shutterstock Images.

Writer's Note: Since the early days of Barstool I annually did a roundup of draft prospects by position, and predicted which would end up getting drafted by the Patriots. Based on factors like what Bill Belichick's "type" was, system fits, intangibles, who the "Perfect Patriot" was in the group, and so on. That served me well, as I had a record of correct picks I'll put up against anyone's. From Dont'a Hightower to Dominique Easley to Mac Jones and a handful of others. Most of them busts, to be sure. But I just made the calls; I didn't coach them. 

Anyway, these past couple of years I've switched it up. Mostly because that old model made sense when they were drafting in the back end of every round. Less so when they're up at the top like they have been. But the lesser reason is breaking down the top dozen or so position prospects plus assorted sleepers would take up the better part of a day, leaving me little time for breaking news, ridiculous stories or assorted celebrity hijinks. So I'm going with this model instead, which brought me Drake Maye last year. Here's hoping it keeps working. 

Even as I typed that headine, I could hear the exaggerated eyerolling. (Your mom wants you to stop it or your face will freeze that way.) I get it. On its face, coming out in favor of drafting Travis Hunter is taking the majority side of an 80/20 issue. The draft pundit equivalent of a political candidate taking a bold stance by promising to fight for working families. 

But wanting Hunter with the fourth pick is by no means a universal opinion. I was in a brewery (if you can imagine that) with four friends last week and I was the only one saying I'd take him if he fell to No. 4. The others, all smart, well-intentioned guys in spite of the sketchy company they drink with, were all in favor of taking a left tackle. 

Which to be clear, I respect. I've been arguing forever that wide receiver is the most overrated, overpaid position in all of sports.

That quarterbacks make receivers, not the other way around. While pointing out that the bust rate on highly drafted wideouts is off the charts. (See Matt Millen's career running the Lions from 2003-08, when four WRs in the Top 10 netted him Calvin Johnson, the first 0-16 team in history, and unemployment.) Whereas a solid pick at LT would solve a long-standing problem for the next 10 years. 

The reason I'm arguing for Hunter at four is because he's special. The guy you make an exception for:

Travis Hunter, Colorado. WR/CB. 6-foot-0, 188 pounds, 4.38 40-time (unofficial)

Hunter is more than just unique, he's a unicorn. A guy who can help this team at two areas of need. The Shohei Ohtani of football. The Heisman Trophy isn't nearly as impressive as the fact he won both the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wideout and the Chuck Bednarik as the best defensive player at any position. 

It's been speculated on and I can confirm that inside the Patriots college scouting department, he's considered the best wide receiver in this draft AND the best defensive back. They watch his film and see a receiver who uses his experience in coverage to set up and shake off corners, and a corner who uses his knowledge of route-running to anticipate and stay with his assignment. And who has elite, off-the-charts hands whether the pass is intended for him or the guy he's defending.

Of course if there's one head coach in the league who can relate to being a two-way player, it's Mike Vrabel:

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And he acknowledged this week that, while he's open to having Hunter play both sides, to truly be effective in the pros, you have to put your focus into one side or the other:

You get one shot at a guy like this. And thanks to the Pats winning the game no one wanted, we might not even get that. Right now, the mock drafts are all over the map about how the Top 3 picks are going to shake out. As if anyone needed another reason to hate the Giants, by signing both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston they've thrown the whole plan into utter chaos.

Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates at ESPN, and Daniel Jeremiah and Chad Reuter at NFL.com all still have the Giants taking Shedeur Sanders at 3. While Bucky Brooks and Eric Edholm of NFL.com have Hunter going to New York. Still others see things shaking out where they land Cam Ward or even Abdul Carter.

My preferred go-to site  for such things is Mock Draft Database, because as the name suggests, they compile data from all the big mock drafts across the internet. And by that metric, it's such an unbelievable cluster, they've got the Giants taking Hunter at No. 3, with Sanders going fourth, just not to the Patriots. To some other unspecified team in a trade-down, though probably Carolina at 8. 

I can't offer much in the way of insight on Travis Hunter than what you've read everywhere and watched all last season as he played virtually every snap of every Buffalo's game, half of those in the thin air of Colorado. In no way would I expect him to do the same in Foxboro. But as a full slot/Z-receiver opposite Stefon Diggs, he'd immediately stress opposing defenses like no one this offense has seen since 2019 Julian Edelman. As a part time spread defense cornerback between Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, you'd be adding a lockdown nickle corner that Pro Football Focus (paywall) calls one of the most talented players they've ever scouted. Adding, "a primary zone defender with press-man flexibility, he can be an immediate starting cornerback with an All-Pro ceiling." 

Or, you do the opposite. I'm an agnostic as to where Hunter's primary focus should be. All I know is that the moment he steps into the building, the talent level and athleticism we've been bellaching about for years goes up immeasurably. 

Left tackle is still the biggest area of priority on this roster. It needs to be addressed. And I'm not always the guy who advocates for "drafting the best player available, regardless of position." But "drafting the best player available at two positions"? I'm all about that.