New England Patriots 2020 NFL draft: 5 prospects of extreme interest
Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
When was the last time the New England Patriots drafted a tight end in the first round of the NFL draft?
If you are thinking Rob Gronkowski, you are wrong as he was a second-round pick.
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Actually, the player was on the 2019 roster in one Benjamin Watson who the team drafted back in 2004. That was two drafts after they selected Daniel Graham in the first round.
In other words, it does happen in the Bill Belichick era and if Notre Dame product Cole Kmet is available at No. 23, the Patriots would be crazy to pass him up.
The team has other needs, but the tight end position has become a desperate need for the team. Depending on the confidence Belichick has in acquiring one of the top tight end free agents or perhaps a Rob Gronkowski un-retirement, he has to draft a tight end high.
Kmet would certainly add some excitement to the position.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds, this NFL prospect is a big target who can do Rob Gronkowski things on the field. Not only is he a good pass-catching tight end, but he can develop into a physical blocking tight end and he is also hard to take down.
In all, Cole Kmet caught 43 passes for 515 yards in 2019, but those numbers could blossom in the right NFL system, catching the ball from the right quarterback.
You hear that Tom Brady?