The New England Patriots are looking for some of their young players to take a major jump in 2020. Here are 5 second-year players on the rise.
Following the 2020 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots have selected an interesting rookie class that may produce some players who can make immediate impacts.
But, what about the class of 2019?
With the only players really making an impact as rookies being Chase Winovich, who was considered a steal in the third round, and punter Jake Bailey, the Patriots are looking for other players from that 2019 draft class to make a major jump in 2020.
While all eyes will be on the incoming rookies, it is really the second-year players who can transition into bigger roles and really change Bill Belichick’s grade when it comes to that draft in which he selected a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in his draft history.
Spoiler alert!
We will get to N’Keal Harry.
But, before we get to the five players primed to really breakout in 2020, here are a couple players to watch.
Byron Cowart – Selected with the No. 159 overall pick out of Maryland, Cowart has the size and motor to be a factor in the middle of the defensive line. With a depth chart that only includes veterans Lawrence Guy, Beau Allen and Adam Butler, Byron Cowart will have an opportunity to really make a statement in 2020.
Joejuan Williams – The 2019 second-round pick out of Vanderbilt has flown under the radar due to how good the New England Patriots secondary was last season. With the emergence of J.C. Jackson and solid play of Jonathan Jones, Williams is a young cornerback who really has another season to learn behind Stephon Gilmore and the crew. I predict the lengthy defensive back will be more of a presence in 2020, but his potential breakout isn’t coming until 2021.
Now, here are five second-year players primed to breakout for the New England Patriots in 2020.
New England Patriots offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste will tackle a starting role.
The New England Patriots did take three offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft by selecting Michigan product Michael Onwenu at guard, tackle Justin Herron out of Wake Forest and Memphis center Dustin Woodard, but don’t discount two offensive linemen they drafted in 2019, particularly third-round pick Yodny Cajuste.
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Along with fourth-round pick Hjalte Froholdt, Cajuste sat out his entire rookie season due to injury essentially making him a rookie in 2020, but certainly a second-year player who can make some noise at his position which should have veteran right tackle Marcus Cannon looking over his shoulder.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, the 24-year-old tackle was a three-year starter for the West Virginia Mountaineers who earned Big 12 Conference Co-offensive lineman of the Year as well as All-Bit 12 Conference First Team in his senior year.
Those are a couple great accolades, but how will he transition to the NFL, particularly a New England Patriots offensive line that will be without the great Dante Scarnecchia as the offensive line coach?
Well, he’s a physicality and size to be an effective tackle on either size if he learns how to be a more balanced offensive lineman in both the run and pass game. I think in sitting out his rookie season and still learning from Scarnecchia, Yodny Cajuste will at some point in the season take over the starting role from Cannon, especially if the veteran struggles with consistency and/or struggles with injury.
Another position to watch is left tackle.
Third-year tackle Isaiah Wynn has seemed to lock that position down, but he has yet to play a full NFL season, so that is also a position Yodny Cajuste could see some snaps at.
Overall, I think Patriots fans will hear a lot of his name in 2020 and it will be a good thing. Typically, when you hear the name of an offensive lineman, it’s because of penalties or injury. That won’t be the case when it comes to the 2019 third round pick.
Watch out of New England Patriots running back Damien Harris.
With Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, James White and Brandon Bolden making up the New England Patriots depth chart at running back, why in the world would Bill Belichick draft Alabama product Damien Harris in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft?
Well, we will find out in 2020.
While Michel, Burkhead, White and even Bolden are more versatile running backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield, Harris is your prototypical power back who gets yards after contact.
Take a look at this:
As we seen during the preseason in 2019, he is also a capable receiver which makes him an offensive weapon the Patriots will utilize a lot more in 2020. In both power and second-level speed, Damian Harris can progress into the type of running back the team has been lacking sense the days of Corey Dillon. Yes, I said Corey Dillon and not LeGarrette Blount.
Blount was more a power back who would run through or even over defenders where Dillon was the type of back to break tackles, but also had the speed to separate from defenders in open space.
That is what I see in Damien Harris which is why both Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead have to look over their shoulders when it comes to snaps at the position.
With just four rushing attempts for 12 yards in his rookie season, expect Harris to be more of that back he was at Alabama in his second season in the NFL.
Chase Winovich will lead the New England Patriots in sacks.
Considered a steal in the third-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, New England Patriots edge rusher Chase Winovich came as advertised.
In recording 5.5 sacks, 10 QB hits and 26 combined tackles, the Michigan product showed off his motor on a Patriots defense that was very good, but also a defense that showed its age towards the end of the season.
With both Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins taking their talents elsewhere, Chase Winovich will get even more in his second year in the NFL and sky is the limit on how good he will be as a quarterback hunter.
The only thing that could hold Winovich back from breaking out even more in 2020 is hernia surgery he had back in February. But he has been rehabbing and should be fine once actual football activities continue.
In all, Winovich’s production in his rookie season should ooze a lot of excitement in just how good this kid can be. And now that his college buddy Josh Uche is also on the team, the second-year edge rusher should also step into more of a leadership role in just his second season in the NFL.
The New England Patriots will cash in on Jarrett Stidham gamble.
Tom Brady’s departure has pushed second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham into the spotlight perhaps sooner than expected.
Though he has the talent, the big question will be whether Stidham is ready to lead the New England Patriots offense and if Bill Belichick making a huge gamble by relying on a quarterback who only threw one pass in the regular season for a pick-6 in 2019.
With options still out there like free agent veteran quarterback Cam Newton, there is still question on whether Jarrett Stidham will even be the starter come Week 1 on the 2020 NFL season. One possibility everyone is either annoying or avoiding is Brian Hoyer as the starter to begin the 2020 season.
Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich put that possibility out there during his appearance on ESPN’s Get Up.
"“I think Brian Hoyer will be the starter Week 1 and I say that because the quarterback position is one of the most important for reps under center, seeing defensive looks, looking at coverage, understanding the offense,” Ninkovich said, as transcribed by WEEI. “…Look, they’re not practicing right now. There’s no minicamp, there’s no offseason, there’s no training camp. We don’t know when that’s going to happen.”"
While Ninkovich makes a good point, it’s hard to see the Patriots offense rolling with Hoyer over a talent like Jarrett Stidham unless he proves he is really not ready.
Let’s remember, Tom Brady was in his second season with the team when he took over for Drew Bledsoe. Matt Cassel had way less experience as a college player than Stidham and he did enough to lead the team to 11 wins.
I think between Bill Belichick and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will put Jarrett Stidham in position to at least not hurt the team. Will he be a game manager at first? Yes, because that is essentially what Brian Hoyer will be.
If he is the starter, and it appears that is the direction the New England Patriots are leaning, he will eventually show off his passing skills as a quarterback as the season wanes.
I’m not saying he will be what Patrick Mahomes was in his second season in the NFL, but he is talented enough and smart enough to lead the team to at least 9 wins. In that, the team and fans will have confidence in Jarrett Stidham as the Tom Brady successor moving forward.
N’Keal Harry will give the New England Patriots that playmaker they need.
With the need for a big offensive playmaker on the outside, the New England Patriots are expecting a big year two jump for N’Keal Harry and he will deliver.
Taking in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Harry was a part of a very productive wide receiver class. The problem is, Harry was the least effective due to an injury that sidelined him for half the season.
When he finally did take the field, there was some mixed results as the 6-foot-4, 225-pound wide receiver showed flashes of talent, but also showed signs that he did not completely grasp the offense and that was with Tom Brady as quarterback.
Without Brady and perhaps Jarrett Stidham under center, I see Harry getting more opportunity to make plays on the ball. He is not the fastest wide receiver in the world, but his strength and ability to go up for the ball will shine through in 2020.
On a depth chart that includes Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu and Marqise Lee, Harry will still have plenty of veteran leadership to learn from. However, it will be his talent in the spotlight due to the fact he is a first-round draft pick with No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver potential.
While the patience is short on N’Keal Harry due to the team’s extreme need for reliable production from the receiver position, it will still be too early to consider him a bust. As of right now he has the mindset to prove the doubters wrong. That typically serves well for the New England Patriots as a team.
In summary, Harry is the most destined to breakout. Whether he does or not simply depends on him.