The New Year’s bowl games haven’t necessarily moved the needle for Patriots fans in recent memory.
With a 4-11 team slated to have a top five pick, however, the stakes have changed. These games hold greater interest, especially when it comes to assessing top tier talent.
The top quarterbacks, receivers and offensive tackles, in particular fall into focus, because those are three of the greatest needs for the Patriots, and three positions that will be key to any hopes of a turnaround in 2024 and beyond.
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It won’t be known until after the bowl games all of the players who will declare for the upcoming draft, but it’s still good to monitor how well these players perform on the biggest stage.
The top two tackles, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, won’t be in action with their teams not involved in the 5 New Year’s game on the docket. Ditto Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., as well as the top two quarterbacks, USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
A few others, such as LSU’s Jayden Daniels, opted out of playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Tigers quarterback is focusing on the draft.
That said, there are still plenty of players to watch. To get a better idea of who to be scouting, former Patriots James White and Shane Vereen gave a list and offer their takes.
White serves as a Big Ten Network analyst, while Vereen is a Pac-12 analyst.
So here’s a look at five players Patriots fans should keep an eye on during several of Monday’s bowl games.
Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
Penix will be competing in the Sugar Bowl Monday night (ESPN), 8:45 p.m.), which is one of the College Football Playoff Semifinal games, as Washington takes on Texas.
He was the Heisman runner up. He passed for 4218 yards and 33 touchdowns on a 13-0 team that finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the country.
Penix, a southpaw, has a injury history, but has been healthy the past two seasons.
Vereen actually ranks him No. 2 behind USC’s Williams.
“He gets too much slack (from pundits), in my opinion. He’s won 20 games in a row,” said Vereen. “His numbers were great at the end of the year. But there were games where he wasn’t wowing people. His stat line wasn’t wowing, but in the fourth quarter, he found ways to win the game. If there’s a two-minute drill in the fourth quarter, or the second quarter, I want Michael Penix as my quarterback.”
Vereen acknowledged Penix’ footwork is a bit awkward at times, and it doesn’t “look pretty,” but it’s hard to argue with his results. Along with his ability in the clutch, the former Patriots running back sees accuracy and arm strength as the prime selling points for Penix at the next level.
“Sometimes his feet are a little wonky, but he has such tremendous arm strength and his accuracy is next to none,” said Vereen. “It’s phenomenal for crossing routes, and some of the deep posts. Even the back shoulder throws .. . I always say on the show, he might as well just hand them the ball. It’s just perfect.”
Washington WR Rome Odunze
Penix has been aided by a good stable of receivers led by Odunze, who’s had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He posted ten 100-yard receiving performances this past fall. LSU’s Malik Nabers, who led the country in yards, was the only player to come close with nine.
While Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. is considered the cream of the crop, and is likely to be the first receiver off the board in the 2024 draft, Odunze has played well enough to be considered a first round prospect.
He’s 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and primarily used as an outside receiver.
“Marvin Harrison is great. He’s probably a step faster, and a step quicker,” Vereen said of Odunze. “But, there were games this year where it came down to, ‘Can Rome make a play and get open? If he can, we win the game. If he can’t, (we) lose the game.’
“And, they’re undefeated,” Vereen went on. “He shows up in the big moments. He makes the big catches. He’s reliable. He’s hands down my favorite receiver.”
Washington RB Dillon Johnson
With Rhamondre Stevenson in a contract year next year, and Ezekiel Elliott a free agent, the Patriots might want to dip back into the draft for a running back, with an eye toward finding a third down back like Vereen or White.
Johnson wasn’t used a ton to catch the football given all the talented receivers on Washington’s roster, but he can be an effective pass catcher out of the backfield. This past season, he had 19 receptions on 20 targets for 148 yards.
Johnson also added a level of pass protection for Penix behind as an impressive blocking running back in the backfield.
Even with the No. 46 rushing offense, Johnson totaled over 1,000 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per run. He rushed for 256 yards with four touchdowns against USC, and had 152 yards in the Pac-12 title game against Oregon.
Said Vereen: “He’s very good. I think he has another year of eligibility if he wants to take it. He catches the football. He’s like 6-1, 225-230. He’s a big kid. He’s got speed, too. I was very impressed with him this year.”
Oregon QB Bo Nix
Nix finished 3rd in the Heisman voting this season. He’s making an NCAA record 61st start in the Fiesta Bowl against Liberty (ESPN, 1 p.m.).
The 2023 Pac-12 offensive player of the year, who is a fifth-year starter, has a chance to break Mac Jones’ (Alabama) 2020 completion percentage record of 77.4%. Nix currently sits at 77.2%.
To date, Nix has completed 336 of his 435 pass attempts for 4,145 yards, 40 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He’s also rushed for 228 yards and six touchdowns.
“He’s played a lot of football. The perception on him as that he’s done a complete 180 since he left Auburn,” said Vereen. “Granted, he’s not going to wow you with a lot of downfield throws like Caleb Williams will, but hands down, he’s the most efficient quarterback in college football this year.
“He gets the offense into the right play. He’s very good at extending drives. I hate the term game manager, but he’s a prolific game manager. He makes sure the offense is ready to go. He makes sure the offense is aligned. He’s cerebral, he’s smart, he’s athletic. He can run, too.”
Nix, a two-year captain, didn’t run much this year after suffering an injury last season.
“I’d say he’s an effective runner,” said Vereen. “He’s not a blazer. He’s not going to juke guys, but if there’s an open lane, he’ll take it, and he’ll gain some good positive yards.”
Nix will be 24 in February.
Cracked White: “He’s an older guy. But it doesn’t matter. Guys play in their 40s.”
The reference, of course, was to Tom Brady, who won a Super Bowl at age 43.
Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy
The Wolverines quarterback completed 74.2% (213-for-287) of his passes for 2,630 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions as he finished No. 3 in the nation in QBR (89.7).
Jim Harbaugh says the 20-year-old quarterback, who will be leading Michigan in the Rose Bowl against Alabama (ESPN, 5 p.m.), in the is NFL ready.
What’s White’s take on McCarthy?
“I don’t think he’s completely polished yet. I think he has all the talent in the world. I just don’t think he’s hit his full potential yet.,” White said of McCarthy. “But I’ve heard people say he could be a top 3-to-5 quarterback. He has all the tools from athletic ability to reading a defense. I feel he’s been a little inconsistent at times when he played major competition. I just don’t think he’s reached his full potential yet.
“If he comes out,” White went on, “I think they’ll get a talented player who might not be ready to play that first year, but could develop into something down the line.”
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