The Patriots spent a good chunk of change in free agency to give star cornerback Christian Gonzalez a trusty sidekick.
Signing Carlton Davis to a huge deal (3 years, $60 million) and pairing him with Gonzalez, gives Mike Vrabel one of the better cornerback tandems in the league.
So what happens if Travis Hunter falls to No. 4, and he’s available when the Patriots are poised to make their opening pick in the draft?
Do they pass on the bluechip prospect, who is a dual threat at cornerback and receiver, because their starting corners are set?
Do they draft a left tackle, instead, out of desperation, because many pundits believe Hunter should play corner in the NFL?
Answer: They better not.
If they do, they’re crazy.
Privately, the Patriots consider Hunter not only the best cornerback in the draft, but the best receiver as well.
After being unable to land Chris Godwin, who re-signed with Tampa Bay, staying out of the DK Metcalf sweepstakes and saying no thanks to Cooper Kupp’s asking price, they still don’t have an elite receiving threat.
While some experts believe Hunter would be better served playing corner in the NFL, as mentioned, that doesn’t mean he’ll be chopped liver as a receiver.
He has the ability to be just as impactful on offense catching passes from Drake Maye as he would being a potential shut-down corner.
And, adding a playmaker that defenses have to pay attention to is exactly what the Patriots need in their receiver room. It’s exactly what they should prioritize for Maye and the offense.
Plug in Hunter, who had 96 catches for 1,258 yards with 15 touchdowns during the 2024 season for Colorado, and he’s instantly the best receiver on the team. While it’s certainly rare to have a player who is that good on both sides of the ball, Hunter fits the bill. He’s that special.
His ability to generate explosive plays make him an attractive option for any offensive coordinator looking for a game-changer.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, one of the more respected draft experts, wouldn’t hesitate to have Hunter utilized more on the offensive side of the ball when he arrives in the pros.
“I’d prefer he prioritize offense and moonlight on defense,” Jeremiah wrote in an NFL.com story ranking the top 50 prospects in April’s draft.
Specifically, Jeremiah believes Hunter could be more effective as a wideout given how creative he is in his releases against press coverage.
And that’s just for starters.
“He is constantly changing gears to keep cornerbacks off balance, and he never wastes steps at the top of his route,” Jeremiah wrote. “He drops his weight and explodes out of the break.
“He has elite body control and hands. He can pluck balls well outside his frame with grace and ease. After the catch, he is silky smooth and elusive. He doesn’t have elite top speed, but he’s fast enough to not get caught.”
The Patriots don’t have anyone resembling that profile on the roster. At this point, it’s really come down to Hunter or bust on the receiver front.
Of course, after nearly a week of free agency, Vrabel & Co. have pretty much boxed themselves into a corner having to draft a left tackle.
With the first wave of free agency over, they had not secured anyone to help eliminate that glaring need as Maye’s blindside protector. Signing anyone now would be more of a bandaid, than a solution.
If they select Hunter, assuming he’s available at No. 4, the Patriots can still move back into the first round to land a tackle.
Whether it’s LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou, Ohio State’s Josh Simmons or Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr., they can still grab one of the top tackles by trading back into the round.
That would fall under the heading of a best-case scenario.
Hunter is just too good to ignore if he drops to No. 4 – and that’s as an elite difference-making receiver. Josh McDaniels would be over-the-moon, and certainly would know what to do to take advantage of his skillset.
In a draft that’s unusually thin on receiver talent, Hunter is the best of the lot. If he drops into their lap, there’s no need to settle on Arizona’s Tet McMillan or anyone else.
If he doesn’t fall, the discussion is moot, of course. If two teams above take quarterbacks, Hunter will be in play.
With the Patriots set at cornerback with the addition of Davis, who was part of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl-winning team in 2021, that might give them an excuse to pass on Hunter should he magically appears at No. 4.
That logic, however, won’t fly.
Even if left tackle remains a problem area, they shouldn’t skip over Hunter.
Snag him if he’s still there, land the tackle by moving back into the first round, and it could turn out to be a win-win situation.
If you’re the Patriots, what’s wrong with having your cake and eating it, too?
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