The New England Patriots have been the model of consistency for NFL franchises since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick, and they have consistently found talent in the draft that other teams have passed on.
Franchise quarterback Tom Brady is the prime example of the Patriots grabbing a steal in the draft, and while New England likely won't find a player of Brady's impact, look for New England's front office and Belichick to select prospects that they know will succeed in their system. One player that Patriots fans should keep an eye on is Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise.
The Fighting Irish running back was an earlier sleeper in the Heisman Trophy race during the 2015 college football season, and he could fit the mold that New England looks for in athletic playmakers. Prosise rushed for 1,032 yards and scored 11 touchdowns during the 2015 season, and he was a dual threat out of the backfield, recording 26 receptions for 308 yards and a touchdown.
The 6-foot, 220-pound running back prospect has drawn comparisons with Seahawks running back Fred Jackson and has experience at wide receiver, which the Patriots would surely utilize. "He's talented and caught all of us off-guard to start the season," one NFL West area scout said. "He looks like he has no idea what he's doing at times in protection and that is what could keep him off the field early in his career."
Prosise would likely need time to develop at the next level, but New England has a strong history of developing athletic players at new positions. Patriots star wide receiver Julian Edelman played quarterback at Kent State and has developed into arguably one of the best slot receivers in the game in New England. The Patriots selected Edelman in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and much like Edelman, the Patriots could look to target Prosise in the middle to late rounds of the draft.
The Patriots' top need this offseason is offensive line, as they know that their success offensively revolves around keeping Brady upright in the pocket. New England has four picks in the top 100 of the 2016 NFL Draft and could look to target Prosise as early as the third round. The Notre Dame running back believes that he can follow in the footsteps of former Irish teammate Theo Riddick.
"I definitely think I can mirror it," Prosise said. "Theo also played receiver at Notre Dame and that's something I'm trying to mimic, what he's done and trying to take the steps that he's taken." The Lions running back is coming off his best season, as he rushed for 133 yards but also caught 80 passes for 697 yards in his third season in Detroit.
Prosise could even have a larger upside than Riddick does in Detroit, and in the right system like New England, he could eventually flourish as a dual threat back that can be motioned out to wide receiver. The Patriots' top need this offseason is their offensive line, but they should take a thorough look at the Notre Dame prospect, as he could be the next dynamic athlete that the Patriots develop.
