The Patriots held the second of three rookie minicamp practices on Saturday and we got a good look at the incoming draft class and the undrafted free agents and tryout players who were brought in.
Caleb Lomu of course is the headliner but we got to see and meet some of the other rookies as well.
Here are six observations of what we saw
1. Vrabel was coaching them up: Mike Vrabel started off practice by coaching the punt team and the personal protectors. He was very hands on as he taught them technique, punching and releases. He was in his element. He loves working with young players and his ability to connect with young players showed.
Mike Vrabel spent a lot of time working with the players on Saturday.
2. Lomu reps exclusively at left tackle: Caleb Lomu only repped at left tackle but to be fair, he was the only left tackle at practice. One thing you notice right away, he has thicker ankles than most left tackles and he is wider than he appeared on film. Despite that, he moves well in pass protection and he can play in space. It was hard to tell what he could be as a run blocker. It is an area he needs to improve in. He did rep at both tackle spots and guard at Utah and we should expect to see him cross trained here as well.
3. Receiver group has some potential: The receiver group caught my attention specifically Kyle Dixon who is all of 6-2 220. He impressed the most with his route running and wide catch radius. He has the look of a potential kick returner as well and dear I say, he could even put on 20 pounds and play as a Move U tight end. He is an intriguing prospect moving forward. You say why they paid him $250,000 to sign.
4. Crownover is even bigger than you think: Rookie right tackle Dametrious Crownover is bigger in person than what you’d think on film. He is also very athletic. You see his basketball and tight end background in action when he moves. He can play in tight quarters and in space. He also did a good job in pass protection against lighter, wide five techniques. He has the look of a potential future starter. Doug Marrone and the offensive line staff have a nice piece of clay to work with.
5. Greene impresses: Former UMass cornerback Malcolm Greene was in rookie mini camp on a tryout basis. He impressed both in drills, group and team periods. He has good size, his smooth in his movement skills and he does a good job of tracking the ball in the air. He is a long shot to make this team but if he can get to an NFL training camp, he has a shot at potentially sticking.
6. Morton getting all the reps : Rookie quarterback Behren Morton is the only quarterback at rookie minicamp so he has taken advantage of the one on one coaching he has gotten from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterback coach Ashton Grant. Morton looked comfortable running the huddle and taking snaps from under center. He also threw the ball well, especially on inside routes. You can see the Air Raid background in his game when he throws certain routes. It is early but Morton looks and sounds like a guy who could develop into a quality back up and stick in the NFL for a while. He is polished.