The New England Patriots remain in desperate need of talent at the wide receiver position, and they may have a shot to land Travis Hunter in the upcoming NFL Draft. Many teams project that Hunter will be a full-time defensive back at the professional level, but is that how the Patriots view it?
According to Karen Guregian of MassLive.com, the Patriots view Hunter as both the best defensive back and best wide receiver in the draft. That is significant, as New England only has a real need at one of those two positions.
Christian Gonzalez is the Patriots’ top cornerback and has been one of the lone bright spots for the team over the past two seasons. The Pats also signed Carlton Davis to a 3-year, $60 million deal this offseason, so they should have one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL next year.
Wide receiver is a much, much different story. The Patriots tried to sign Chris Godwin before he opted to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There have been reports that New England offered Godwin far more money than the veteran took from the Bucs.
Tee Higgins was another potential target for the Patriots this offseason, but he signed a long-term deal with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns last season at Colorado. While it remains to be seen how that aspect of his game will translate to the NFL, he could easily step into a role as the top receiver in a New England passing offense that features DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Kendrick Bourne as its best options.
Hunter has made it clear that he does not want to stick to one position in the NFL. The team that drafts him will probably ask him to, however. Whether that position is on defense or offense remains to be seen.
The Patriots have the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. They also need help along their offensive line, so some analysts believe they will try to land the best tackle available. Others can’t see them passing on a generational talent like Hunter if he is still on the board.
