The New England Patriots seemed to lose both coordinators this offseason, as both Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia looked to agree to deals to become head coaches. Well, McDaniels backed out of his deal with the Indianapolis Colts in the 11th hour, leaving them to sign Frank Reich. Patricia actually kept his word, becoming the head coach of the Detroit Lions, leaving the Patriots defense with a huge hole at the top.
It is that defense that should be bolstered in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. One player who could really help this team is Maurice Hurst, who just may fall to No. 31 due to a heart issue found at the NFL Scouting Combine. Hurst is an absolute freak of nature, and on the Patriots, he could be a guy in the running for Rookie of the Year by the time all is said and done.
Not only is Hurst a powerful player, but he also has tremendous feet for a guy his size. He has shown on film that he can run down running backs in the Big Ten, and should be a player whose game translates well to the NFL level. The Patriots may trade away this pick, as they often do, but Hurst would be a very nice grab this late in round one.