Patriots Projected To Draft Small School Receiver Early In Draft

Georgia State Wide Receiver Ted Hurst

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The New England Patriots have reportedly shown interest in adding another receiver to their team, and the NFL Draft will provide them with an opportunity to do that.

The major rumor that's been floating around this offseason is that the Patriots are trying to trade for A.J. Brown. However, assuming the reports of the Philadelphia Eagles high asking price are true, the Patriots may want to add a receiver through the draft in case they cannot land Brown. This class has plenty of talent at wide receiver, but The Boston Herald's Doug Kyed predicts the Patriots will draft a receiver from a small school in Round 2.

"Hurst is a 6-foot-4, 202-pound wide receiver who dominated small-school competition, catching 187 passes for 2,992 yards with 25 touchdowns in four seasons split between Valdosta State and Georgia State," Kyed wrote on Thursday. "He’s an impressive athlete, running a 4.42-second 40-yard dash with an 11-feet, 3-inch broad jump and displayed the skills to be a big-play threat in college. Out of any of the wide receivers expected to be taken outside of the first round, Hurst, 21, probably has the highest upside."

Hurst has impressive physical traits, but lacks the same resume that players from other schools have. He did not play against the most elite competition in college, but he could thrive with proper coaching. It would be somewhat of a risk taking him in the second round, as the first three rounds are often where teams hope to land players who can make an impact sooner rather than later.