Jakobi Meyers a UDFA gem for New England Patriots

The New England Patriots may have found a major diamond in the rough when they signed this undrafted rookie wide receiver.

Wide receiver is not exactly a major position of strength for the New England Patriots. Tom Brady will still have the incredibly reliable Julian Edelman making plays in the slot, but besides Edelman, the Pats have nothing but questions at the position.

Nobody knows when (or even if) Josh Gordon will play. Nobody can say for sure if first-round rookie N’Keal Harry can make an immediate impact. Who knows what the New England Patriots will get out of veterans like Demaryius Thomas, Phillip Dorsett, Maurice Harris and Dontrelle Inman.

When it comes down to it, we have no idea who is going to be catching passes from Brady in 2019. With that in mind, why couldn’t it be an undrafted rookie out NC State? Jakobi Meyers may not be among the most likely receivers who could make an impact for the Patriots in 2019, but there are reasons to believe that he could be in the mix.

Meyers began his college career as a quarterback prospect. After a redshirt freshman season, Meyers moved to wide receiver and immediately became a consistent performer for NC State. He was a solid contributor for two years and grew into a first-team All-ACC performer, piling up 92 receptions for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns last season.

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Doing most of his damage out of the slot, Meyers proved to be a smart and efficient route runner in college. He consistently runs tight routes, sneakily finds space in the middle of the field and snatches the ball out of the air like a 10-year vet.

Meyers has strong hands, consistently catches the ball away from his body and tracks the ball in the air extremely well. He is also a tough and physical player who is not afraid to attack the middle of the field and take a hit when necessary.

Athletically, Meyers is pretty limited. He does not show much explosion on the field, rarely creating any separation in the deep passing game. His overall quickness in short spaces is solid, but he is limited in every other area of athletic ability.

The lack of athleticism probably limits Meyers’ upside, but he understands how to create space in the middle of the field and catches the ball extremely well. On top of that, the Patriots love slot receivers and Meyers is a smart player who thinks like a quarterback. I would not be surprised to see him come in and quickly earn Brady’s trust simply by consistently being in position.

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It is difficult to predict any sort of success for an undrafted free agent rookie, especially one who is going to play wide receiver in the Patriots’ complex offensive system. That being said, there is a lot to like about Meyers’ game and he will have an opportunity to prove himself. He is the kind of tough and gritty player who just seems to find a way to make an impact.

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