Travis Hunter might be available to the New England Patriots in the 2019 NFL Draft, since they are still in dire need of wide receiver talent. Many clubs believe Hunter will play defensive back full-time in the NFL, but do the Patriots share that opinion?
The Patriots consider Hunter to be the draft’s top wide receiver and defensive back, according to Karen Guregian of MassLive.com. That is important since only one of the two positions is actually needed in New England.
Over the past two seasons, Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots’ top cornerback, has been one of the team’s only bright spots. The Pats should have one of the top cornerback tandems in the NFL next season after signing Carlton Davis to a three-year, $60 million contract this offseason.
The situation at wide receiver is very different. Before Chris Godwin decided to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots made an attempt to sign him. According to rumors, Godwin received a considerably higher salary offer from New England than he did from the Bucs.
Tee Higgins signed a long-term contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, despite being another target for the Patriots this offseason.
Last season at Colorado, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. He could easily take over as the top receiver in a New England passing attack that has Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte as its top options, though it is unclear how that facet of his game will translate to the NFL.
Hunter has expressed his desire to play a variety of positions in the NFL. But he will most likely be asked to by the team that chooses him. It’s unclear if that stance is on offense or defense.
In the draft, the Patriots are selected with the fourth overall pick. According to some observers, they will attempt to acquire the best tackle available because they also need assistance along their offensive line. If Hunter is still on the board, some don’t see them passing on a generational talent like him.
