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The New England Patriots took the special-teams approach in the 2023 NFL draft, selecting Maryland kicker Chad Ryland in the fourth round with the 112th overall pick. They then selected Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer in the sixth round with the 192nd overall pick.
The selections may have been a bit surprising, given the talent already on the roster. However, New England saw something in both men that could serve the two well throughout their careers. They performed well at the NFL Scouting Combine, and the Patriots wanted to make sure what they saw was what they were getting.
That’s where specialist evaluator Jamie Kohl comes into play.
Kohl is one of the most respected specialist evaluators in the country, and after watching both Ryland and Baringer close up, he liked what he saw, as Mike Reiss noted in his Sunday notes column.
“So one of the main questions the Patriots and other teams had on Bryce and Chad — because we worked with them so much in January, February, March and April this year — was, ‘Is what you saw similar to what they produced on their pro days and combine?’ That was where we had some value.”
Kohl’s answer was a decisive “yes” — citing their mental toughness, Ryland’s leg speed and combination of accuracy and distance (as long as 72 yards), and Baringer’s consistency with hang times of 5-plus seconds (sometimes hitting 5.5, 5.6).
New England will need youth at the special-teams positions. Kicker Nick Folk is 38 years of age, while punter Michael Palardy is 31. Youth and competition will be important at both positions. Consistency is also a major factor.
Early signs are that the Patriots got exactly what they were looking for.
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