Tag: cameron mcgrone

3 biggest concerns surrounding the Patriots defense

The Patriots defense has concerns heading into training camp.

The New England Patriots have a lot of question marks heading into training camp. Many of the concerns are centered on the defensive side of the football. With a revamped secondary and a new-look linebacker group, the Patriots have a lot to sort out.

For some of these players, they will have to take on roles that they have not encountered at this point in their career. For others, it will be about stepping up and making an impact in a bigger way. In some cases, it may seem risky. However this could be a year where we truly find out the impact of previous drafts.

Today we take a look at three concerns surrounding the defensive unit, as new pieces look to keep pace.

4 Patriots to watch during minicamp

We take a look at four players to watch during New England Patriots minicamp.

As New England Patriots minicamp begins this week, there will be a lot of names and faces to watch on what is a new-look team.

New talent at wide receiver, a revamp of the offensive line, and the departure of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels headlined the big moves on offense.

The departures of linebackers and cornerback J.C. Jackson were the stories defensively, as the Patriots said goodbye to key veteran pieces. Now, it will be up to the younger linebackers and new acquisitions in the secondary, who will be thrown into the fire.

Today, we take a look at four players to watch as minicamp begins this week.

Cameron McGrone: ‘The time is now’ after spending rookie season recovering from injury

“I think anywhere the ball is on the field, I can get there.”

Cameron McGrone did a lot of watching during his rookie season in the NFL. He was watching film and watching practice. But he didn’t do a whole lot of playing football. The New England Patriots linebacker and 2021 fifth-round pick spent most of the year recovering from an ACL injury.

In one sense, McGrone is almost like a rookie, joining the 2022 class as an exciting new player with potential. But he’s arguably in an even better position than the rookies. He’s had a year to learn the playbook and acclimate to the NFL workload — and to the Patriots’ culture.

“I’m very excited,” McGrone told reporters on May 23 after the first day of OTAs. “There’s no nervous bone in my body.”

He added: “The time is now.”

It certainly is. New England made way for their young linebackers during the 2022 offseasons, so far electing not to retain Dont’a Hightower or Jamie Collins. The team also parted ways with Kyle Van Noy, who landed in L.A, and Chase Winovich, who landed with the Browns.

McGrone appears to be a part of the team’s plans at inside linebacker, where he’s in a position group with Ja’Whaun Bentley, Raekwan McMillan, Mack Wilson and Anfernee Jennings, among others.

“It definitely helped a lot spending all that time (during my rookie season) in the rooms with the older guys watching film and just learning there,” McGrone said. “And then to be able to put it on the field just for a couple weeks towards the end of the season was really good for me to just get my feet back wet and just get into it. So now, coming in with that knowledge, I’m just really excited.”

McGrone made an attempt to return from the physically unable to perform list, but lasted just a few weeks before returning to the PUP list for good in December. Defensive coaching assistant Steve Belichick said recently that, during that brief stint of practices, McGrone “really didn’t look in any sort of way out of place.”

“With my knee, there’s no problem,” McGrone said after Monday’s practice where he was a limited participant. “That’s a thing of the past. I’m just looking forward now.”

As for how he might contribute, McGron thinks his speed, a trait the defense sorely lacked in 2021 should be an asset this year.

“I definitely believe it’s my strong suit — speed,” McGrone said. “I think anywhere the ball is on the field, I can get there.”

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Steve Belichick pleased with potential of LB Cameron McGrone

Steve Belichick is impressed with what he’s seen from linebacker Cameron McGrone.

New England Patriots linebacker Cameron McGrone did not play a single game in his rookie season last year. However, he is giving the Patriots a reason for optimism as he heads into his second year.

McGrone came into the NFL with a torn ACL he suffered at Michigan. His 2021 season seemed like a medical redshirt year, as he worked on getting healthy and learning the playbook during that timeframe.

Despite limited on-field work, he was able to impress outside linebackers coach Steve Belichick. He was able to make a lasting impression on the coach in the few weeks before he was put on the PUP list, as transcribed by Zach Cox of NESN.com.

“It was exciting to have him on the field last year for those couple weeks before he reverted to IR or PUP,” Belichick said Tuesday in a video conference. “When he was practicing, it was really exciting to see him out there. One thing that I noticed is that all the other guys on the field had been playing football for months, and then he had been coming off of a year or whatever of not playing football, and he really didn’t look in any sort of way out of place on the field, which I thought was impressive.”

As the Patriots undergo a bit of change at the linebacker position, McGrone could be a key piece as he works to get back healthy and in a position to contribute. There is little doubt he has skill, as he was once an All-Big Ten honoree. Health and opportunity will be paramount as he looks for a productive sophomore campaign.

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Patriots rookies Cam McGrone, Joshuah Bledsoe make debuts at practice

Can the Patriots get these two rookies into action this season?

New England Patriots rookies Cam McGrone, Joshuah Bledsoe make their debuts at practice in Week 11

McGrone, a linebacker and a 2021 fifth-round pick, started the season on the non-football injury (NFI) list after suffering an ACL injury during the 2020 college football season. Bledsoe, a safety and a 2021 sixth-round pick, was recovering from wrist surgery. Because they both started on the NFI list, they have 21 days before they must be activated to the roster or else they revert back to NFI for the remainder of the season.

They weren’t the only players to make their debut. Punter Corliss Waitman also participated, likely as a practice squad player. He has spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders after entering the NFL in 2020 out of South Alabama.

The team had perfect attendance during the media portion of Tuesday’s practice.

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The Patriots draft Michigan LB Cameron McGrone in Round 5 of the 2021 NFL draft

Major upside. But how soon will he be able to play after an ACL injury?

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The New England Patriots selected Michigan linebacker Cameron McGrone in Round 5 of the 2021 NFL draft. He is the third Wolverines linebacker to join the Patriots over the last three drafts, following in the footsteps of Chase Winovich (2019) and Josh Uche (2020).

McGrone logged 26 tackles in five games in 2020 before suffering an ACL tear in November. Because of that injury, he may not be able to play in 2021. But that’s what made him an enticing prospect in the fifth round — he had second-round talent, but the injury uncertainty pushed him down the board. In 2019, he had 66 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup,

McGrone joined a Patriots draft class that includes Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (15th overall), Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore (38th overall), edge Ronnie Perkins (96th overall), and running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

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Mock draft watch: Breaking down the Browns haul in The Athletic’s 7-rounder

Mock draft watch: Breaking down the Browns haul in The Athletic’s 7-rounder

One of the most respected and veteran NFL draft analysts, Dane Brugler of The Athletic, released his 7-round mock for all the picks in the 2021 NFL draft. Brugler’s projections for the Cleveland Browns and their cadre of picks offer some interesting players.

The first-round choice at No. 26 is Northwestern CB Greg Newsome, who has been a familiar fixture in Browns mock drafts. Newsome has some durability concerns but he’s an excellent cover corner who could start right away on the outside.

The next two picks go on defense as well, with Houston EDGE Payton Turner and North Carolina State DT Alim McNeil. Both are impressive talents who would represent solid value where the Browns take them in the second and third rounds, respectively. Turner makes a lot of sense as a pass rushing threat who can develop more on his own pace now that the Browns have added free agent veteran Jadeveon Clowney.

The remaining picks are all players who would compete to make the final roster. That’s more a reflection on the strength of the Browns current depth chart than anything negative about the players listed. Of note, Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz in the fourth round would be a direct competitor for last year’s rookie, Donovan Peoples-Jones, as the field-stretching outside vertical wideout.

McGrone and Forrest are prospects who could benefit from a year of practice and development before being thrust onto the field. Borom would join a crowd of reserve interior offensive linemen, while Hobbs is a smart seventh-round value as a speedy cornerback who is oddly proficient at tackling.

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Potential 2021 Chiefs draft prospects: Group 10

A brand-new group of draft prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs to consider.

Week 11 of the 2020 college football season is here and despite a number of postponements and cancellations, the show must go on. I’ve identified a number of college prospects to keep an eye on ahead of the 2021 draft. All of them are potential fits with the Kansas City Chiefs. I’ll be releasing my thoughts on many of the prospects in random groups of four on Saturday’s throughout the season.

Check out our tenth group of prospects down below:

College Fantasy Draft: Tom Herman and the Longhorns walk away with help on defense

In 247Sports’ most recent article they posed an idea of a college fantasy draft. In this scenario the Texas Longhorns walk away with a LBer.

If you are an avid football fan, it is likely that you play fantasy football. It isn’t just a NFL game anymore as some sites offer a college football fantasy league. Many fans are putting their draft parties together, putting a board together much like a NFL team is doing and prove they have the superior football mind against friends and colleagues. So what about a college football fantasy draft?

What if the contenders in the remaining Power Five conferences got their shot at drafting a player out of the Big Ten or Pac-12 Conference? Throw the transfer portal out the window for just a moment. That is what 247Sports’ staff did. In this scenario the Longhorns received the number 12 selection to try and improve their team. So do they go offense and add to their wide receiver corps? Or do they add to their defense in an attempt to slow down some high powered offenses?

The Longhorns select: Cameron McGrone, Linebacker from Michigan

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

No shock will this selection as the Longhorns have been on the hunt for linebacker help. Recently they were among the three teams vying for the commitment from Arizona transfer linebacker Tony Fields II. In this scenario from Barton Simmons, the Longhorns get their man in McGrone.

Texas needs a fix at defense and has turned to new coordinator Chris Ash for answers. There’s no denying the talent in the secondary and Joseph Ossai is expected to emerge as one of the best pass rushers in the country. It’s the linebacker position where the Longhorns need to find consistency. Cameron McGrone, a former five-star in the Top247 rankings, was poised to have a breakout fall this season at Michigan and the feeling here is that whenever we see him on the field again, he’ll quickly assert himself as one of the best linebackers in the country. That’s the kind of talent that would make Ash sleep much easier in his first year

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