New England Patriots 2016 NFL Draft Target: DT Javon Hargrave
Without a first-round selection, the New England Patriots will be looking to add impact players in the middle-to-late rounds of the 2016 NFL Draft. Would small-school defensive tackle prospect Javon Hargrave be a strong fit?
In Malcom Brown, Terrance Knighton and Alan Branch, the New England Patriots have a solid group at defensive tackle. That being said, these three players have extremely similar playing style as big and physical space eating run stuffers.
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Brown shows some quickness on the inside, but for the most part the Patriots are lacking interior pass rushers from the defensive tackle position, especially after the recent release of former first-round pick Dominique Easley.
If the season were to start tomorrow, the Patriots would not have a strong option to play at the three-technique defensive tackle position when they go to a four-man front. This makes the position an obvious area to improve in the 2016 NFL Draft.
With their lack of a first-round selection, the Patriots are not going to have an opportunity to land the elite prospects at the position this year. That being said, this is an extremely deep defensive tackle class, and they could find some real impact talent at the position with one of their second-round selections or one of their picks in the third-round.
Today, we are going to focus on South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave as an option for the Patriots in the middle rounds. Hargrave is an extremely talented prospect who shows major upside at the position. However, playing at a smaller school has caused many to question his ability to translate to the next level.
Personally, I see Hargrave as an absolute force in the NFL. The 6-foot-1, 309-pound Hargrave shows a fantastic natural blend of power and quickness in his game. He does a fantastic job of exploding off of the line of scrimmage at the snap, consistently making plays in the backfield. Hargrave is a big and powerful defensive lineman who can move. What’s not to love?
Hargrave really came on the radar as a junior when he finished with six sacks in one game against Bethune-Cookman in 2014. At the completion of Hargrave’s 2014 season, he stood tall with 55 tackles, 24 for loss, and 16 sacks. Absolutely dominating numbers from the interior defensive line position.
He backed that season up as a senior in 2015, finishing with 59 tackles, 22 of which were for a loss, and 13.5 sacks. He was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year for his performance. Despite absolutely dominating the FCS level for two seasons, plenty of questions remained about his ability to play against a higher level of competition.
The FCS product was able to quiet some of his doubters earlier in the draft process, as he put up an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl. Against some of the best competition available, Hargrave showed that he belonged, consistently putting pressure on the passer and tracking down ball carriers in the backfield.
Obviously one successful week at the Senior Bowl does not automatically mean that Hargrave is going to be a star in the NFL, but I see it as a sign of things to come. In his only real opportunity to play against the best, he shined.
Taking a small-school prospect always comes with a bit of a risk, but Hargrave is a special player who could quickly prove to be a major steal in the 2016 NFL Draft. Finding an impact defensive tackle who can make noise in the pass rush is arguably the biggest need on the Patriots’ roster.
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Hargrave is a talented player who fits their defense and roster needs perfectly. The Patriots need to strongly target him in the second or perhaps third-round of the upcoming draft.