Author Archives: Ethan Hurwitz

SOURCE: Patriots Express Interest in Texas Longhorns LB

Everyone knows the common theme of Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots being the best at finding under-appreciated stars throughout college football.

Whether it is J.C. Jackson, Malcolm Butler, Gunner Olszewski and (hopefully) Cole Strange, the Patriots have a knack at finding solid contributors through the world of collegiate football.

Well, they are already getting a head start on the 2023 NFL Draft and the incoming prospects.

According to a source, the Patriots have expressed interest in Texas senior linebacker Jett Bush.

Bush, who joined the Longhorns program as a preferred walk-on, is now on scholarship and is a key member of this Texas team, which recently competed with No. 1 ranked Alabama down to the final whistle.

The Longhorns have sent two players to the Patriots organization this past season, as WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey was signed to the active roster this past week, joining fellow Texas alum Brenden Schooler.

Schooler played on the defensive side of the ball with Bush, who has played in 33 games in Austin. Bush also has one career sack and one forced fumble to his name.

The current linebackers in the Patriots locker room are set to go through some changes after this season, as Raekwon McMillan, Jahlani Tavai and Mack Wilson Sr. are all set to face free agency come March.

On the field, the Patriots are planning to compete against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but behind closed doors, the front office and scouting department has been working hard to bring in the next crop of New England talent.

Patriots Week 1 Winners/Losers: Defensive Backs Fluctuate

The New England Patriots came out of the gate firing, recording five first downs on their first drive of the season. That was the peak of their performance on Sunday, as the host Dolphins beat the Patriots 20-7.


Although the clunker was a step in the wrong direction for quarterback Mac Jones and Co, there were some (not many) solid outcomes from the season opener. On the flip side, there were some disappointing performances as well. Here are your Week 1 winners and losers.


Winner: S Kyle Dugger


The 2020 second-round pick burst onto the scene last season and continued that on Sunday. Dugger was flying around the field, racking up four tackles and some key stuffs in the run game. Although he went down after a knee to the groin, the former Lenoir-Rhyne product shined in an otherwise touch game to watch.

Loser: CB Myles Bryant


Another member of the 2020 rookie class, Bryant was on the other side of the spectrum than Dugger. Although Bryant contributed a bit in the return game, his missed tackles and dropped interception left a bad taste in the mouth of New England fans. Jumping in front of Devin McCourty, who had an easy INT, was just the nail in the coffin.


Winner: WR Jakobi Meyers


With Kendrick Bourne seemingly in the doghouse, Meyers was able to elevate his game as Mac Jones’ top target. Highlighted by a leaping grab on third-and-long, Meyers racked up 62 total yards on the day and solidified himself as the Patriots’ best pass catcher to start the campaign.


Loser: OT Trent Brown


Jones was completing a number of passes to Meyers, but when he wasn’t, he was often hurried from the left side of the line. Jones was given an average of three seconds to throw, lowest in the NFL. Brown was sluggish all game, struggling with keeping up with either the Dolphins’ speed of the edge or the South Florida heat. Maybe both.


Winner: RB Ty Montgomery


After getting injury and carted off in the preseason finale against Las Vegas, Montgomery’s status for Week 1 was up in the air. He ultimately played and scored the lone touchdown for the Patriots offense. He found himself rolling into the end zone on Sunday and thus, rolling into the James White role this fall.


Loser: DT Carl Davis


Davis was on the field over second-year Christian Barmore for what seemed like a number of crucial snaps. In the first half, coming off a timeout, Davis jumped on a fourth-and-short, extending the Dolphins’ first drive of the day. It was a bad moment for the longtime veteran and led to points for Miami. Not good.


The Patriots will stay on the road and travel to Pittsburgh to face the 1-0 Steelers, who just came off a thrilling overtime win over division rival Cincinnati.

Devin Asiasi Poised For A Big Week 2 In Philadelphia

The Patriots will play competitive football for the first time since trimming their roster down to the required 85 limit. With the smaller squad traveling to the City of Brotherly Love, there are a few interesting storylines to keep an eye out for as kickoff begins. However, none are as compelling as Devin Asiasi.

Source: AP Photo/Stew Milne

The Patriots’ Injury Bug is Back…

The Patriots entered the preseason with a renovated TE depth chart with the signings of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Now, just 2 hours away from kickoff, the team’s tight end situation already looks thin. Both Henry and Smith, as well as Matt LaCosse and the recently released Troy Fumagalli, will not be partaking in tonight’s festivities. The only remaining tight end for Thursday is 2nd year Devin Asiasi. The former Michigan and UCLA alum has a chance to shine and will look to continue his already impressive spring. Struggling mightily throughout his rookie season alongside Dalton Keene, Asiasi has turned heads during both OTAs and Training Camp.

Source: Liz Ketcham

Asiasi (6’3″, 257 lbs) was a beast at UCLA in 2019; many considered him to be the best prospect at the position during the draft. However, he fell to the 3rd round with teams worried about health. So far, Asiasi has amassed a whopping 2 catches for 39 yards in Patriots colors, with 1 of them coming for a score in Week 17. Even with the newly acquired stars in Henry and Smith, the 2nd year Patriots has a chance to shine under the radar, starting tonight.

Source: Patriots.com

With the Eagles dropping their first game of 2021 to cross-state rival Pittsburgh 24-16, they will be coming out strong with players fighting for jobs. Asiasi had a solid week with the teams having joint practices and will continue to build on that. He caught a TD on the 17th, the first day that he was the only TE practicing. He should match up well against the weaker Eagles linebacking corps and should be a key contributor in tonight’s game.

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