Patriots Football Daily: Two Top 30 Visits Announced

Each NFL teams are allowed to invite up to 30 draft prospects to come to their facilities and meet with the members of the organization. Up until Tuesday, none of the New England Patriots 30 visitors were officially known. Jerod Mayo indicated he believed quarterbacks Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU), and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) would all be among that group. There is no confirmation on two players, both non-quarterbacks.

Offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia (BYU) and wide receiver Javon Baker (UCF) are the first reported visits scheduled. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda broke the news on both visits.

Kingsley Suamataia

Suamatiaia ranked as a five-star prospect coming out of high school and committed to Oregon. But in October of 2021, having played only one game with the Ducks, he entered the transfer portal. The Utah native wanted to be closer to his family, back in his home state of Utah. He started 12 games for the Cougars in 2022, not allowing a sack all season. His 2023 was not as impressive, but his pass protection skills remain elite. He was one of the standouts at both the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine.

Kingsley Suamataia was the fourth-ranked offensive tackle at the beginning of the college football season on Patriots Football Now. While others have him ranked significantly lower, he remains impressive from this perspective. Playing with a bit more of a mean streak (finishing his run blocks) would have made him a lock for Round 1. However, Suamataia was excellent at the combine. He measured 6-foot-5 and weighed 326 pounds. He ran a 5.04 40-yard dash. Nobody other offensive linemen at his weight ran as fast. Suamataia also showed nimble feet in the positional drills. He had the most reps on the bench press (31) of any offensive tackle.

If the New England Patriots are interested in the Cougars tackle, they’d need to use their pick at No. 34 or perhaps even move back into Round 1 to ensure he’s available.

Javon Baker

Baker is also a college football transfer. He transferred to UCF after beginning his collegiate career at Alabama. He was a true freshman on the Crimson Tide’s 2020 national championship team, appearing in eight games that season.  Baker played for the Golden Knights the past two seasons.

Javon Baker blossomed following his transfer to Central Florida. He caught 56 passes in 2022, amassing 796 yards and five touchdowns. He broke out in 2023. Baker finished with 52 receptions for 1,139 yards and seven scores. His 21.9 yards-per-reception average ranked second nationally. At the combine, Baker measured 6-foot-1 and weighed 202 pounds. He ran a 4.54 40-yard dash.

Pro Football Focus graded Baker’s 2023 performance as a solid 82.9. He had six drops on the season but made the most of his receptions. He has an NFL-ready physique. Baker is likely an early Day 3 pick at the moment, though it would not be shocking to see a team like him enough for a Round 3 selection.

Also in today’s Patriots Football Daily…

New England Patriots

Patriots Football Now – Robert Kraft speaks from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting

Patriots Football Now – Kyle Brandt compares Jerod Mayo to Bill Belichick

NFL Draft

Patriots Football Now – 2024 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Lots of quarterbacks go early

Patriots Football Now – New England Patriots seven-round mock draft

AFC East News

NBC Sports – Rams signing former Bills CB Tre’Davious White

Pro Football Network – Miami Dolphins Chris Grier has helped change the NFL in a big way

New York Post – Jets’ Sauce Gardner addresses antisemitic comments

NFL News

NFL.com – NFL to play two games on Christmas Wednesday in 2024

Patriots Football Now – James Ferentz begins coaching career with the New York Giants

Yardbarker – Eagles owner raises eyebrows with talk of Nick Siriani’s job security

Patriots Football Now – Damien Harris retires from the NFL

Boston Bruins

Go to our sibling site Boston Hockey Now to check out the great Boston Bruins coverage from Jimmy Murphy and the BHN team. The NHL season is underway and plenty is happening in the Bruins 100 Anniversary season.

Boston Hockey Now – Bruins answer the bell, beat Panthers 4-3

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Football Fun Fact of the Day

In honor of the New England Patriots first known Top 30 visits, the players from each school to play the most career games for the Patriots are:

BYU – Kyle Van Noy (67)
UCF – Asante Samuel (75)

Post of the Day

Today’s post is from the Big 12 Conference, with UCF’s Javon Baker scoring a touchdown against Oklahoma and blowing a kiss to their sideline on his way to the end zone…

Not sure you can be more wide open than Javon Baker was on this EIGHTY-SIX yard breakaway touchdown.

📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/6rEvNXDs8g

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 21, 2023