NFL Execs Think Patriots Drafting TE Devin Asiasi Was 'a Grand Slam'
The New England Patriots needed to address the tight end position through the draft, which they did by double-dipping at the position in the third round.
The first selection they made at tight end was UCLA's Devin Asiasi with the 91st overall pick. There was some talk that selecting Asiasi over someone like Dayton's Adam Trautman - who hadn't yet been selected at that point in the draft - was viewed as a reach. However, there were at least a couple NFL executives that believed New England hit "a grand slam" by selecting Asiasi.
Here is what two NFL executives said to The Athletic's Mike Sando about the Patriots drafting the UCLA product:
Oh, I love him,” an exec said. “I think they hit a grand slam, but he fell to them for a reason. He was suspended. The character is concerning. (Editor’s note: Asiasi was suspended for three games to start the 2018 season for a violation of team rules.) But he is better in and out of his breaks than (Cole) Kmet and a better blocker right now. He is a more vertical, wider-angle cut receiver.”
Another exec used the “G” word when describing Asiasi.
“No one is Gronk,” this exec said, “but if you are going to find a replacement for him, you are going to get a guy who weighs 270 pounds, who can block, who can high-point the ball. He is a good player, a really good player.”
The Patriots have been looking for a tight end that will have a big impact in the passing game ever since Rob Gronkowski left, which is why them drafting Asiasi made all the sense in the world.
Asiasi should have a sizable workload in his rookie season. Now that Benjamin Watson is gone, Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo were the lone tight ends left on the roster heading into the draft. But with Asiasi and Dalton Keene being drafted this year, they are likely 1A and 1B on the depth chart now.
Asiasi will be more prominent as a pass-catcher early in his career, with Dalton likely handling more of the blocking duties. But Asiasi will still play a role on both fronts because of his well-roundedness and so the offense doesn't make it known what they will be doing based on the personnel on the field. Because of that, expect Asiasi to quickly become one of Jarrett Stidham's favorite targets, specifically in the red-zone and in between the hashes. Asiasi will have his fair share of big plays in 2020 and will surprise many people with how fluid he looks as a runner given his size.
