‘SC’s McCoy headed to the Patriots?


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With the NFL draft less than a month away, this time of year is generally filled with prognosticators and analysts spending every waking second debating over which teams will make the plethora of available college standouts and pro prospects their next employees.

Mock drafts and draft boards are not an exact science, but the latest rumor regarding former USC tight end Anthony McCoy’s potential destination come draft day may be more truth than fiction.

When the senior tight end takes to the field on Wednesday for his pro day, reports say one team in particular will be taking note — the New England Patriots. The connection makes perfect sense for the organization, which in recent weeks has fallen on hard times at the position, losing Ben Watson to free agency and cutting veteran Chris Baker loose.

In two years as USC’s starting tight end, McCoy caught just 46 passes, but the Fresno native’s 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame surely makes him an intriguing option for NFL teams.  And despite the fact that his collegiate career was at times marred because of injuries and academic ineligibility, McCoy’s performance in January’s Senior Bowl caught the eyes of several professional scouts.

“He is not a burner and not as athletic or fast as Jermaine Gresham [of Oklahoma], but he is a far tougher blocker with good hand placement who moves his feet well laterally,” wrote Steve Muench of ESPN’s Scout Inc. “He plays with an edge and is not afraid of contact. As a pass catcher, he tracks the ball well and is fast enough to make teams pay when they bite on play-action.”

Although New England signed 32-year-old tight end Alge Crumpler to a two-year deal last week, pundits like ESPN’s Todd McShay believe that the Patriots will still need to fill a void at the position with their second round pick in the upcoming draft — a spot it seems they will more than likely still find McCoy waiting, due to what’s being called a “very shallow” class of tight ends.

Whether these rumors are just food for thought, or actually have some validity to them, only time will tell — but don’t be surprised if McCoy is catching passes from a future Hall of Famer in Tom Brady next season.