Aaron

Dobson

Tom Brady can make a lot of players look good, but he’d be pulling a rabbit out of his hat if he can turn Jenkins into a productive “X” receiver. The 30-year-old veteran struggles to separate from coverage and has zero long speed. Molasses Mike is best used as a blocker and we’re still not convinced he’s a lock to stick on the Patriots’ final roster. Rookies Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce figure to get their big chance at training camp.

Reporter Mike Reiss compares Dobson to Austin in that he “isn’t necessarily a top-end speed burner,” but has good size, reasonable speed and can pull down passes in traffic. Dobson stands in at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds with 4.42 speed compared to 6-2/215/4.47 for Austin. The Pats would likely be ecstatic if Dobson could resemble a poor man’s Austin as a rookie.

New England’s entire draft class is now signed. Dobson is a big, sure-handed receiver, and forty times of 4.42 and 4.44 at his Pro Day likely vaulted him into the second round of the draft. ESPN Boston has suggested that the rookie’s had a little trouble picking up the offense, but that’s to be expected in the Patriots’ complicated scheme. Dobson will challenge for starting “X” receiver duties.

Dobson didn’t drop a single pass as a senior at Marshall. “This is going to sound crazy, but I thought that his size/hand combination, at times, reminded me of Larry Fitzgerald,” Cosell said. “He’s not Larry Fitzgerald, obviously, but he’s a big kid who can move very well with really good hands. ... Overall an excellent combination of size, fluid movement and hands.”

Dobson was recruited to play basketball at West Virginia, Delaware, and Hofstra out of high school. He’s 6-foot-3, 210 and didn’t drop a single target as a senior. “Basketball players, most have good hands,” Belichick opined. “They have to handle the ball a lot. The ball is on them quick, tight passes and handling the ball in traffic and that kind of thing. Usually, when you get a good basketball player, those guys usually have pretty good ball skills.”

The Patriots have a terrible track record of drafting receivers under Bill Belichick, but will hope Dobson can be an immediate contributor on the outside. Dobson (6-foot-3, 210) is long-armed (33") and sure-handed, but his stats don’t jump off the page. His senior-year line was just 57/679/11.9/3. However, he did not drop a single pass amongst 92 targets, and ran forty times of 4.42 and 4.44 at his Pro Day. Provided he can shake the voodoo of past Pats draft failures, Dobson could make an early impact in Tom Brady’s offense.

Dobson’s draft-slot range is considered anywhere from the first to fourth round. Brugler suspects Dobson’s likely landing spot will be somewhere in between. At 6-foot-3, 210 with forty times in the 4.4s, Dobson is an intriguing size/speed prospect. According to STATS ICE, Dobson didn’t drop a single pass last season, although he had a tendency to disappear in games.

It’s the spot that Brandon Lloyd piled up 130 targets at last year. Per the Globe, Dobson is “everything you want in an X vertical receiver.” With 4.4 wheels, a reputation for picking up offenses quickly, extremely reliable hands and a 6'3/210 frame, there’s a ton of upside here. Dobson only has to beat out fellow rookie Josh Boyce and Molasses Mike Jenkins for the starting gig.

Last season’s X receiver, Brandon Lloyd, is three inches shorter than Dobson and posted a pathetic 189 yards after catch on 74 grabs last year. Deion Branch has even more inept in 2011. Yates, who was an intern on the Pats’ coaching and scouting staffs, notes that Dobson “is a smooth, high-cut receiver who can run an extensive route tree from the perimeter of the offensive formation.” He also sees the 6'3/210 rookie as a candidate for end-zone fade patterns. Those are ideal traits for an outside receiver in the Pats’ scheme.

Dobson has been limited in practice this week. He also doesn’t contribute on special teams, which bottom-of-the-roster players need to do if they’re going to be active on game days. If Dobson does sit out against the Bills, Julian Edelman and Josh Boyce will back up Danny Amendola and Kenbrell Thompkins.