New England Patriots fans were greeted to depressing news the same day their Boston Celtics lost to the San Antonio Spurs by 19 points. Their beloved Rob Gronkowski announced on his Instagram account that he was hanging his cleats up.
Gronkowski will go down as one of the best tight ends to ever play in the NFL. He was a charismatic player that played for a Patriots team who has a head coach—Bill Belichick—that has the completely opposite personality.
At 29 years old, Gronkowski can become one of the youngest players to get enshrined in Canton when he is eligible in five years. As a result of his retirement, the Patriots will need to find his replacement this offseason.
The departure of Gronkowski leaves big shoes to fill. Watching Gronk terrorize opposing defenses will be missed—with fans of the other AFC East teams breathing a sigh of relief.
But don't fret Patriots fans, the franchise can find their next tight end in this year's draft. There are a couple of talented tight ends in this draft with T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant leading the pack.
Fant should be considered at the 32nd pick for New England if he is still available. The talented tight end played his three seasons at the University of Iowa.
Phenomenally, both Hockenson and Fant played on the same team from 2017-2018. In his three seasons at Iowa, Fant was a touchdown machine—scoring 19 touchdowns.
Fant is a 6'5″, 241-pound tight end that is a perfect fit for New England's offense. The Iowa product is very athletic for his size and can be developed into a formidable run blocker if he joins the Patriots.
Fant fits today's NFL like a glove. He can line up as a slot receiver or put his hand in the ground—the type of tight end that most NFL teams are searching for. Regardless, he's a matchup nightmare for any defense.
His route running is very polished for a tight end and has phenomenal hands. The only thing he needs to improve on is his blocking ability.
The Patriots and Belichick tend to lean towards bringing in tight ends that can block but they should make an exception for Fant. Undoubtedly, the Patriots can help Fant develop his ability to block in the run game.
This offseason has seen the Patriots lose Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen this offseason. Thus, finding a tight end is a necessity for New England this draft.
There aren't many teams you'd rather start your career with than the Patriots. I know for a fact that Fant would love to begin his NFL career by catching passes from the legendary Tom Brady.
Moreover, Fant would become one of the focal points of the Patriots offense immediately. It would allow Josh McDaniels to continue to be creative with his tight end—like he was with Gronk.
Regardless if the Patriots sign someone in free agency, the Patriots need to select Fant with the 32nd overall pick. While the Gronkowski door closes, the Fant door can open and begin a new era in New England.
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