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Leonte Carroo and Malcolm Mitchell among 'favorite five' for Patriots at WR

Leading into the NFL draft, my "favorite five" prospects for the New England Patriots at their five primary positions of need -- running back, cornerback, offensive tackle, defensive tackle and wide receiver -- will be highlighted. Part V is on wide receivers:

Daniel Braverman (Western Michigan) -- His 109 receptions last season were second behind only UMass' Tajae Sharpe, as his assets are short-area quickness, the ability to get in and out of breaks with ease, and the ability to catch the football in traffic. At 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, he is undersized and would project to a slot receiver role in New England, where his fiery competitive streak would fit in nicely in a hard-driving program. He's a mid-round projection.

Leonte Carroo (Rutgers) -- A team captain who set the Rutgers record for career receiving touchdowns (29), the 5-foot-11 7/8, 211-pound Carroo played for four offensive coordinators in four years at Rutgers and his ability to play multiple spots and pick up different schemes fits the Patriots' profile. He's a solid route-runner and showed up on special teams with blocked punts. Put that together with his alma mater (five Patriots players from Rutgers on the current roster), and it looks like a fit in the early to middle rounds.

Keyarris Garrett (Tulsa) -- The long-striding 6-foot-3 3/8, 220-pound Garrett projects as an outside receiver as his length and ability to track the ball in the air ability shows up on tape. He's a middle-to-later round consideration and fits a different profile from many of the receivers the Patriots tend to lean towards. His production, however, is hard to miss as he led the nation with 1,588 yards. He's a mid-to-late round projection.

Malcolm Mitchell (Georgia) -- Projected as a mid-round pick, the 5-foot-11 5/8, 198-pound Mitchell stands out with his short-area quickness (1.51 10-yard split) and high-end intangibles. He's one of my favorite players in the draft, having begun his college career as a cornerback before switching to the offensive side and playing with a toughness and edge that would fit well in New England.

Keenan Reynolds (Navy) -- It will be more of a surprise if the Patriots don't select Reynolds based on the time investment they've made in scouting him, and Bill Belichick's affinity for talented, high-intangibles players from Navy. Reynolds played quarterback at Navy, but like Julian Edelman in 2009, he'll be making a position switch in the NFL and would likely fit best at receiver.

PREVIOUS POSTS

Part I: Running backs

Part II: Cornerbacks

Part III: Offensive tackles

Part IV: Defensive tackles

Bonus: Where do Patriots turn at No. 3 quarterback?