Patriots Named Landing Spot for Explosive WR

The New England Patriots have been linked to a very explosive weapon at wide receiver.

Texas Longhorns receiver Isaiah Bond (7) runs the ball into the endzone for a touchdown during the game against Mississippi State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New England Patriots badly need weapons for quarterback Drake Maye, and acquiring playmakers will surely be their top priority this offseason.

The Patriots are fortunate enough to have expansive cap room heading into free agency, so they can definitely land a piece or two on the open market.

But they can also look to add to their receiving corps in the NFL Draft, as well.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has singled out a very interesting target for New England in April: Texas Longhorns wide out Isaiah Bond.

"The one thing they don't necessarily have among their young receivers is a straight-up burner. That's Isaiah Bond's specialty," Ballentine wrote. It was reported during the season that scouts believe Bond might be faster than former Texas teammate Xavier Worthy. Bond was a big-play machine at Texas and averaged 17 yards per touch with six touchdowns on the season. Maye has the arm to take advantage of his speed."

Worthy posted the fastest 40-yard dash time in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine, so if Bond is truly more of a speed demon than Worthy, that's saying something.

Bond caught 33 passes for 532 yards and five touchdowns at Texas this season, averaging a rather impressive 16.1 yards per catch. He added a rushing score, as well.

The 20-year-old spent the first couple of years of his collegiate career with the Alabama Crimson Tide before transferring to Texas in 2024. Over two seasons at Alabama, Bond accumulated 65 receptions for 888 yards while reaching the end zone five times.

Bond certainly doesn't seem like a No. 1 receiver, but so long as New England is able to add someone like Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin in free agency, it won't need him to be.

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