Analyst Names Polarizing Travis Hunter Alternative for Patriots

The New England Patriots would love to add Travis Hunter with the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft. In fact, he is probably at the top of their wish list.

However, there is a very good chance that Hunter is off the board by the time the Patriots are on the clock, which could certainly complicate things for New England. That's especially if edge rusher Abdul Carter is gone by that point, too.

So, what would the Pats do in that scenario? Well, Michael DeVito of Musket Fire makes the argument that the Patriots should then turn to one of the other generational offensive talents in this year's class: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

"Jeanty is a one-man offense. Look no further than the Super Bowl-winning Eagles to see what a transcendent back can provide to a team's fortunes," DeVito wrote. "They added Saquon Barkley last off-season. Added to quarterback Jalen Hurts, his production propelled the Eagles to the title."

While DeVito makes a good point about Barkley, there are some caveats there. First of all, Philadelphia also had arguably the best offensive line in football this past year, so Barkley had a whole lot of help in the trenches. Second, the Eagles also had one of the NFL's best one-two wide receiver tandems in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

New England does not have the luxury of possessing either of those things, as its offensive line is a mess, and its receiving corps is full of question marks, even after signing Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency.

In today's game, running backs are typically a finishing touch; not a primary centerpiece. While Jeanty is unquestionably a phenomenal player with sky-high potential, the Pats may not be able to provide him with the right environment to succeed at the moment.