PATRIOTS: Spring(ing) to some far-too-early conclusions

Making some far-too-early judgments as the Patriots enter their last week of offseason preparations before taking a break prior to the start of training camp.

FOXBORO – Spring(ing) to some far-too-early conclusions with the Patriots’ mandatory mini-camp behind them and the final week of their organized team activities ahead:

• Granted, punting duels are not the stuff of which training camp drama is generally built, but with Corey Bojorquez’s signing following a tryout at rookie mini-camp earlier this spring one looms in Foxboro in the summer of 2018.

An ordained minister, the 21-year-old Bojorquez averaged a school-record 47.3 yards per punt over his senior year at New Mexico where he boasted a 45.1-yard average on 116 punts over two seasons after transferring from Cerritos Community College.

Left footed like incumbent Ryan Allen, Bojorquez’s booming punts and prolonged hang time have been worth more than a foot note this spring. Consistency appeared to be a problem for him on a couple of punts at this past Thursday’s mini-camp practice, however, and will be worth monitoring going forward.

For his part, Bojorquez says he can’t be concerned about what lies ahead.

“I’m just trying to be better than I was the day before,” Bojorquez said. “If I start think too much about the future, I won’t be focused on the now and getting better myself.”

• Speaking of relative unknowns whose play has caught the eye, we present one J.C. Jackson.

A rookie free agent out of the University of Maryland, Jackson, who has had a checkered past to say the least, has been making plays while working at times with established veteran Stephon Gilmore (who’s been superb) at cornerback with the Patriots’ starters. Jackson has done this, mind you, while the likes of offseason trade acquisition Jason McCourty (who’s been held out of team drills) and holdover Eric Rowe have often stood and watched.

Jackson was arrested for armed robbery while at the University of Florida in April 2015 and, while he was later acquitted of felony charges, he was forced to resurrect his career at Riverside City College.

Jackson may still face long odds in his bid to make this team, but he certainly hasn’t done anything to hurt them this spring.

As expected, second-round draft pick Duke Dawson has been seeing time in the slot.

• In the “Some Things Never Change” Dept., safety Jordan Richards has been struggling in the Patriots’ secondary.

Hard to believe that Richards is headed toward his fourth training camp with the Patriots. Given his (lack of) production over the years, it’s even harder to believe that the team invested a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft in him.

• Call me an alarmist, but until I see wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, on the practice field with his teammates I will continue to believe there is cause for concern.

• If we're choosing sides in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady saga, put me in the coach's corner.

Belichick hasn't changed over the years; the quarterback has, the most dramatic change, it seems, coming after Jimmy Garoppolo was shipped to San Francisco.

• I'm also leery about jumping to conclusions – memories of reporters writing "this could be Aaron Dobson's year" in training camp, then watching the wide receiver disappear from view are still too fresh in my memory – but tight end Jacob Hollister, whose body looks fuller heading into his second year with the team, is showing great potential as a receiving threat.

Hollister has been catching everything in sight and appeared to be gaining Brady's trust in mini-camp.

• Looking out for the No. 1s, with Joe Thuney coming off foot surgery, Isaiah Wynn, the first of the Patriots’ two first-round picks in this year’s draft, has been lining up at left guard alongside massive (6-foot-8, 355 pounds) offseason trade acquisition Trent Brown at left tackle.

And while he’s drawn the ire of running backs coach Ivan Fears on occasion, Sony Michel, the second of their two first-round selections, has flashed an impressive burst at times.

• OTAs are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of this week – and that’s a wrap.

After that, the Patriots won’t convene as a team until the start of training camp, with the projected dates of note July 23 (the rookies’ likely reporting date), July 25 (veterans) and July 26 (the first public practice likely on July 26 on the fields behind Gillette Stadium).

Note that nothing has been officially announced by the team as of yet. Those are merely educated (?) guesses by yours truly.