PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Draft

Patriots Select OL Isaiah Wynn 23rd Overall

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0U__4WNog

After months of speculation about needs and wants, potential trades and fits, the Patriots finally cut through all the noise and made their first selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn.

With most of Patriots nation wanting linebacker Rashaan Evans, the Titans jumped ahead of the Patriots and selecting him one pick before the Pats took Wynn. Who knows if the Pats would’ve even selected him, but it’s hard not to think Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson thought Evans could be Bill Belichick’s target.

So now we get Wynn, which has a lot of layers to it. First is that he checks every offensive lineman box you could want except one big one — size. He’s athletic and mean, versatile and experienced, but he’s just 6’3″, almost unheard of for an NFL left tackle and that’s why most projections had him sliding inside to guard. Still, there are plenty out there who believe Wynn will compete to stay at left tackle and that could be very helpful to the Patriots.

But with starters Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney returning it’s hard to see Wynn stepping in and dethroning either of them immediately. But with Mason entering the last year of his deal, today’s stability can easily turn to next year’s need. Wynn will contribute one way or another, sooner or later.

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2018 PatsPropaganda Patriots-Only Mock Draft

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If ever there was a Patriots offseason that needed an injection of fresh storylines, this is it. After Rob Gronkowski‘s weird press conference last week, the NFL Draft will give those of us wanting some real football news a reprieve from all the sideshow drama.

The NFL Draft is spring Christmas, when we get all kinds of new presents to incorporate into our favorite football team. For a team that’s been to the Super Bowl three of the past four seasons, it’s strange saying they really need to solidify their foundation, but this is an important draft for the Pats.

With eight picks the Patriots are really set up to give their team a much-needed injection of youthful talent and what they need is pretty obvious.

There was just too much turnover and too many injuries in 2017. It started with Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard leaving, then Rob Ninkovich retiring, then injuries to Julian Edelman, Dont’a Hightower, Marcus Cannon and plenty of other bumps and bruises along the way that often left the Pats scrambling to insert new, unproven players. They’ve built some good depth, but they definitely need a talent injection at the second-level of their defense, with more athleticism and more edge depth.

The offense needs to have an eye on the future so they don’t get stuck in a turnover year like the defense did last year. And there’s a very interesting competition at left tackle shaping up, with LaAdrian Waddle and Tony Garcia officially back in the mix, free agent signees Matt Tobin and Ulrick John joining second-year players Jason King and Andrew Jelks, all in the mix for significant roles as the starting LT and swing backup tackle.

I know Belichick doesn’t draft for need, but here arejust three critical ones for the long-term health of the team.

  1. Off-the-Ball Linebacker
  2. Offensive Tackle
  3. Defensive Edge

This speaks to the depth they’ve already built, and while they should take a CB, QB, RB and WR, there aren’t many truly pressing needs for 2018.

These are my favorite Patriots fits, taken about when I think they’ll be available. Let’s see if I can crack a two-year streak of no hits in my mock draft!

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2018 PatsPropaganda Draft Big Board

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Welcome to year eight of the PatsPropaganda Big Board! The goal here is to hit as many Pats’ draft picks as possible with these 50 players, so it’s a combination of fits and needs, even if Bill Belichick doesn’t subscribe to need picks.

These are the football nerds, the team leaders, the special teams demons, the kind of players that would buy into the Patriot way and be able to make some sort of impact or at least push the starters. Next week I’ll release my mock draft featuring my favorite of this list.

The biggest areas I focused on were athletic off-the-ball linebackers, mid-round quarterbacks, potential left tackles and versatile edge players. Those are the biggest glaring needs as I see them, though I can certainly see running back, tight end and defensive back being taken because there are quite a few good fits in this draft class.

Am I missing someone you love as a fit? Let me know in the comments!

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Should Patriots Move Up in Draft for a Quarterback?

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With reports in recent days that the Patriots are “most interested” in Lamar Jackson, including, gasp, Tom Brady calling Jackson a beast, the fires of speculation that the Pats could move up in the first round have only added more fuel. Quarterback is the most vital position in football so it’s no wonder why players like Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen are all expected to be taken in the top 10.

How exactly they’ll be drafted will be the subject of great debate over these next couple weeks. If you feel good about how things might unfold Sports Betting Dime has locked in a few good sites with some draft prop bets.  But for the Patriots it’s unlikely they’ll mortgage their huge draft pick capital just to take one player who won’t even play this year, injuries willing, especially with so many holes to fill.

But Jackson could be within striking distance and is certainly an intriguing prospect. What’s not up for debate is that he’s an elite athlete at the position, a next-generation quarterback who could really develop with a year or two behind Tom Brady.

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First Two Rounds Will Be Patriots’ Playground

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After moving Brandin Cooks and picking up their second first-round pick for 2018’s NFL Draft, there’s much speculation as to what the Patriots will do with the capital that includes two second-round picks as well. Could they trade up for a quarterback? Or an offensive tackle? Or a linebacker? Or just trade them all for dozens of picks in 2019?

What happens will depend entirely on how things unfold above them, but after the top ten has passed the Patriots are in play for almost every pick during the first two days of the draft. Up, down, into the future…picks will be flying and it should make for an exciting weekend for Patriots fans.

The more I dig into this draft the more excited I am about the potential players that could be available at 23 that would not have been available at 31. Someone at a position of need will fall, and who knows, maybe they’ll move up to grab the right guy.

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Will the right left tackle fall to the Pats?

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The attention of Patriots draft pundits is locked on potential Nate Solder replacements and there are definitely some intriguing prospects. The Patriots’ position on NFL betting sites largely depends on who will be protecting Tom Brady‘s blind side.

There’s no question the Pats will add multiple rookie tackles, it’s just a question of how much draft capital they ‘re willing to give up. A first-round pick? Multiple picks to move up, ala Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower? Or will they just not value any of the available tackles as first-round picks and thus trade down and use the throw-it-all-at-the-wall approach?

Here’s a closer look at some of the first-round tackles and measure how well they all really fit in the Patriots’ offensive system and preferences.

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5 Patriots Draft Needs and Prospect Posits

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I’ve finally jumped into the NFL draft with both feet this week, it’s always a fascinating process for me as I pay zero attention to college football or any prospects until now. I think in some ways that kind of unbiased and fresh perspective gives me some advantages, but it’s a lot of work going through all the prospects to get to my Top-50 Big Board for the eighth year.

There are plenty of draft gurus who do this year-round and put up great GIF and play studies. Credit to them because in two months the Pats will have a handful of new guys and everyone else will be someone else’s concern.

Here’s my mock draft/big board accountability chart. The big goal this year is to get back on track by hitting a pick in my mock draft, something I haven’t done in two years after getting at least two in four of the previous five seasons.

 

Here are 5 early thoughts on some prospects who are getting connected to the Pats a lot.

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