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Patriots Mock Draft: WR Jaelen Strong Adds Size to Patriots Pass-Catching Group
Interesting, outside the box mock from Frenz. Of all the positions of need this week, I’m most interested to see how running back and wide receiver play out. Seems like the general opinions are across the board as to where need and fit could meet with those two spots.
New England Patriots Pre-Draft Depth Chart
Here’s where we sit as we get ready for the draft and I continue to be surprised about the hole at left guard. Sure, Connolly could re-sign and then thinks are at least manageable to start, but it does reinforce how the Pats really should land one of the top guards in this year’s class.
I’m definitely keeping an eye on athletic right defensive ends as well in this draft, and while there’s okay depth at linebacker, there’s only the starting trio who can really be counted on. Still, I’m excited to see cameron Gordon and James Morris, as well as Darius Fleming with a full Patriot year under his belt.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/new-england-patriots-depth-chart/
What the Patriots should do, rounds 1-3
Like the first two picks of this mock from Tom E. Curran, not a big fan of the second two. I wouldn’t be surprised if Byron Jones is the only first round cornerback on the Patriots draft board, because no one else checks every single box like he does.
I’d love to nab Cann with the 64th pick, though I worry if he drops that far. Otherwise I think Jackson from FSU might work there. Either way a lot of us see that 64th spot as a guard re(guard)less.
Grissom feels really high for this spot and I see a little too much redundancy to Ninkovich and Sheard as he’d likely be a strong side defensive end with some linebacker versatility in the Pats system.
WR is one of the great question marks in this draft. Count me on the side of not seeing it as a huge Day ½ need, hence I think Lockett isn’t a necessary pick. We all get wowed with big play wide receivers but I continue to believe Belichick prefers guys like LaFell who have an all-around game and can play to Brady’s strengths rather than a bells-and-whistles guy that would get us all excited on paper but probably struggle to find a legitimate role.
Patriots mock draft 2.0: Some unconventional possibilites
Draft week is finally here and there should be plenty of mock drafts to post, including this one from Mark Daniels that takes a look at some outside-the-box guys.
Of course topping the list is Shaq Thompson, a player plenty of Patriots fans have an interest in. In my opinion he’s not worth a first round pick to the Patriots because he’s not likely to ever play a legitimate linebacker role in their system. Could he be an interesting player at the “Money” position, aka a dime linebacker? Sure, but that’s a limited role and one you would draft in the third round.
Now I’ve been shocked plenty of times by the Patriots’ moves and I expect to be shocked plenty more, so I’d never write off Thompson entirely because he’s definitely an intriguing player. It’s just that in the first round I think they’ll look for a player who can impact almost every down.
The Patriots laid the groundwork for their second act in the 2010s by acquiring picks worth more than 17 AV in 2008, 2009, and 2011. The players the Patriots have picked over the years have, on average, actually underperformed their draft positions by a little bit, but the extra value in the picks the Patriots acquired gave them enough Rob Gronkowskis to balance the Ras-I Dowlings.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-patriots-laid-the-groundwork-for-their-second/
I think the chances they take two guards are good, but I think starting them BOTH right out of the gate is slim. Most likely scenario as I see it is a rookie starting at right guard and Connolly back at left guard.
The value picks at guard for instant starters like Tre Jackson/Laken Tomlinson are probably better RG fits. Cann could probably start right away at LG, but I think he goes early second. So unless they trade out of 32, I think they miss on him.
But given Connolly’s injury history and age, I don’t think it’s crazy to think we could see another LG in there at some point. But Cameron Fleming could in the mix as well as any later round rookie they might start.
