Patriots Seven-Round Mock Draft
This is my exclusive seven-round Patriots mock draft!
The 2022 NFL Draft is days away! As the time for making controversial mock drafts comes to an end, so does the time for NFL teams to decide their first-round pick selections. Teams picking earlier in the draft; like the Jets, Seahawks, Texans, and Giants, have a little more security in their selections. Because the chances of their prospect being chosen before them are much lower than teams picking later in the draft.
How should Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots have a productive draft despite picking later in every round? I tried to find out.
First Round, 21st OVR:
The Patriot’s selection in the first-round Kaiir Elam, Florida (CB). The ideal selection here would be Andrew Booth Jr. from Clemson, but it looks doubtful that he will fall this far to the Patriots.
Along with being excellent in coverage, Elam couples his solid speed with solid size. He is proficient at tackling and he can play inside or in the outside corner position. He brings scheme versatility and a swagger that shut down players who are typically effective.
Elam has displayed exceptional physicality, aggressiveness, and comfort with the game. This would help the Patriots’ secondary recover after losing star cornerback J.C. Jackson to the Chargers.
Addressing the secondary this early on in the draft would allow Belichick to focus on mending the partially-broken receiving core, offensive line, and additionally adding on to the defense in later picks in this mock draft.
Second Round, 54th OVR
Another defensive player is the pick here in the second as the Patriots take, Josh Paschal, University of Kentucky (EDGE). While the two biggest needs for the Patriots at this point are wide receiver and cornerback, beefing up the pass rush with a player like Paschal would be more than ideal.
Compact, aggressive, and powerful, Josh Paschal with the current Patriots pass rush would transform the look of this defense. What Paschal lacks in typical size is made up for in his lateral quickness and backfield determination.
The Patriots need defensive power, plain and simple. Choosing two defensive players within the first two rounds is usually a formula that creates defensive power. I could also see the Patriots electing to go with an offensive lineman in the second round.
Third Round, 85th OVR
After two straight defensive selections in this mock draft, New England finally adds a weapon for Mac Jones by selecting John Metchie III, Alabama (WR). John Metchie is the best-case scenario pick for the Patriots in the third round.
The Patriots have appeared to branch out of a typical wide receiver system and have instead aimed for solid, collective wide receivers. Metchie fits that system impeccably. He is nothing special in terms of size and numbers, but he can transition well into the NFL if placed into the right system.
Priorities have obviously changed for the New England Patriots following the Devante Parker trade. They should set off their wide receiver worries to the mid-to-late rounds as shown here. I also doubt that Metchie would fall this far in the third round, and would not be against the Patriots trading up in the third round to obtain the Alabama wide receiver.
Fourth Round, 127th OVR
Adding to the offensive line is a must at some point in this mock draft. With the selection of Marquis Hayes, the University of Oklahoma (G) they do just that.
Following Shaq Mason’s mind-boggling trade to the Buccaneers, the Patriots are now in need of a guard to replace Mason. Although I doubt the Patriots will wait this long to address the issue, it is quite possible that they opt to go with a more quiet alternative.
Sometimes, Hayes’ giant figure allows him to be effective while blocking, but other times, he lacks the necessary footwork and fundamentals to be considered earlier in the draft.
The Patriots are going to have to set their priorities straight when it comes to this draft. If they put the offensive line high on that priority list, then they will not be selecting their first offensive lineman in the fifth round as I have in this mock draft. If they put the offensive line lower on the list, then they could be taking the path that I chose them to take.
Fifth Round, 158 OVR:
A sneaky need for this team is running back. Damien Harris is under contract for one more year. James White is 30 coming off a hip injury and Taylor/Montgomery arent trusted. So with their first pick in the fifth round, they selected Pierre Strong Jr, South Dakota State (HB)
The Patriots are due to make certain decisions at the HB position in the upcoming year, and drafting the speedy Pierre Strong Jr. could be a vital move in making that decision.
If Strong Jr. were to have a clean transition to the NFL then Patriots fans are in for a treat. Strong’s ability to evade defenders, execute deadly jukes, and utilize his speed in a spectator-friendly manner is no short of incredible. Strong does lack some mental components to his game but can be expected to eventually become an NFL starter.
I have seen scattered predictions for Pierre Strong and some don’t have him falling this far; however, the PFF mock draft simulator had him projected near this spot so I could see him around the fourth or fifth round.
Fifth Round, 170 OVR (via TB)
Finding late-round talent at the interior offensive line position is a great strength of Belichick, which is why Joshua Ezeudu, University of North Carolina (G) would be the selection.
If the Patriots are looking for a potential Shaq Mason replacement, it would make sense to do it with the pick he was traded for. Even though we took a lineman one round earlier, Belichick is known to double-dip at some positions.
Ezeudu is rated by the NFL as a “player that has the potential to develop into a starter,” which is an awfully good sign for a projected fifth-round pick. The impression I am getting from Ezeudu is that he has some very good aspects and some sloppy aspects. If Belichick can properly teach the UNC guard new, fresh fundamentals, Ezeudu could be a valuable asset to this Patriots offensive line.
If the Patriots really focus on an offensive lineman in the middle rounds of this draft then that could be a better alternative than simply drafting a single lineman in the earlier rounds. It really just depends if the Patriots are favoring depth or quality on the O-Line.
Sixth Round, 200th OVR
Isiah Wynn is likely on his way out of the organization. This is the last year of his contract so drafting a potential developmental replacement would be a solid move. The pick in this mock draft was Zach Thomas out of South Carolina State (T)
Low-risk, low-reward pick. Despite the picks prior to the sixth round, the Patriots are still in a position where they need to improve depth in the front lines. Thomas has decent strength, athleticism, and body control at the college level. He deserves a shot at the NFL level.
Mock Draft Trade PATRIOTS RECEIVE: Picks 233, 259
CHIEFS RECEIVE: Pick 210
Seventh Round, 233 OVR
Why not add another WR who has played with Mac Jones before? The added time together creates way more chemistry. The selection hereafter trading down in the seventh is Slade Bolden from the University of Alabama (WR)
Taking a chance at Slade Bolden would be a fine move for the Patriots at this point in the draft. Similar to most seventh-round picks, Bolden is a potential UFA that will probably not make most NFL rosters. He lacks any individual traits to separate himself from the rest of the group, but he does have decent speed and slot ability.
Seventh Round, 259 OVR
Late-round or undrafted defensive backs have a great history of working out in New England. Could Vincent Gray out of Michigan (CB) be the next one?
Gray has an ideal NFL build and has solid footwork. It is a little bit concerning that he did not record a single college interception during his time at Michigan, but if he is given the opportunity to get to the league then he could make the best of it. After all, JC Jackson was a UFA.
Check out our other articles @ The Gillette Gazette
Comentários