Mock draft season is officially upon us.
The New England Patriots have the No. 21 overall pick and there isn’t one glaring position that takes priority over another. The offensive line could use reinforcements, the Patriots could undoubtedly use an explosive No. 1 receiver and it would be ideal to aim for some speed at the linebacker position.
ESPN’s Todd McShay went a different route by sending Washington Huskies cornerback Kyler Gordon to Foxborough. McShay, in his post-Super Bowl predictions for all 32 first-round picks, has the Patriots selecting Gordon over receivers like Alabama’s Jameson Williams and Ohio State’s Chris Olave.
Here’s what he said about the selection.
The Patriots were second in passing yards allowed per game (187.1), tied for second in yards allowed per pass attempt (6.4) and second in interceptions (23). And they were one of three teams to keep opponents under 60% completion percentage. But the back seven could lose several starters to free agency, including cornerback J.C. Jackson, safety Devin McCourty and linebacker D’onta Hightower. It could also use an influx of speed in that area, of which Gordon has a ton. His versatility and ability to jump routes would also be welcome on one of the league’s top defenses — and he’d make the potential loss of Jackson a little easier to handle.
Linebacker and safety are two other areas to watch, and I’d watch how the receiver class is playing out as New England nears its pick. Ohio State’s Chris Olave would give quarterback Mac Jones a smooth route runner with great separating speed. Alternatively, Alabama’s Jameson Williams will likely miss some time but could end up the top receiver in the class. Bill Belichick would find ways to get the ball into his hands.
McCourty announced he’s making a return next season, but he’s a free agent and he hasn’t inked a deal with the Patriots just yet. Jackson is the most important piece in the secondary and he’s due for a boatload of money this offseason — money the Patriots don’t usually hand out to cornerbacks.
The Patriots have relied on elite cornerbacks to anchor the secondary like Jackson and Stephon Gilmore in recent years, and they’ll be without one if they lose the 26-year-old this offseason.
Selecting a top-notch cornerback like Gordon could be part of Bill Belichick’s plan to save cap space money in the long run.
