The New England Patriots have multiple holes to fill on the roster, including at offensive tackle, cornerback and wide receiver.
But there are also positions to upgrade that have flown under the radar, such as tight end. The draft isn’t always about scratching off roster needs. Sometimes, it’s about looking at the board and just taking the best available player to upgrade positions.
With the combine a little over a week away, it’s time we get into our final, pre-combine mock draft. Again, this will be based off of what I think the Patriots will do, as opposed to what Patriot fans, including myself, would like them to do.
Let’s get right into the full seven-round mock draft without further ado.
Round 1, Pick No. 14: OT, Broderick Jones, Georgia
Consistently available at No. 14, Broderick Jones is an excellent Patriots fit. The Patriots have a massive need at tackle, and Jones is one of the best in the class.
I debated taking receiver or corner here, but honestly, there aren’t any wideouts I would salivate over at No. 14 overall. And there are plenty with the skills to become a true number No. 1 receiver in the later rounds. True value here was my approach.
Round 2, Pick No. 46: WR, Rashee Rice, SMU
Rice is probably in my top-three for wide receivers in this whole class, and the combine may have him jumping into other’s rankings as well. His tape screams wide receiver No. 1, and he could give the Patriots a true elite weapon for Mac Jones.
Rice is consistently being taken in rounds two and three right now, but the reason for that could come from the level of competition he played against at SMU. However, the combine should prove he is one of the more dynamic players in the class.
Round 3, Pick No. 76: CB, Kyu Blu Kelly
Outside corner is still a huge need, and with one of the better outside corners in a deep class available, the Patriots snag an aggressive corner that is also a talented run defender when called upon with Kyu Blu Kelly.
That skill should translate well to the Patriots, who could move Kelly based on matchups, and not worry about being picked on in the run game.
Round 4, Pick No. 107: TE, Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Even though the Patriots have two of the three highest-paid tight ends in the league, the future of the position is uncertain.
With one of the deeper tight end classes in recent memory, snagging a tight end with sure hands and a massive route tree could be the perfect mix for the Patriots looking for game-breaking playmakers all across the offense.
LaPorta is someone that could blossom into a gameday threat. He’s someone teams are looking to take out of the game, and as mentioned earlier, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith aren’t guaranteed locks for the foreseeable future.
The Patriots need to keep the pipeline going, and LaPorta allows new tight ends coach Will Lawing to have his first developmental project.
Round 4, Pick No. 117: WR, Marvin Mims Jr., Oklahoma
Sitting at No. 117, the Patriots find the opportunity to add another developmental playmaker to the fold. As long as the wide receiver room looks like it does, as of today, they aren’t exempt from taking multiple wideouts in this year’s draft.
Mims Jr. is a speedy wideout that is great at working the inside of the field and plays bigger than his size with his knack for high-pointing the ball. Mims Jr. also is an experienced punt returner and natural playmaker.
Round 4, Pick No. 135: C, Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Say hello to probably my No. 1 center in the draft,
Oluwatimi might not be here in the fourth round. However, if teams get greedy in a tight end, cornerback, and wide receiver deep class, Oluwatimi may slide unnoticed as teams typically don’t value center unless they’re a surefire elite center like Tyler Linderbaum last year.
In this mock draft, he was the best overall player on the board, but he was also at a sneaky position of need for the Patriots as a swing interior offensive lineman and future center.
Oluwatimi would be an excellent replacement for David Andrews when he eventually decides to step away, but he has the experience and size to play guard in a pinch if needed.
Round 6, Pick No. 184: LB, Dee Winters, TCU
Winters is the sideline-to-sideline linebacker Patriots fans have been clamoring for. He could immediately start next to Ja’Whaun Bentley, but he might struggle early in his career shedding blocks and facing bigger lineman. However, he could be the three-down linebacker the Patriots have been missing.
Winters fell all the way to the sixth round simply due to his size, but he could easily make people forget come combine time. For now, he was available in the sixth, and the Patriots get a speedy linebacker for their defense with this pick.
Round 6, Pick No. 187: S, DeMarcco Hellams, Alabama
A big-hitting safety, Hellams is a perfect replacement for Adrian Phillips eventually, as he has experience in man coverage and run support. His zone coverage skills are shaky, and he is on the smaller side. But he could be a nice project at a position of need for the Patriot defense.
Round 6, Pick No. 192: OT, Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a versatile lineman that could play four out of the five spots in the NFL when called upon. He is a perfect fit for a New England team desperately in need of a tackle. With the Patriots moving on from Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown on the final year of his contract, the team needs to add another tackle project to potentially take over.
Round 6, Pick No. 210: LB, Mohamoud Diabate, Utah
Here comes another athletic linebacker.
The Patriots opt to replace Mack Wilson Sr. and Raekwon McMillan with two cheaper options in Winters and Diabate. Diabate has upside as a special teams ace, while also being a role-playing linebacker out the jump. If the Patriots can be patient, he could become a valuable role player down the stretch.
Diabate is a player the Patriots have reportedly shown interest in their initial draft process.
Round 7, Pick No. 258: K, Jake Moody, Michigan
The Patriots need a new kicker or someone who can consistently turn offensive possessions that come up just short into points. Moody is probably the best kicker in this class, and the Patriots manage to take him with their last selection.
If other NFL teams value adding a kicker in this class and start early, Moody could go as high as the fifth round. But for now, he was the only kicker selected, and the Patriots made sure to lock down the position for a few years.
