Patriots 2023 NFL Draft guide: New England's picks, needs, and potential options at No. 14
FOXBORO -- The NFL Draft has arrived, and the Patriots have a pretty important pick to make Thursday evening. And for now, 10 other picks after their first-round selection.
Bill Belichick and company head into the 2023 NFL Draft with 11 selections, including the 14th overall pick in Thursday night's first round. Only the Packers, Texans, and Raiders have more selections than the Patriots, as each possesses a dozen heading into the draft.
If the Patriots do indeed use that 14th overall pick, it will be the highest they've drafted since 2008, when the team drafted current defensive coach and reported head-coach-in-waiting Jerod Mayo at 10th overall. In true Belichick fashion, he traded down from the No. 7 pick (which he acquired the season prior for trading out of the first round) that year to land Mayo.
And you may remember that the Patriots picked in the teens a few years ago, when they drafted quarterback Mac Jones at No. 15 overall.
Will they hang on and use that 14th overall pick? Will Belichick trade up, down, or out of the first round again? We'll find out sometime Thursday night when the picks start coming off the board in Kansas City.
As for the rest of the draft, Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday night (starting at 7 p.m.) with Rounds 4 through 7 taking place Saturday (beginning at noon).
Here's a snapshot of when the Patriots will be picking -- at least for now:
The Picks
- First round, No. 14 overall
- Second round, No. 46 overall
- Third round, No. 76 overall
- Fourth round, No. 107 overall
- Fourth round, No. 117 overall
- Fourth round, No. 135 overall
- Sixth round, No. 184 overall
- Sixth round, No. 187 overall
- Sixth round, No. 192 overall
- Sixth round, No. 210 overall
- Seventh round, No. 245 overall
That's a hefty amount of picks to help fill a handful of needs on the roster. Speaking of which...
The Needs
Sit down and grab a beverage. This may take a while.
New England's most glaring needs are at offensive tackle, cornerback, and wide receiver. The Pats could also use a little more at tight end and safety, and no one would be shocked if Belichick drafted another running back, even after drafting a pair of them last year.
Offensive tackle is at the top of the list, with Trent Brown (30 years old) and Reilly Reiff (34) atop the depth chart at the moment. The Patriots need a young tackle to be the pillar of the offensive line for years to come, and they could find that in the first round. While quarterback Mac Jones would love a little more firepower in the offense, he probably wouldn't mind a little protection as well.
Speaking of that firepower, adding a receiver that can make plays and take the top off a defense would be nice, but we know how that goes for the Patriots. But there will be options in the early rounds if that's the route they choose to run. (It would be a nice bonus to see Zay Flowers go from catching passes in Chestnut Hill to Foxboro.) And while the Pats added Mike Gesicki to their tight end room, he figures to play more of a receiver role so another tight end shouldn't be ruled out at some point over the next three days.
The Patriots have some promising young corners in Jack and Marcus Jones, but they need some size at the position. Jack is just 5-foot-11 (plus we're not really sure what's going on with him after he was suspended for the final week of the season) and Marcus is just 5-foot-8. Jonathan Jones checks in at 5-foot-10. So don't be surprised if the Pats go for a taller corner sometime early in the draft.
Potential Patriots
Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Jones lands with the Patriots in a lot of mock drafts, and it's easy to understand why. He's a big boy at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds, but he's incredibly athletic for such a giant. He has just one season as a starter under his belt, but he didn't allow a sack for the Bulldogs last season. Jones' upside may be too hard to pass up for the Patriots, especially at such a big position of need.
Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
A good option if Jones isn't available when the Patriots pick in the first round, Wright is a 6-foot-5, 333-pounder who can play either tackle position.
Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
A first-team All-American at Northwestern, Skoronski made 33 starts at left tackle for the Huskies. Many draft experts believe he'd be better at guard in the NFL.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
A very smart and physical corner who broke up 14 passes last season.
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
A versatile corner with some solid size at 6-feet, 197 pounds.
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
The son of the former Steelers edge rusher, Porter Jr. has the size the Patriots want at 6-foot-2 and the quickness to be a No. 1 corner.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
A really good possession receiver in the slot, Smith-Njigba has a gift for making catches in traffic over the middle of the field. He may drop a bit Thursday due to injury concerns, which could land him in New England.