Patriots Mock Draft Roundup 1: Quarterbacks, Tight Ends And Even A Day 1 Trade
BOSTON (CBS) -- The NFL Draft is just around the corner. Kids are getting measured up and running all over the place at the scouting combine this week, and that can mean only one thing: The mockers are mocking it up.
It is officially mock draft season. And those mockers have their work cut out for them when it comes to the New England Patriots, owners of a dozen picks come April 25. Here's a quick look at what Bill Belichick and company will be working with when picks start flying off the board in Nashville:
1st Round, 32nd overall (own)
2nd Round, 56th overall (via Chicago)
2nd Round, 64th overall (own)
3rd Round, 73rd overall (via Detroit)
3rd Round, 97th overall (comp pick for Nate Solder)
3rd Round, 101st overall (comp pick for Malcolm Butler)
4th Round, 134th overall (own)
6th Round, 205th overall (comp pick for Danny Amendola)
7th Round, 239th overall (via Philadelphia)
7th Round, 243rd overall (via Cleveland)
7th Round, 246th overall (own)
7th Round, 252nd overall (comp pick for Cameron Fleming)
That's a lot of draft capital for Belichick to address New England's areas of need, which include spots at linebacker, tight end, wide receiver, defensive line and, of course, a young quarterback. And don't expect the Patriots to add 12 new guys via the draft, so there will be plenty of wheeling and dealing.
But as for whom the Patriots will be selecting at the end of the night on April 25 (and in some cases, the following nights), here's what the always-correct experts are predicting with the draft night fun a mere two months away:
NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter can barely contain himself, giving us not one, not two, but THREE full rounds of mocking. Here's who he has going to the Patriots, with a pair of very interesting picks in the second round:
Rd. 1, Pick 32: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
The Patriots are willing to take chances on players with medical issues (Rob Gronkowski, Marcus Cannon, etc.). Simmons' ACL tear may not be a deal-breaker for them.
Rd. 2, Pick 56: Ryan Finley, QB, NC State
Finley's efficiency could make him a nice fit behind Tom Brady for the next couple of years (or more).
Rd. 2, Pick 64: Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M
Whether or not Rob Gronkowski returns in 2019, Tom Brady will appreciate having this athletic pass catcher at his command.
Rd. 3, Pick 73: Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan
OK, I admit to placing Winovich here because his last name is similar to Rob Ninkovich, the former Patriots edge player. But hey -- the Patriots could use another versatile outside defender, so why not?
Rd. 3, Pick 97: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
McLaurin's speed, improving hands, and special teams prowess will earn him fans in Foxboro.
Rd. 3, Pick 101: Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia
If Cajuste tests well in Indy, he could go higher. He is a good value as a swing tackle prospect at this point in the draft.
If you think that was wild fun, then buckle up and head on over to Walterfootball.com. They're going as far as mocking the first FIVE rounds of the draft (they also mock up the first rounds of the 2020 and 2021 draft if you're someone who really likes to plan).
Rd. 1, Pick 3: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
The Patriots have no receivers who can get open, save for Julian Edelman. There's Josh Gordon as well, but the Patriots can't rely on him moving forward. They need a better downfield threat if Tom Brady is to score more than 13 points versus a great defense.
Charlie Campbell reported that D.K. Metcalf is a love/hate prospect. Some teams believe he'll be a top-15 pick, while others have him graded in the fourth round.
Rd. 2, Pick 56: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama
The Patriots have been looking for linebacker help next to Dont'a Hightower ever since they traded away Jamie Collins.
Mack Wilson has good coverage skills, so he'll generate interest from teams on Day 2.
Rd. 2, Pick 64: Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern
The Patriots have traded all of their potential successors for Tom Brady, so they'll need to find a new one.
Clayton Thorson is an underrated prospect because of his dreadful supporting cast. He has plus mechanics, and he can make any pass, fitting throws into tight windows. He has a nice arm, and he's also smart and athletic. He could be a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Rd. 3, Pick 73: Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
The Patriots need players who can get open. They had a pair in Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon, but the latter has been suspended indefinitely. Rob Gronkowski, meanwhile, moves around like he needs a walker. It's sad, but Gronkowski's playing days look finished.
Rd. 3, Pick 97: Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple
Jason McCourty announced that he will return for 2019, but it's unlikely that he'll play much longer beyond next season. The Patriots could use one of their many compensatory picks on a new corner.
Rd. 3, Pick 101: Amani Hooker, S/LB/CB, Iowa
Amani Hooker is very versatile; he can play safety, linebacker and cornerback. I'm sure Bill Belichick will value his versatility.
Rd. 4, Pick 134: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
I could see the Patriots doubling up on receivers, given their dire need at the position. Terry McLaurin had a terrific Senior Bowl and may have moved into fourth-, or even third-round consideration.
The rest of these mockers have lives (or something like that), and only mocked up the first-round:
Jeffrey Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
This would be a vintage Pats move. They would get a top-10 talent who suffered an ACL injury with a late first pick. He would also provide help at a position of need.
Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
Jones' athleticism is off the charts and when he's on he can take over games. He needs to work on being more consistent but his quick first step coupled with a variety of pass-rush moves suggests a high ceiling, especially in a Bill Belichick-coached system.
Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
Say hello to your Gronk replacement.
Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
Man do I love this fit of team plus need plus player, especially with Deebo being able to produce in the return game as well.
Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State
The Patriots came up big in the compensatory pick formula again, leaving them with plenty of draft capital if they want to make a move up. Here they trade a third-rounder to go get Harmon, who immediately becomes the best outside weapon on a team that's slated to lose a lot of their receivers to free agency.
Yes, you read that right. We not only have a mock pick but a mock trade from R.J. White, with the Pats trading up with the Seattle Seahawks to draft Harmon with the 26th pick.
Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
The Patriots' defense put on a show in the Super Bowl, but will always keep adding to the depth chart. Jones was coached in college by Greg Schiano, who reportedly will replace Brian Flores on the New England staff, and had a productive three seasons playing across the Ohio State defensive line.
Jeffery Simmons, DL, Mississippi State
Hey, it's just the Patriots doing Patriots stuff: drafting for value instead of need, sifting for bargains at the bottom of a round, zagging when the rest of the NFL zigs.
Jeffery Simmons earned early-first-round grades before tearing his ACL in mid-February. The Patriots like to scoop up defensive line talent at the end of the first round (Malcom Brown, Dominique Easley, Chandler Jones) and aren't afraid to take a chance on an injury case (Easley).
Another player to keep an eye on is Oklahoma receiver Marquise Brown, who suffered a Lisfranc injury while preparing for the combine. Brown is tiny (5'10", 168 lbs) but has exceptional speed and quickness. Can you think of a team that makes the most out of receivers who fit that profile?
Or maybe the Patriots can trade down, nab two picks in the second round and draft both Simmons and Brown. It will be like getting three first-round picks in 2020!
Hey, it wouldn't be a first-round mock draft if it didn't end with speculation that the Patriots would pull some galaxy-brain maneuver on the rest of the NFL.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (insider content)
Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
I continue to believe Bill Belichick and the Patriots will use some of their draft capital on a quarterback. It could be here, or it could be with one of their two second-round picks. There could be several QBs going in the first three rounds. Jones is an athletic 6-4 signal-caller who can be an erratic thrower at times but is already advanced in his footwork. He'd benefit from sitting and learning behind Tom Brady. The Super Bowl champs have several prominent free agents who could leave, so we'll know much more in a month about which positions they could target.
The 2019 NFL Draft will be held from April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee.