Mock Draft Roundup 2.0: Will Patriots Take Offensive Tackle With 31st Pick?
BOSTON (CBS) -- The NFL Draft is still over a month away, giving pundits plenty of time to retool their mock drafts before picks start flying off the board.
We brought you all of their predicted selections for the Patriots at No. 31 three weeks ago, with the picks ranging from corners to linebackers to a running back and an offensive lineman. But a lot has changed since then, with several key players leaving town for big paydays. Boy, has a lot changed since then.
One of those leaving New England was Nate Solder, whom the Giants made the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. With that departure, New England lost their starting left tackle and the protector of Tom Brady's blindside. You may not know this, but Brady will be 41 next season, and he should have someone protecting that important side of his. So it should really come as no surprise that it's nearly a clean sweep of offensive tackles in this edition of the NFL Mock Draft Roundup:
Connor Williams, OT, Texas
With Nate Solder signing with the Giants, the Patriotswaste little time finding his replacement. This means addressing pass rusher and the secondary will have to wait.
Harold Landry, OLB, Boston College
Landry has supreme bend and dip around the edge but is lacking a complete arsenal of pass-rushing moves. He would work wonders in sub-packages to begin his career in New England.
Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
With Nate Solder signing with the Giants, the Patriots need help on their offensive line, and McGlinchey could step in from day one to play on either side. This pick could be a steal for a team that doesn't yet appear to have a solid plan in place for protecting Tom Brady.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Most of New England's free agency departures might have been expected, but LT Nate Solder signing with the Giants leaves a worrisome hole. McGlinchey could step in as the replacement.
Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
A tall, athletic offensive tackle in Nate Solder just exited the Patriots for the Giants, so New England could see his carbon copy in Miller.
Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
Nate Solder signed with the Giants. It wasn't a surprise that the Patriots opted not to keep him. Solder is obviously very talented, but he's had severe injury problems over the past several seasons, so he was too risky to give a big contract to, despite what the Giants just did. Regardless, the Patriots need a new blind-side protector.
Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
Replacing Nate Solder with another large, tall tackle seems a likely path for the Patriots.
Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The loss of Nate Solder leaves a huge hole on the Patriots' front line. Williams could get a turn at left tackle or start on the right side (with Marcus Cannon moving over to the blind side).
So there you have it. In this go-around, the expectation is the Patriots will take a tackle to replace the departed Solder. Whether that player can come in and protect Brady right off the bat is unknown, but it's definitley a position the Patriots will have to address at some point.
And for those keeping score at home, the Patriots are now up to seven picks in the draft following last week's trade for cornerback Jason McCourty:
Round 1 - 31st overall
Round 2 - 43rd overall (From San Francisco/Garoppolo Trade)
Round 2 - 63rd overall
Round 3 - 95th overall
Round 4 - 136th overall (Compensatory Pick)
Round 6 - 210th overall (Compensatory Pick)
Round 7- 219th overall (From Cleveland/McCourty Trade)
The NFL Draft will take place from April 26-28 in Arlington, Texas.