Mock drafts have Patriots taking a variety of players in first round
BOSTON -- The NFL Draft is getting close. It's also pretty far away.
Free agency hasn't even begun, so it's not clear what teams' needs will be when the draft finally does roll around at the end of April.
Yet with the Scouting Combine in the rearview, mock draft season is revving up. And the mock drafters all seem to have very different ideas of what the Patriots will be doing in the first round.
The Patriots own the No. 14 pick in the draft. Whether they trade down, trade up, or use the pick they have, well, nobody knows. Bill Belichick is the least predictable man in the entire football world.
Yet for the sake of the exercise, here's a look at which players the mock drafters are sending to the Patriots in the middle of the first round.
ESPN's Todd McShay: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
"The Pats have drafted one receiver in Round 1 since they took Terry Glenn in 1996, and it didn't go well. N'Keal Harry, selected at No. 32 in 2019, fizzled out in New England after just 598 yards over three seasons. But the Patriots have to do something here. Jakobi Meyers -- who was the only WR in New England to crack 550 receiving yards last season -- is about to be a free agent, which means quarterback Mac Jones needs a reliable target in the pass game.
"At 6-3 and 208 pounds, Johnston can stretch the field and win with physicality at the catch point. He totaled 1,069 yards last season and looked explosive in Indy last week with a 40.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump. I'm curious if he'll run a 40 at his pro day on March 30 -- a good time there could help his stock. The Pats have to see Sauce Gardner, Tre'Davious White and Xavien Howard in coverage twice each per season, so getting help on the outside is a key this offseason."
Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
"Porter is the interesting thing for them because he is the guy who would have fit into this defense a couple of years ago when they were doing all the man coverage."
CBS Sports' Kyle Stackpole: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
"The Patriots could stand to bolster the offensive tackle spot with Isaiah Wynn set to become a free agent and veteran Trent Brown coming off a disappointing campaign. Broderick Jones may end up as the OT1 by draft day, pairing his natural talent with his experience blocking some of the best defensive linemen in college football in the SEC."
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
"This pick might surprise some, but Wright is a big tackle with heavy hands who gets guys blocked. He's smaller than Trent Brown, but offers a similar game."
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.*: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
"[Mac jones would] benefit greatly from Smith-Njigba, a true No. 1 wideout who knows how to get open. Smith-Njigba is coming off a season in which a nagging hamstring injury limited him to five catches total, but he led Ohio State in catches (95) and yards (1,606) in 2021. Assuming his medicals check out and his hamstring won't be an issue, he'll be my top-ranked wideout in this class. There's no consensus within the league on this receiver class at the top. If Bill Belichick & Co. go a different direction, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) could be the pick, particularly if free agent corner Jonathan Jones departs. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Pats targeted an offensive tackle."
*Kiper released his most recent mock draft before the combine.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Brugler had the Patriots trading up from 14 to 10 to take the tackle out of Northwestern.
"With multiple tackle-needy teams in front of the Patriots, they jump up a few spots here to get Skoronski. As an organization, New England has never been tied down by size limitations, so Skoronski's shorter arms shouldn't be a roadblock. He is the top offensive lineman in this class and could be Bill Belichick's new Matt Light. Regardless, his position versatility would give the Patriots options as they try to field their five best blockers."
