While it’s not April yet, we’re less than a month away from the NFL Draft, and things have started happening. We’ve seen the New England Patriots show interest in a bunch of different players, and some extra interest, perhaps, in the first player of this mock. Let’s get into it.
A reminder that I’ve included the current ranking of the players in the Mock Draft Database for context and that you can find my previous mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0
Round 1
1-31: OT Max Iheanachor (Arizona State | No. 37): The Patriot
might end up having to trade up for Iheanachor when all is said and done, but he should be a perfect fit for what the Patriots want at No. 31. There are six or seven top-tier tackles in the draft this year, and he is part of that list. All of those guys are ranked in the top 40, so, if the Patriots want one, they need to take him at No. 31.
Iheanachor himself did not initially play football, but has advanced pretty quickly. At 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, he has the prerequisite size to be a solid starter in the NFL and also offers impressive movement skills to further his potential. New England needs more depth at the tackle spot, and a plan for the future at right tackle, and Iheanachor provides both of those things.
Round 2
2-63: DB Treydan Stukes (Arizona | No. 67): More depth in the secondary remains a need for the Patriots, and Stukes has the positional flexibility to help address the issue. A cornerback/safety hybrid, he is an older prospect — he will turn 26 in September — but he is a ball magnet who seems to always make plays. He was also a team captain and a clear leader for Arizona this year. The Patriots are going to love the mentality and character, and they could use another playmaker in the secondary just like him.
Round 3
3-95: ED Keyron Crawford (Auburn | No. 100): With a need on the edge, the Patriots go for another late-to-football prospect here. Crawford didn’t start playing the sport until his senior year of high school, and is a former basketball player. He played the “buck” position at Auburn from both a two- and a three-point stance, which asks a lot out of the players who play it. There was a plenty of growth from Crawford in the last year, and he has shown an ability to both rush the passer and drop into coverage.
I like the idea of taking a guy who has put out enough tape to prove that he is a good player, but also has a ton of room to grow. Plus, he has a basketball player’s length, so no one is going to be discussing whether or not he has long enough arms.
Round 4
TRADE: Patriots trade 4-125 and 6-191 to Buccaneers for 4-116: The Patriots have four sixth-round picks and so it makes sense for them to use one of them to trade up and grab a player that they like at a position of need.
4-116: WR Ja’Kobi Lane (USC No. 111): Lane seems to fit the mold of a receiver that the Patriots, and Drake Maye, like. He is a bigger guy at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, and he uses his size to his advantage. He is a demon on contested catches, and was very good in the red zone as well. He may not have high-end long speed after running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, but he is a solid route runner and has the length to eliminate some of the slightly inaccurate throws from Maye. Lane makes a ton of sense in the fourth round, plus, on a selfish note, I’d love to buy the jersey.
4-131: TE Joe Royer (Cincinnati | No. 147): The Patriots are in need of more depth at tight end, and I really like what Royer brings to the table as a pass catcher. He is solid after the catch, and is a good contested catch player as well. He might need to hit the weight room and add some strength in order to be a better blocker in the NFL, but I do like his willingness to take on defenders. The Patriots are in need of more weapons for Drake Maye and a long-term perspective at tight end, and Royer fits that bill nicely in the fourth round.
Round 5
5-171: RB Adam Randall (Clemson | No. 195): Did I mention that the Patriots need more playmakers around Drake Maye? How about a running back who converted from wide receiver?
Randall brings great size (6’3, 232 lbs) and decent speed (4.5s 40) to the position, and is, unsurprisingly, a solid option outside of the backfield as well. Similar to Tyrone Tracy a few years ago, his feel for the position is only going to get better, and he provides the athletic traits that will make any team excited about his potential. With two backs already ahead of him in Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, he’ll have plenty of time to learn the position better, and should be able to help contribute right away.
Round 6
6-198: G Micah Morris (Georgia | No. 212): More offensive line depth is a must for the Patriots, and Morris looks to be exactly what they need. At 6-foot-5, 331 pounds, he is a huge and physical, player who is best at overpowering his opponents. He does show good athleticism and movement skills for his size, but his premier attribute is his strength.
Him at one guard spot with Mike Onwenu at the other would mean a whole lot of beef on the interior of the offensive line. The Patriots brought in Alijah Vera-Tucker to be their starting left guard, of course, but he has had a very hard time staying healthy, so having solid depth behind him is very important. Morris provides that, and also gives them upside for the future.
6-202: LB Red Murdock (Buffalo | No. 235): Morris is a throwback linebacker in the fact that he does not have elite athleticism, but he is a thumper. He is only 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, but he plays bigger than that, and is a big-play threat from the off-ball linebacker spot: in the last three years, he forced 17 fumbles, which is just ridiculous. He does a really nice job of shedding blocks and making tackles in the hole. He’s going to need to develop some more coverage skills, but was a captain last season, and the Patriots are going to love his play style, mentality, and leadership.
6-212: ED George Gumbs Jr. (Florida | No. 217): Gumbs is another position mover, converting from wide receiver to tight end, and then finally to edge. He has great athleticism (9.17 Relative Athletic Score) and has the size for the position as well, but he just doesn’t have the experience. You can see the traits there at times, and the move from Northern Illinois to Florida definitely helped him. He has some work to do, but the effort and work ethic is there for him both on and off the field, so I don’t mind taking a flier on a guy with this kind of upside in the sixth round.
Round 7
7-247: DT Jordan Van Den Berg (Georgia Tech | No. 300): Van Den Berg is a bit of a late riser in the draft process. He put on an absolute show at his pro day, with a sub-5-second 40, a 4.19-second short shuttle, 35 reps on the bench, and a 35-inch vertical jump, while measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds. He, as you can imagine, is an attacking defensive tackle, who should fit perfectly into what the Patriots want to do on defense.
They need to keep building depth on the line, and he should provide that right away. He is not particularly explosive against the pass, but I really like his ability to get off the ball and knife through to make plays. He’s a bit of a project, but I’ll take elite athleticism in the seventh round and see if the Patriots can make a player out of him.
So, there you have it. Another mock draft in the books. What picks do you like? What would you change? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
