Athlon just dropped their updated Four-Round Mock Draft in which the New England Patriots have five different draft picks which they can use to fill the rest of the holes on their roster. The Patriots have a first, a second, two-thirds, and one fourth-round pick in this year’s upcoming draft.
The Patriots have holes at positions like receiver and offensive line, and they need depth in positions like cornerback and running back. With most of their free agent spending looking like it’s done, and the trade market being scarce, it looks like they will have to fill these holes through the draft.
The mock draft started with the Patriots landing Abdul Carter, a defensive end from Penn State. The Patriots have already done a lot of beefing up to their defensive line but you cannot pass up on a prospect like Carter.
Carter is widely regarded as a top-two overall prospect in the whole draft and he might be the most pro-ready and the biggest game changer. Taking a top defensive lineman is also a safe pick that has worked out a good percentage of the time in previous years.
With the 38th pick, the Patriots select Josh Conerly Jr., an offensive tackle from Oregon. Conerly is another name that has been associated with the Patriots a lot in this year’s upcoming draft. The Patriots need a left tackle and left guard badly and Conerly could come in and fill what might be their biggest hole right now.
Conerly is an athletic tackle that has a great all-around game. He can pass block and run block, and he even had the best game of his career against Abdul Carter, the Patriots projected first-round pick.
Conerly improved a lot last season and always showed up against the best competition. Some mock drafts have him as a first-round talent so if he falls to the Patriots in the early second round, then this is a great pick. He fills a big need and he has the potential to be an All-Pro player one day.
With their first third-round pick, the Patriots were mocked to take Jack Bech, a wide receiver from TCU. The 6’2 215 pound senior receiver originally started his career at LSU but finished with TCU. Bech is a versatile receiver that can line up anywhere on the field.
Bech has some of the best hands in the draft and he is a big physical receiver who can go up and get any pass. His catch radius, awareness, and his ability to adjust are some of the best in his class. Bech led TCU with 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.
Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter
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He is not a very explosive receiver but even when he is covered he’s open. He would be a big target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and he would be another young talented receiver in the Patriots locker room. The Patriots need a number one, but they could gain some depth with this pick.
With their second third-round pick, pick No. 77, the Patriots are mocked to select Quincy Riley, a cornerback from Louisville. Riley is a sixth-year senior who played three seasons at Middle Tennessee State and then played his last three seasons at Louisville.
Riley is a versatile corner who has great recovery speed, great footwork, and he has excellent ball skills. He can lineup as an outside corner or in the nickel, and he plays hard in man and zone coverage. Riley is a little bit more of a project than a prospect but he has a lot of experience and potential.
Riley lacks awareness, some football IQ, tackling skills, and a little bit of strength. He needs to work on his reactions and vision if he wants to eventually be a starter for the Patriots. However, the Patriots need cornerback depth so Riley will have time to develop and he will be around a lot of guys that can help him.
The Patriots lost Jonathan Jones but signed Carlton Davis. They still have Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones who will round out their starters. Besides that, there is an open competition and Riley could end up being the Patriots’ third or fourth corner on the depth chart. He will not be relied on a lot as a rookie so he will have time to get better while also being able to get some reps and NFL experience.
Finally, in the fourth round, the Patriots were mocked Danny Stutsman, a linebacker out of Oklahoma. Stutsman is a 6’3 233 pound senior who started three years for the Sooners. The Patriots added a lot of linebacker depth in the offseason but picking up another athletic and talented linebacker like Stutsman just gives them more depth.
Stutsman is a fantastic tackler who has outstanding awareness, football IQ, and play recognition. He had three straight seasons with over 100 tackles and he can also drop back into coverage if needed.
He is another experienced player that could eventually be a starting linebacker in the NFL. For a fourth-round pick, he is an excellent steal and he will be in a very talented linebacker room where he will be able to soak up a lot of information.
He is a very well-rounded player who just needs to get a little bit stronger if he wants to be a starter in the NFL but that can be an easy fix. Especially as a backup for the first few seasons of his career, he could turn into an absolute stud.
This mock draft went extremely well for the Patriots and if the real draft goes like this then they may be in business. They got the receiver and offensive line help they needed so badly as long as getting depth on the defense that they needed as well. Not to mention maybe the best player in the draft.
The idea of the Patriots bringing in some of these players should have fans making sure they mark the dates of April 24th to the 26th.