Draft fans, the wait is almost over. After grueling months of waiting, predicting, and anticipating, the 2018 NFL Draft is finally here. Finalize your mock drafts, turn on NFL Network, and get ready for one wild weekend. A quick look around the NFL landscape foreshadows a jam-packed draft in the works. The Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots all hold multiple first round selections, and teams such as the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts have already declared themselves open for business.
For Patriots fans, the draft only brings about more news on the rumor mill. After the Patriots lost key contributors to their Super Bowl team in Nate Solder, Dion Lewis, and Danny Amendola, fans have endured months of speculation on the futures of both Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
For the first time in the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots are primed to make four selections in the first two rounds of the draft (barring another trade). Notably acquiring the 23rd overall selection from the Los Angeles Rams in the Brandin Cooks blockbuster, the Patriots’ options when they are on the clock increase ten fold.
In our previous mock draft, we outlined the pre-trade, three round edition of the Patriots’ mock draft. However, in the spirit of draft season, we will now detail potential Patriots’ options for every selection in the upcoming draft.
Final New England Patriots Mock Draft
Primary Needs: LB, CB, OT
Secondary Needs: TE, QB, RB
Draft Picks (Round/Pick/Overall)
- 1/23/23
- 1/31/31
- 2/11/43
- 2/31/63
- 3/31/95
- 6/24/198
- 6/36/210
- 7/1/21
That is a lot of early-round draft capital for Bill Belichick and the crew to work with. Belichick is no stranger to trades, either upwards or downwards. The likelihood he chooses to sit out from picks 95 to 198 is highly unlikely, and likely will result in the Patriots moving a second round selection to acquire more mid-round picks. However, since Belichick is impossible to predict, we will not be anticipating trades. With that being said, let’s jump into the full Patriots’ mock draft.
Round 1: Pick 23 (23rd Overall)
Previous Pick: N/A
The Pick: Rashaan Evans (LB, Alabama)
Other Fits: Leighton Vander Esch (LB, Boise St.), Derrius Guice (RB, LSU)
The Patriots have a unique opportunity to pair two former Alabama linebackers together on the same defense. Joining Dont’a Hightower in the linebacking core, Rashaan Evans can offer a perfect complement to fill out one of the Patriots’ biggest needs. Evans possesses good length and speed to thrive in the Patriots’ attacking defense, and can offer new defensive coordinator Brian Flores a unique piece with All-Pro upside.
Round 1: Pick 31 (31st Overall)
Previous Pick: Kolton Miller (OT, UCLA)
The Pick: Mason Rudolph (QB, Oklahoma St.)
Other Fits: Isaiah Oliver (CB, Colorado), Sam Hubbard (DE, Ohio St.)
The Patriots acquiring a second first round pick enables the team to fill more of their needs early, and have some fun in the process. Tom Brady is not getting any younger, and the team has been linked to nearly every top quarterback prospect in this year’s class. It is not likely the Patriots trade up to select the likes of Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield, and Lamar Jackson has risen out of the Patriots’ range.
Mason Rudolph offers the perfect balance in this situation. Possessing the best deep-accuracy in this class, Rudolph emulates the Patriots’ pocket-passing, play action calling quarterback they have in Tom Brady. While he is not ready to start in the NFL just yet, the Patriots offer Rudolph a chance to learn behind the greatest QB to ever play, and step in a few years from now. By selecting him at the end of the first round, the Patriots also get a fifth year of team control over Rudolph, something they wish they had with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Round 2: Pick 11 (43rd Overall)
Previous Pick: Lorenzo Carter (LB, Georgia)
The Pick: Justin Reid (S, Stanford)
Other Fits: Lorenzo Carter (LB, Georgia), Isaiah Oliver (CB, Colorado)
If you could pick one player in this draft class that fits the Patriot way, it’s Stanford product Justin Reid. We previously outlined Reid’s potential fit with the Patriots, and his range lines up perfectly with this selection.
Reid is classified as a safety, yet plays all over the defense. During his Stanford tenure, Reid played seven different positions and thrived at each. Furthermore, Reid offers a seamless improvement over another Stanford-alum-turned-Patriot, Jordan Richards. Reid’s high football IQ and versatility could change the Patriots’ defense for years to come, and exemplifies a Patriots’ defensive prospect.
Round 2: Pick 31 (63rd Overall)
Previous Pick: Justin Reid (S, Stanford)
The Pick: Brian O’Neil (OT, Pitt)
Other Fits: Hayden Hurst (TE, South Carolina), Donte Jackson (CB, LSU)
With reports of 2017 third-round selection Antonio Garcia’s return to health coupled with the resigning of LaAdrian Waddle, the Patriots’ need for a Nate Solder replacement does not appear as imminent as before. However, the Patriots could still use a high-upside tackle to compete with Waddle and Garcia.
Enter Brian O’Neil. O’Neil fits all of the typical Patriots’ physical requirements in regards to both length and athleticism. Coming from a zone-blocking scheme, he needs to add core strength and discipline, but coming at the end of the second round is value the Patriots cannot afford to pass up.
Round 3: Pick 31 (95th Overall)
Previous Pick: Kyle Lauletta (QB, Richmond)
The Pick: Nyheim Hines (RB, N.C. State)
Other Fits: DaeSean Hamilton (WR, Penn State), Nick Nelson (CB, Wisconsin)
N.C. State’s Nyheim Hines has the potential to be the biggest steal of this draft. Possessing blazing speed and a dual-threat potential, Hines resembles the mid-round steals that were Tarik Cohen and Alvin Kamara a year ago. With the loss of do-it-all back Dion Lewis still fresh, the Patriots can act fast in this draft to find Lewis’ replacement (and potential upgrade) option. Hines has the potential to step right into the void left by Lewis, and contribute right away to the Patriots’ backfield. All teams that pass on Hines, beware.
Round 6: Pick 24 (198th Overall)
Previous Pick: N/A
The Pick: Braxton Berrios (WR, Miami)
Other Fits: Equanimeous St. Brown (WR, Notre Dame), Kylie Fitts (DL, Utah)
We said earlier that Justin Reid is the definition of a perfect Patriots’ defensive prospect. Similarly, Miami’s Braxton Berrios is the mold of a Patriots’ receiver. Listed at 5’9”, 186 lbs, Berrios has the ability to dominate from the slot and contribute as a special teams star at the next level. A late round flier on the Miami product could prove a valuable replacement for recently departed Danny Amendola.
Round 6: Pick 36 (210th Overall)
Previous Pick: N/A
The Pick: Troy Fumagalli (TE, Wisconsin)
Other Fits: Dylan Cantrell (WR, Texas Tech), Joshua Kalu (S, Nebraska)
These later rounds get a little dicey and hard to predict, and in most cases teams take late-round fliers on positions of need and hope they stick. Wisconsin’s Troy Fumagalli may not last until this pick, but if he does the Patriots should not hesitate to pull the trigger. His production at Wisconsin speaks for itself, and offers upside in regards to blocking and two tight end sets. At the very least, it gives the Patriots roster competition for the tight ends behind Rob Gronkowski.
Round 7: Pick 1 (219th Overall)
Previous Pick: N/A
The Pick: Joshua Kalu (S, Nebraska)
Other Fits: Chase Edmonds (RB, Fordham), Ray-Ray McCloud (WR, Clemson)
You can never have enough defensive backs. While Justin Reid was already added in this mock draft, he is a defensive weapon not limited to the safety position. Kalu has explosive capability and can offer a nice depth and competition option for an aging Patriots’ secondary.
Overview:
Overall, the Patriots address almost every area of concern in this mock, ending up with the following players:
- Rashaan Evans (LB)
- Mason Rudolph (QB)
- Justin Reid (S)
- Brian O’Neil (OT)
- Nyheim Hines (RB)
- Braxton Berrios (WR)
- Troy Fumagalli (TE)
- Joshua Kalu (S)
It is likely Bill Belichick does not follow this exact format come draft day, and may end up making a trade to blow up the NFL landscape. In any case, the Patriots are in a prime position to add a youthful infusion of talent to a Super Bowl winning roster, an opportunity that does not present itself often.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
