It’s time to unleash my one and only mock draft! You can check out my full Patriots-only big board here, where my Top 50 Pats prospects are listed.
Not all the needs I see for the Patriots are easily filled. I find that’s often how national mock draft go – list team need, fill with best guy left at the position. But that’s never how it works.
Nearly all of these prospects have certain common threads – outstanding character and dedication to football, they play the game with intensity and aggression, and often feature superlative size, strength and quickness.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. Here are my picks for the Pats…
1st Round (32nd Overall) – Eddie Goldman – DT – Florida State
I’ve often said if I were an NFL GM, I would never take anyone other than an offensive or defensive lineman in the first round, unless they were a can’t-miss slam dunk. There are almost never can’t-miss slam dunks at the end of the first round, and with no guard worth a first rounder, I’m sticking with the defensive tackle position and Eddie Goldman.
Last year, I was all over Dominique Easley and I’ve gone back to the position again as Goldman would be a perfect addition to the Pats’ rotation at DT. Despite the loss of Vince Wilfork, I wouldn’t call DT the biggest need in the draft, but I think Goldman would have the biggest impact.
Even with Wilfork playing at a high level last season, the Pats often struggled to win at the line of scrimmage with their defensive line. They were 32nd in Football Outsiders’ Power DVOA rankings and 28th in their Stuffed Ranking.
So while there are some promising young players like Easley, Sealver Siliga, Chris Jones and even Antonio Johnson on the roster, along with veteran Alan Branch, I’m still not convinced they have the talent just yet to be a dominant front.
Goldman would give them more potential in that area. While there are other players in this DT class to consider, like Malcom Brown and Jordan Phillips, I think Goldman’s size and playing style best fit the Patriots.
His lack of pass rush doesn’t concern me given what he’ll be asked to do in New England – eat space and dominate blockers in the middle of the line. At 6′4″, 336 pounds he can be moved into a variety of spots on the DL just like Wilfork was. He’s not going to step in and replace Wilfork instantly, but he’ll provide insurance for Siliga, who dealt with multiple injuries last season, and raise the ceiling of just how good this front can be.
2nd Round (64th Overall) – Tre Jackson – G – Florida State
The second round seems like the sweet spot for the Patriots to find a guard who can immediately step in and start for them. Tre Jackson is the choice here as even though I like AJ Cann a little better, I think he goes early-to-mid second round. Laken Tomlinson could also garner consideration around here.
The Patriots need guards, that’s obvious and Jackson has the necessary temperament to step in next to his former Seminole teammate Bryan Stork right away at right guard.
Last year Stork mentioned how the Seminoles offensive line studied the Patriots offensive line extensively. That’s part of the reason Stork was an instant starter at center and there’s no reason to think Jackson wouldn’t excel in the same transition.
Some of the knock on Jackson is that his technique needs to be cleaned up and there’s no better place for that to happen than in Foxboro.
Perhaps the biggest question is how versatile Jackson is. If he can also play on the left side he becomes even more of a slam dunk. But even as a right-guard only, he’ll bring immediate value.
3rd Round (96th Overall) – Justin Coleman – CB – Tennesee
Some might have the Pats taking a cornerback before this, and while it’s certainly a possibility, I’m fine waiting on a player like Coleman in the third.
The biggest question surrounding the Pats taking a corner is do they go back toward more zone corners – guys who can pattern read, put their foot in the dirt and attack the ball/ballcarrier downhill – or do they want to find someone who can excel more in man coverage despite losing Revis and Browner?
Coleman has good size and superior quickness and strength – he was a top performer at the combine in bench press, three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle.
His comfort in zone and ability to play special teams, along with an aggressive/physical play demeanor all make him a very good fit in a secondary that needs depth.
There are questions if he can play outside in the NFL, and I’m not sure how much his value would drop if he was deemed a slot-only guy. But overall, he checks almost every box the Patriots have traditionally liked in their secondary and he could compete to contribute immediately at least as a dime back.
3rd Round (97th Overall, Compensatory) – Daryl Williams – T/G – Oklahoma
I think the Pats have to double dip at guard and Daryl William is an excellent fit. He played mostly right tackle at Oklahoma but also had a stint at left tackle. His lack of athleticism prompts many to believe he’s headed to guard in the NFL.
Described as a powerful player with excellent football character and work ethic, Williams would give the Pats another potential starter on the inside of their offensive line along with Jackson.
Balancing one of them at left guard and one at right guard will be the key to whichever guards the Pats select in the draft. I’d bet we definitely see one rookie starting inside this season, and I don’t think it’s entirely out of the question to see two, though that might not happen until well into the season.
4th Round (101st Overall, Via TB – Logan Mankins) – Lorenzo Mauldin – LB – Louisville
My flip-flopping between offense and defense continues as the Pats reinforce their linebacking corps with Lorenzo Mauldin in the fourth round.
Mauldin has one of those stories that make you root for him – he grew up in 16 different foster homes and lost a scholarship to South Carolina, being told they no longer had room. The Pats always seem to bring guys like Mauldin, who have overcome a lot, into their program.
Mauldin played mostly a stand-up linebacker role at Louisville and while I’m projecting him to a similar spot on the Pats, he’ll have less edge responsibility in their system.
He’s a closer fit to Dont’a Hightower than Jamie Collins, despite being closer in frame to Collins. It’s his physicality that puts him more likely on the strongside, which could allow Hightower some more flexibility on the inside.
His pass rush skills would be a good asset off the edge, especially next to Ninkovich. While his biggest adjustment will be playing in space more than the straightforward approach he had at Louisiville.
In time he would develop into a great compliment to the Mayo/Hightower/Collins linebacker grouping.
4th Round (131st Overall) – Obum Gwachum – DE – Oregon St.
The Pats also seem to have a soft spot for physical freak projections and that’s just what Gwachum is. Just a year removed from switching positions from receiver to defensive end, Gwachum will need time to develop in the Pats system.
At 6′5″, 246 pounds, there’s some uncertainty where he might end up. Can he add 20 pounds? Because then he could be a defensive end. He has the necessary fight to hold the edge, but having the strength to do so is something else entirely.
If he can’t put on that much weight he could project to a weakside linebacker spot, or at worst a designated pass rusher off the edge. He could immediately play special teams and that is critical to his value and sticking on the 53-man roster in his first season.
All these positions will require significant development, but Gwachum is an explosive player and has the right mental makeup to make the leap. Belichick would have some fun with him.
6th Round (177th Overall, Via TB – Jonathan Casillas) – Bobby McCain – CB – Memphis
McCain embodies a lot of what I see in this year’s cornerback class – some good Patriots fits, but they’re undersized. Still, there’s always a need for defensive backs and McCain is the kind of quick-twitch ballhawk that fits well in the Patriots’ system.
He was a top performer at the combine in the long jump, three cone drill and both shuttles. He played both inside and outside at Memphis and returned kicks, so he could contribute in a number of different ways.
We can’t get too caught up in how it will all come together, that’s for competition and (unfortunately) injuries to decide.
7th Round (219th Overall, Via TEN – Akeem Ayers) – AJ Derby – TE – Arkansas
Derby is just one of those guys that screams Patriots to me. He played both quarterback and linebacker prior to moving to tight end, but he instantly became a weapon who could line up all over the field.
His experience in a similar offense at Arkansas would help his transition to the pros as well.
He’ll need time to develop like everyone taken on Day Three, but he’s just the kind of physical and versatile playmaker the Pats love to plug in and see where he fits.
7th Round (253rd Overall, Compensatory) – John Crockett – RB – North Dakota St.
If there was an area of debate based on this mock draft, it would almost certainly be not taking a running back until this last slot. I could easily see them taking one in the third or fourth round, but I’ve put it off here simply because I see more impact players elsewhere earlier.
Crockett has good size and comes from a pro style offense, and he was a top performer at the combine in both vertical and broad jump. That signals explosiveness.
He can do a little of everything and while he’ll need time to develop, he has the kind of style that could really fit what the Patriots ask of their running backs. The fact that his nickname is Taz only adds to how much I like him.
