The 2023 NFL Draft is off and running. With their first selection on Thursday night, the Patriots took cornerback Christian Gonzalez out of Oregon.
That pick was just the beginning though. The Patriots are scheduled to make 11 additional picks between Days 2 and 3.
Unmade picks? That can only mean one thing. It’s time for an in-progress, mid-draft mock draft. We already know the first pick is Gonzalez, so we start in the second round, where the Patriots made their second trade of the draft…
TRADE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots watches his players warm up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Patriots get:
-33rd overall pick (2nd round)
Cardinals get:
-46th overall pick (2nd round)
-117th overall pick (4th round)
-135th pick (4th round)The Patriots have traded up in the second round in each of the last five years. Plus, in his post-first-round press conference, director of player personnel Matt Groh noted “those fourth-round picks [the Patriots now have four after their trade with the Steelers] does give us a little bit of currency.” The tea leaves are all there – expect a trade up from the Patriots to start Day 2.
Round 2, Pick 33 (from AZ): TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
COLUMBIA, MO – OCTOBER 01: Darnell Washington #0 of the Georgia Bulldogs leaps while running the ball against Ty’Ron Hopper #8 and Kris Abrams-Draine #14 of the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
Based on the Patriots’ top pick, it’s fair to assume the Patriots are looking for physically gifted and physically dominant players this year. No player fits that description better than Washington, who ran a 4.63 40 at 6-foot-7, 264 pounds. Washington, who also like Gonzalez had a very successful Combine, would add an element that doesn’t currently exist in the Patriots’ offense.
TRADE
Jan 1, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the field for warm ups before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Patriots get:
-65th overall pick (3rd round)
-161st overall pick (5th round)Texans get:
-76th overall pick (3rd round)
-120th overall pick (4th round)As ESPN’s Mike Reiss pointed out last week, it’s unlikely the Patriots would make all 11 of their assigned draft selections this year, given the fact they entered the draft with just 15 open roster spots. With their move on Thursday night they added an additional pick, bringing their total selections to 12. Looking to trim those extra picks the Patriots remain aggressive, and move up again in the third.
Round 3, Pick 65 (from HOU): WR Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Nov 12, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (1) catches a pass with Alabama defensive back DeMarcco Hellams (2) covering at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots add another very physically-gifted offensive weapon in the third round. Mingo fits the profile of the kind of player they’ve targeted at the position in the past – a big-body YAC receiver who is at his best when he gets going in a straight line. Mingo stands 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and ran a 4.46 40 with a 39.5-inch vertical. The Patriots met with him during the pre-draft process.
Round 4, Pick 107: OT Warren McClendon, Georgia
Sep 10, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Warren McClendon (70) blocks against the Samford Bulldogs during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Last week, Groh seemed to suggest the Patriots were happy with their current tackle situation, relative to the draft. That suggestion seemed reinforced by the fact the team traded down with Georgia’s Broderick Jones – the lone remaining top-tier tackle prospect- still on the board.
While the Patriots may be comfortable enough with their tackle position to not address it in the top 100, it would be surprising to see them go the entire draft without adding a tackle. McClendon is an experienced blocker with good size (6-foot-4, 306 pounds) who projects as a swing tackle with potential four-position versatility. The Patriots met with him just before the draft.
Round 5, Pick 161 (from HOU): P Michael Turk, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Michael Turk (37) punts during a Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Oklahoma won 28-13. (Bryan Terry/the Oklahoman/USA TODAY Network)
If you’ve followed our mock drafts at all this year, you know the process by now. The fifth round is historically the Patriots’ special teams round. Given their experience with Turk at the Shrine Bowl, he seems like the most likely candidate to be their punter pick.
Round 6, Pick 184: S Trey Dean, Florida
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (11) misses a long pass while defended by Florida safety Trey Dean III (0) during an NCAA football game against Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services)
Dean had a great Shrine Bowl working with the Patriots, and the coaching staff seemed impressed in what they saw from him. He was a fast riser up draft boards before the had a rough Combine, which he reportedly took part in while hurt. That killed his momentum, and once again he’s projected to go late on Day 3. Did the Patriots see enough from him in Las Vegas to take a late flyer on him anyway? That seems possible.
TRADE
Dec 18, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacts in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Patriots get:
-2024 6th round pick
-2024 6th round pick (via Cleveland)Falcons get:
-187th overall pick (6th round)
With four near-consecutive picks in the sixth round – and again trying to cut down their overall pick number – the Patriots turn this selection into future assets.
Round 6, Pick 192: RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 19: Mohamed Ibrahim #24 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers runs with the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
If there’s one thing the Patriots seem to target in early-down backs in the draft, it’s college production. And boy, did Ibrahim produce for the Golden Gophers. The 5-foot-8, 203-pound back was a workhorse with three separate 1,000-yard seasons. Last year he rushed for a career-high 1,665 yards and an NCAA-leading 20 touchdowns.
This is also another Shrine Bowl pick. The Patriots worked with Ibrahim in Vegas, where he said he wanted to prove to teams he can play on passing downs and not just as a downhill runner.
Round 6, Pick 210: DE Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI – NOVEMBER 12: Dillon Bell #86 of the Georgia Bulldogs is tackled by Tyrus Wheat #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half of the game of the game at Davis Wade Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
That’s right, another player the Patriots worked with at the Shrine Bowl. The Patriots’ coaching staff seemed impressed with Wheat, who is a developing utility edge player. He projects as a player who will be able to hold the edge in both the run and pass games, and play both with his hand in the ground and standing up. He’s still very raw technically but is a good prospect who will also be able to contribute on special teams right away.
Round 7, Pick 245: OT Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Oregon
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 06: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu #71 of the Oregon Ducks in action against the Washington Huskies during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium on November 06, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
With their final pick the Patriots go back to the program they started the draft with, Oregon. This time, they grab a player directly coached by Adrian Klemm in Aumavae-Laulu. At 6-foot-5, 317 pounds Aumavae-Laulu is an imposing figure on the line of scrimmage, but needs to get much better technically to maximize his frame. He was experience playing both tackle and guard, and could be a four-position depth player in the NFL with the right development.
