With the Patriots offseason in full swing, a new offensive coordinator in place, and an eye looking toward improving the roster, we have entered mock draft season. Here is a round up of what some draft experts are predicting that Patriots will do with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) - Michael Mayer, TE - Notre Dame
From Brooks:
The Patriots could elect to go back to the future by drafting a tight end who allows them to utilize more jumbo packages.
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) - Brian Branch, DB - Alabama
From Jeremiah:
Branch is one of my favorite players in this draft class. He’s an outstanding nickel defender with the versatility to move around the secondary.
Phil Perry (NBC Sports Boston) - Peter Skoronski, OT - Northwestern
From Perry:
The Patriots have a few clear needs headed into this offseason. None are clearer than the spot they tried to man with spare parts all season: seemingly tackle. While Trent Brown was a staple on the left side — if inconsistent with his performance — the right side was a revolving door: Isaiah Wynn, Marcus Cannon, Yodny Cajuste, Conor McDermott. They need someone there.
In this scenario … it might be Brown, who has played plenty of right tackle in the past. The reason? Skoronski looks like he has the chops to pass-protect effectively from Day 1 on the left side.
Chad Graff (The Athletic) - Broderick Jones, OT - Georgia
From The Athletic:
The Patriots might need to get a bit lucky to draft one of the top three offensive tackles. Our draft expert, Dane Brugler, said all three should be off the board within the first 15 picks. The question for New England will be whether one of them makes it to No. 14.
Here’s a quick synopsis: Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski might be the best of the three tackles, but he has short arms that could lead to teams questioning whether he’ll play tackle or guard at the next level. Then there’s Ohio State’s Paris Johnson and Georgia’s Broderick Jones. Brugler thinks Johnson is a bit more NFL-ready, but Jones has a high ceiling and could catch up quickly.
There’s a good chance that if the Patriots end up with any of those three, Jones would be the team’s day-one starter opposite Trent Brown on the offensive line.
