With the Super Bowl in the books, the NFL offseason is officially underway. With that, it’s time for our annual ‘first day of the offseason’ Patriots’ seven-round mock draft.
While the offseason ‘officially’ starts today, the Patriots have been busy for the last month since their season ended. Not only does that include reworking their offensive coaching staff, but also significant early draft prep. The majority of the coaching staff took part in the Shrine Bowl, giving them an up-close look at over 100 draft prospects. Defensive line coach DaMarcus Covington was on the coaching staff at the Senior Bowl, where many of the team’s top scouts were also in attendance, adding to the talent pool of players the Patriots have already worked with.
Round 1, Pick 14:
LT Broderick Jones, Georgia
Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Broderick Jones (59) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a great year to need a tackle, and boy do the Patriots need a tackle. Not only is Isaiah Wynn expected to leave in free agency, but Trent Brown is coming off a down year, has one year left on his contract, and the Patriots would save significant money if they move on from him this spring.
The free agency class is deep at right tackle, while the draft class is deeper at left tackle. So we’ll assume the Patriots play the numbers and sign one of the top right tackles in free agency (ex. Mike McGlinchey, Kaleb McGary) to set themselves up with more options in the draft.
At the top of this class is a trio of left tackles – Jones, Paris Johnson of Ohio State, and Peter Skoronski of Northwestern. The Patriots likely won’t have their pick of the three, but at least one of the three is very likely to fall to 14. In this case, it’s Jones.
In Jones, the Patriots get a high-upside left tackle with excellent athleticism for the position, a tremendous football IQ, and an incredible motor. While he’s not exactly ‘big’ for the position at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, he’s definitely not undersized either. Plus, he likely can add mass to his frame once he gets to the NFL level.
Round 2, Pick 46:
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:
-60th overall pick (2nd round)
-165th overall pick (5th round)
-2023 3rd-round pickBengals get:
-46th overall pick (2nd round)
-190th overall pick (6th round)Of course there’s going to be a trade down in the top 100. This is where I usually remind people that these mock drafts are not simply a display of what you or I would do, but aiming to project what the Patriots would do using what we’ve learned in the pre-draft process combined with historical trends and tendencies.
In this trade, the Patriots give up 133 points worth of picks according to the Bill Belichick trade chart, while getting 137 points worth back in return. They stay in the second round, while adding a top-100 pick for next year.
Round 2, Pick 60 (from CIN):
CB Julius Brents, Kansas State
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 03: Cornerback Julius Brents #23 of the Kansas State Wildcats intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver Quentin Johnston #1 of the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half at AT&T Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
In order to compete in the AFC, the Patriots have to get bigger at cornerback. Luckily for them, this is a great draft for bigger cornerbacks which is part of the reason they could afford to trade down in the second round. Even here, they should have a very good shot a Brents, a 6-foot-3, 202 pound press-man cornerback from Kansas State.
Brents profiles almost ideally as a Patriots boundary cornerback. He’s big, long, strong at the line of scrimage, physical in coverage, and a willing tackler in the run game. He also has multiple years of starting experience, as the No. 1 cornerback for the Wildcats each of the last two years.
Last season, Brents was targeted 52 times in 449 coverage snaps. He allowed just 46.2 percent of those passes to be completed, while recording four interceptions and four more pass breakups. Quarterbacks targeting him had a passer rating of 57.7.
Round 3, Pick 76 (from CAR):
WR Nathaniel ‘Tank’ Dell, Houston
Nov 26, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars wide receiver Nathaniel Dell (1) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at TDECU Stadium. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots seem to like this current Houston program, adding two Cougars last year in cornerback Marcus Jones and center Kody Russey. Now, they’ll take another in the same round they took Jones last year, selecting Dell.
With Jakobi Meyers likely leaving in free agency, the Patriots should be in the market for a new slot receiver. In Bill O’Brien’s offense, it will be key to get a quick-twitch player who can make tacklers miss and create after the catch. That’s Dell, who also projects to run one of the fastest 40s at this year’s NFL Combine. In fact, his ball-carrying style is similar to that of his former college teammate in Jones.
There are some concerns about Dell’s size (measured in at 5-foot-8, 163 pounds at the Senior Bowl) which is why he’s still available at this point. But based on their draft last year, the Patriots don’t seem to be concerned sacrificing size for athletic ability. Given that, they get an incredibly skilled route runner and ball carrier outside of the top 50 with this pick.
The Patriots originally acquired this pick in a draft night deal with the Panthers last year. They allowed Carolina to move up from 137 to 94 (to draft Ole Miss QB Matt Corral), getting that 137th pick (used on Bailey Zappe) and this pick in return. Their own third-round pick was traded to the Miami Dolphins in the DeVante Parker deal.
Round 4, Pick 107 (from LAR):
S Trey Dean, Florida
Florida Gators safety Trey Dean III (0) looks at the offense during the second half against the South Florida Bulls at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 17, 2022. (Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun)
This would be a classic Patriots pick. Dean is an extremally versatile, highly productive safety who is projected to go mid-Day 3. Here, they take him a bit early to make sure they get their guy.
It does certainly seem like Dean could be ‘their guy’ too. They worked extensively with him at the Shrine Bowl, where he was the safety of the week in practice for the Patriots’ coached West team, then won Defensive MVP in the game.
Dean played all over the field for the Gators. In 2022 alone he saw over 100 snaps at free safety, box safety, and slot cornerback separately. With the experience to play deep, he’d give the Patriots a potential replacement for Devin McCourty.
At the same time, he’d provide some insurance should Kyle Dugger, who is entering a contract year, not return in 2024. Even if Dugger does return, his and Dean’s skillsets would work well together and allow the Patriots to be very creative on the back end. In certain matchups, Dean could also help add size at the cornerback position as well. His ability to cover tight ends would also be a much-needed boost for the Patriots’ defense.
This is one of the two picks the Patriots got in the Sony Michel trade with the Rams. The other was a sixth-round pick they used on guard Chasen Hines last year.
Round 4, Pick 116:
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:
-156th overall pick (5th round)
-2023 4rd-round pick
-2026 6th-round pickSeahawks get:
-116th overall pick (4th round)
-258th overall pick (7th round)With three first-round picks, the Patriots elect to move one to space themselves out in the draft and build future draft capital. With 11 scheduled picks, the Patriots don’t necessarily need to add selections because they’re not realistically going to be able to roster all of those players. This is an even 26-26 swap on the trade chart.
Round 4, Pick 134:
TE Cameron Latu, Alabama
Nov 12, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Cameron Latu (81) breaks a tackle attempt by Mississippi Rebels defensive back Ladarius Tennison (13) during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
With their final fourth round pick – the (projected) compensation pick for losing J.C. Jackson in free agency last year – the Patriots reunite new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien with one of his key weapons from the last two years in Latu. In a strong tight end class, Latu probably gets pushed down the board a little bit relative to his skillset.
The first thing that stands out about Latu is his size at 6-foot-5, 244 pounds. Last season his receiving responsibilities increased, and he started lining up significantly more in the slot. An intelligent route runner who has a knack for finding holes in coverage, he ended up catching 30 passes in 11 games, for 376 yards and four touchdowns. At his best in the red zone, he had 12 touchdowns in 25 games under O’Brien.
In New England, Latu would give the Patriots insurance behind Hunter Henry in the short term, while adding a project player who could potentially replace him when his contract expires at the end of the season. His familiarity with O’Brien and his offense should help aid his development.
Round 5, Pick 156 (from SEA):
LB Mo Diabate, Utah
Sep 3, 2022; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Utah Utes linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (3) against the Florida Gators during the second half at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Going back to players that stood out at the Shrine Bowl, Diabate impressed that week both on the field and in person. Diabate, who played on the Patriots’ West team is a student of the game and it shows up on the field. He’s also very explosive, and can play both off the ball and on the edge.
Diabate transferred from Florida to Utah last season, and stepped into the role vacated by Devin Lloyd, who was a first-round pick last year. In his lone season in Salt Lake City Diabate has seven sacks as a pass rusher while adding 14 pressures. At the same time, he ranked seventh among qualified linebackers in this year’s class with an 11.3 percent run stop rate.
Over the last few years, the Patriots have tried to find that more modern, athletic three-down middle linebacker. With Raekwon McMillan and Mack Wilson pending free agents, they’ll be looking for such a player again. Diabate fits that mold, with plenty of upside to his game as well.
Round 5, Pick 165 (from CIN):
K Jake Moody, Michigan
Nov 19, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines place kicker Jake Moody (13) kicks a field goal in the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium. Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Folk started showing his age last season. Following the bye week, the 38 year old Folk missed six of his 31 combined attempts, after missing just twice over the first nine weeks. Now Folk could still bounce back next year, but given the team can save $2.2 million against the cap if they let him go, with a cap hit of just over $500,000, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them bring in some competition.
If that’s their line of thinking, Moody checks a lot of boxes. First, he has experience kicking in inclement weather – something the Patriots seem to consider a must. He won the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football in 2021, then came back this year and went 26-of-28 on kicks within 50 yards.
At the Shrine Bowl, Cam Achord and the Patriots coaching staff got to work closely with Moody, who was on the West team. In the game, he went 4-for-4 including multiple makes from over 50 yards, and won offensive MVP.
This was one of the toughest picks to make in this draft. The Patriots do generally like to take specialists in the fifth round, but it was very close between Moody and West team punter Michael Turk from Oklahoma. In the end though, Moody gets the nod given the uncertainty of Jake Bailey’s suspension and appeal process, with it being unknown whether the team will realistically be able to release him if they want, or not.
Round 6, Pick 182 (from LV):
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)
With the pick the Patriots got from Las Vegas in the Jarrett Stidham trade, they take a player they met with in Vegas in Wheat. Wheat played on the West team at the Shrine Bowl, where he seemed to earn fans among the Patriots’ coaching staff.
One thing the Patriots really like about Wheat is how well-rounded his game. He’s a true three-down player, who can set the edge and play the run while also being able to get after the quarterback on passing downs. In terms of a player prototype, he has some similarities to Deatrich Wise.
The Patriots will also like Wheat’s production in college. He had 25.5 tackles for a loss and 17 sacks in 34 games in his three years with the Bulldogs, and had at least five sacks all three seasons. For his position he also had good ball production with three interceptions, five pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.
Round 6, Pick 185 (from CAR):
DT Moro Ojomo, Texas
Nov 19, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Moro Ojomo (98) rushes Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) as offensive lineman Dominick Puni (67) blocks during the second half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Back on the clock three picks later thanks to their October 2021 trade that sent Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers, the Patriots stay on the defensive line but take an interior player. They’ll go with Ojomo, who was on the East team at the Shrine Bowl – so he wasn’t coached by the Patriots – but was one of the most dominant player sin Las Vegas. He was nearly un-blockable in one-on-ones, and was an issue for the East offense against the run and pass in team drills, getting in the backfield as much as any player who took part in the event.
Ojomo played a number of alignments as an interior defensive lineman during his time at Texas, and has added size to his frame to better handle those assignments at the next level. He checked in at the Shrine Bowl at 6-foot-2, 293 pounds. Added that size doesn’t seem to have impacted just how explosive he can be.
This past season has far and away his most productive in Austin. He recorded 26 pressures and five sacks in 206 pass rush snaps, while also posting a career-high 91.4 PFF run defense grade, with 19 run stuffs in 12 games.
In the NFL, Ojomo projects best as a third down, pass rush specialist defensive tackle. The Patriots could very likely be in the market for such a player. Obviously they have Christian Barmore filling that role, but having a good backup for one of their most important defensive players is a must, and a package with both Barmore an Ojomo would be challenging for opposing offenses to handle. Daniel Ekuale handled that role last year, but is a pending free agent.
Round 6, pick 208:
OL T.J. Bass, Oregon
Oct 8, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman T.J. Bass (56) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
With Adrian Klemm coming in from Oregon to coach the offensive line, it’s not unlikely that a Duck or two will follow him to Foxborough. Oregon has three offensive linemen in this draft class, all projected to go on Day 3.
Of that group, Bass offers the most versatility. He spent his first year at Oregon starting at left guard, split his time between left guard and left center in 2021, then last year was almost exclusively at left tackle. His 6-foot-4, 325 pound build suggests he should be able to at least fill in at both spots as a pro, although he’s probably a guard long-term. Still, with the Patriots having just six offensive linemen under contract for 2023, positional flexibility would be a good luxury for a lineman on this roster to have.
This is the comp pick the Patriots get from losing Ted Karras, but it’s the toughest to project. While OTC has it as a sixth-rounder right now, it’s not unrealistic to think it could become a fifth.
UDFAs
SALT LAKE CITY UT – NOVEMBER 12: Tavion Thomas #9 of the Utah Utes rushes the ball against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half of their game at Rice Eccles Stadium November 12, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
There are some positions the Patriots should be focusing on getting younger at, not included in this mock. Those are positions the team could target initially in the UDFA market.
At the Shrine Bowl, the Patriots worked with UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Thompson-Robinson is a four year starter, giving him as much experience as just about any passer in this draft. He combines that with a strong football IQ. A strong runner as well, he would give the Patriots another dynamic in the quarterback room as a practice squad/scout team player.
Running back is another position the Patriots generally like to add a rookie at, even if it’s just to have a player eat carries in the preseason. Tavion Thomas of Utah was at the Shrine Bowl and looks like a typical Patriots early down back. He’s tough to tackle at 6-foot-2, 247 pounds.
Adding another linebacker, especially one who can play special teams, is another spot that could be addressed through the UDFA market. The Patriots reportedly really liked Isaiah Moore of North Carolina State at the Shrine Bowl.
