New England Patriots 2023 Mock Draft 2.0

The 2023 NFL Draft is just under a week away and the New England Patriots are right in the middle of the draft frenzy sitting 14th overall in the first round.

Despite the “rumors” swirling out of Foxboro all offseason, the Patriots are built in the image of future Hall-of-Fame head coach/de facto general manager Bill Belichick. 

In his two decades plus of overseeing the Patriots, Belichick has built a team that contended for Super Bowls on the back of a dominating defense and a quarterback able to make magnificent meals out of mush on offense.

Make no doubt, that defense and over-achieving offense owed a lot to the work in the trenches by the Patriots players that the average fan overlooks. No-name offensive linemen and faceless defensive linemen did the dirty work to make space for the stars to do their thing on both sides of the ball.

RECENT DRAFT RECORD

Since their last Super Bowl championship after the 2018 season, New England has slowly been adding talent via the NFL draft. After a disastrous draft in 2019, the Patriots have been adding quality players to the roster on both sides of the ball.

The 2020 draft added stud safety Kyle Duggar and last year’s breakout pass rusher Josh Uche on defense. Anfernee Jennings is only a role player, but has been quiet, but solid. On offense, guard Michael Onwenu was one of the best players at his position last season.

The 2021 draft added quarterback Mac Jones (whatever you may think of his future role, he displayed his ability to thrive in the NFL as he was excellent in the Josh McDaniels offense his rookie season) and running back extraordinaire Rhamondre Stevenson. On defense, Christian Barmore is a future star (if he stays healthy!).

Last year’s draft added Cole Strange (who improved dramatically down the stretch) to the offensive line and 2022 rookie receiver Tyquan Thornton had some promising performances despite the dysfunction of the offense. Running back Pierre Strong showed off his speed in limited action and should have a larger role in 2023. Backup quarterback Bailey Zappe was solid filling in for an injured Mac Jones.

On defense, the addition of Marcus Jones was the steal of the draft. An All-Pro special teams returner, he flashed at cornerback as well. When healthy, fourth round draft pick Jack Jones showed solid ability and had a pick-six of Aaron Rodgers added to his resume.  

MOCK DRAFT 2.0

My prior mock draft after free agency completed (thank you for all the comments on social media–both negative and positive) clearly touched a nerve with it’s “Belichickian” slant. Trying to get into the mind of Bill Belichick, the “value” moves of moving down the draft board with multiple trade-backs probably was the most frustrating aspect.

As always, complaints on who was available to pick should be directed to the simulation, not the picker. I was drafting from the available pool, not doing one of those ridiculous “talk radio caller” mock drafts (“Yah, Felgie, why don’t da Pats draft Bryce Young dis year?”).

This time, I’ll delve into five recent seven-round mock drafts rather than just one. Maybe, just maybe, there’ll be at least one pick someone likes this time. 

DRAFT STRATEGY

The game plan (which will play out across all these mock drafts) is focusing on the urgent needs for New England. Forget when idiots on television say “Teams shouldn’t draft for needs” –ALL NFL teams draft for needs. Picking the best player is for teams with rosters overflowing with talent (which are very rare).

The Patriots have offensive tackle as a position of need in need of young talent to develop for this season to keep Mac Jones protected and particularly in 2024. Playmakers, regardless of the skill position, are necessary as well. 

The wide receivers this year are weak compared to 2022 but the depth at tight end is amazing. The Patriots have two tight ends in the last year of their deal, so grabbing a tight end is a must. The wide receivers all have flaws, but New England grabbing a wideout with size would help the offense.

On defense, cornerback is a desperate need with size concerns for Jonathan and Marcus Jones and off-field concerns with Jack Jones. There is good depth into the middle rounds at cornerback although lacking the star power of previous drafts.

I have no idea what Belichick is doing at linebacker since he ran back last year’s mismatched unit. Free safety could be a concern with Devin McCourty retired, but knowing how Belichick values the position, he’ll keep adding strong safeties until he can run out four or five at a time on defense with no linebackers at all.

MOCK DRAFT 2.1

In this mock, New Orleans surrendered their second-round pick to move up and grab quarterback Will Levis. New England still got their developmental tackle for 2024 at the end of the first round and a potential monster for tight end with the second second-round draft pick. 

Doubling up at cornerback (keep those Jones’ coming!) helped on defense and while waiting for the fourth round for a wide receiver is far from ideal, Mingo drops due to injuries at Ole Miss but has substantial size and ability to get open.

MOCK DRAFT 2.2

This is a dream draft where the top offensive tackle fell to New England at 14th overall. I don’t really see that but had no interest in moving down the board with Paris Johnson Jr. there. He has all the tools and will start at right tackle in week one.

Anudike-Uzomah provides cushion if Josh Uche leaves in free agency after this season. Passing up at tight end is almost impossible in this draft. They’re available in all sizes and skills up and down the draft board

Addressing free safety, Christopher Smith II from Georgia may be smaller than Belichick would prefer, but the has the tape and did the job at Georgia. 

Two names I keep coming back to in the sixth and seventh round in these mock drafts are third-down back Deuce Vaughn and quarterback Aidan O’Connell.

Vaughn is undersized, but like Danny Woodhead is tough, can run inside and disappear from the sight of defensive players and has great hands and advanced route-running. 

O’Connell may be off the board earlier, but as a developmental quarterback, he has the size and arm strength. He needs to develop reading of the entire field and also not take too many unnecessary chances. However, he could develop into a quality backup.

Also, no trades at all in this mock!

Around Full Press Coverage

NFL OPINION: Morten Andersen: The Toughest Place To Kick? For Me, It Was This Place

NFL: Joe Klecko: How Fate Changed My Life … And Sent Me To Canton

NFL DRAFT: 2023 NFL Draft Profile: QB C.J. Stroud

FULL PRESS HOCKEY: After Trade Deadline, Leafs’ Major Experiments Will Happen on Defense

PODCAST: According To Who? Ep 2: Top 5 Super Bowls Of All Time

WANT MORE PODCASTS? Check Out Some Of The Latest From Around The FPC Network

MOCK DRAFT 2.3

The inner Bill Belichick went back to the fan’s least favorite trick for the first round: the trade down. I’m not sure if I would buy into Dallas would be trading up for Bijan Robinson, but Jerry Jones is unpredictable.

Darnell Wright is huge and nast. He started on the left and right side at Tennessee and didn’t allow a sack all last season (including going against the top pass rusher in the draft, Will Anderson). 

Staying in Tennessee, the Patriots grabbed wide receiver Cedric Tillman. Tillman is one of the tallest receivers in the NFL Draft. He’s a strong perimeter receiver (to replace DeVante Parker eventually) and extremely strong.

Darnell Washington shouldn’t be on the board at 58th overall, but the size, blocking ability, and growth potential as a receiver makes him an intriguing prospect. 

Once again, Deuce Vaughn and Aidan O’Connell make the mock draft (O’Connell available after the third or fourth round seems ridiculous to me). 

Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (Tre Tomlinson) is one of my favorite players in the draft. He is Marcus Jones 2.0. Small, tough, twitchy, and sticky in coverage, he is fun to watch. Grabbing Cameron Mitchell later in the draft gives the Patriots another inside-outside combo at cornerback.

With Aaron Rodgers set to join Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen in the AFC East, the Patriots need to be loaded at cornerback to have any chance to be competitive in the division.

MOCK DRAFT 2.4

With the wide receivers of this draft falling short of the talent of the past few drafts, I’ve been mocking wide receivers to the middle rounds as the value just isn’t there. At this point, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the only wide receiver worth of a top twenty (or twenty-five) pick.

Darnell Washington and Deuce Vaughn once more show up in the mock draft. Jonathan Mingo makes another appearance as well. 

I know Bill Belichick loves his military program, but as a Navy family would he grab an edge rusher from Army? Carter is a polarizing prospect (rare these days with the “group-think” around the draft) with some scouting services putting a second-round grade on him and others having him as a late round prospect.

Carter has decent size and length and most importantly has a never-ending motor. He dropped off in the sack department after getting a ton of attention last year. He needs to build strength and improve his fundamentals, but he has definite upside.

Offensive tackle wasn’t addressed until round four, but with Matthew Bergeron dropping the Patriots got incredible value. Bergeron is a plus run-blocker and if he improves his fundamentals, he could be a pillar at right tackle.

MOCK DRAFT 2.5

Just one small trade-down from 14 to 16 in the first-round nets a future second-round pick. Smith-Njigba is still on the board and quickly scooped-up.

My Darnell Washington obsession remains unabated. Aidan O’Connell ends up in New England yet again. 

Jack Campbell comes from Iowa, the land of FOBB (Friend of Bill Belichick) Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz was the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line coach under Belichick and his son, James, has been a long-time Patriot and back-up interior offensive lineman. Campbell is a big thumping linebacker who could be a fit on early downs.

Carter is a four-year starter at left tackle who drops due to just average athleticism and injuries last season. Carter loses his fundamentals at times and needs a lot of coaching up. With the Patriots investing in the offensive line with Adrian Klemm leading the group now, he should have been able to get Carter up to speed.

Finally, Josh Whyle is a late-round steal as he can redshirt behind Mike Gesicki. Whyle is comparable in size and athletic profile as Gesicki and would be a solid developmental prospect to fill that same role as the Y tight end in the Bill O’Brien two tight-end offense.