2017 NFL Draft: New England Patriots Post-Free Agency 7-Round Mock Draft
The New England Patriots have been extremely aggressive in free agency and on the trade market this offseason. What can they do with what is left of their draft capital in the 2017 NFL Draft?
Winning the Super Bowl was not enough for the New England Patriots. They entered this offseason strapped with a bunch of cap space and have been aggressively trying to fill it. They kicked off free agency landing the top cornerback on the market in Stephon Gilmore. They have continued to add in the free agent market, but it is their work on the trade market that has been the most interesting.
The Patriots have made deals for tight end Dwayne Allen, defensive end Kony Ealy and most notably, wide receiver Brandin Cooks. They have given up a lot of their 2017 draft capital in these deals, including their first and second round picks. The Patriots are clearly looking to add another Lombardi Trophy in the near future.
Personally, I am a big fan of all of these deals. The Patriots found nice value and added some real playmakers to the mix. However, it is undoubtedly risky to give up that much high-level draft capital. As it sits now, the Patriots will not make a selection in the 2017 NFL Draft until the third round. It is an early third round pick at 72nd overall, but that is still a long wait.
As it sits now, the Patriots will not make a selection in the 2017 NFL Draft until the third round. It is an early third round pick at 72nd overall, but that is still a long wait. Luckily, the Patriots have a loaded roster without many big-time needs and they still have trade chips to get them back in the first two rounds if they wish.
Here is a complete seven-round mock draft for the New England Patriots. It took a while before the first selection, but I still think they were able to land some nice, young talent for the roster.
This mock draft was completed using the FanSpeak On the Clock Mock Draft Simulator.
Jan 21, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; East Team defensive end Trey Hendrickson (99) rushes during the second half of the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field. West Team defeated the East Team 10-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Trey Hendrickson
Defensive End, Florida Atlantic
Long after the top-tier 2017 NFL draft prospects are off the board, the New England Patriots go on the clock with the eighth selection in the third round. There were still some interesting players on the board, including cornerback Kevin King and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, but Florida Atlantic defensive end Trey Hendrickson stood out as the best choice.
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Hendrickson is not the most well-rounded edge prospect, but the guy can undoubtedly create pressure on the pass rush. Hendrickson shows nice burst off of the edge and a great combination of athleticism and power. He is a high-motor player who always seems to get himself into the backfield.
That being said, Hendrickson is a poor run defender at this point in his career. He will make some splash plays behind the line of scrimmage against the run at times, but he is over-powered at the point of attack too often. Hendrickson is an extremely interesting prospect, but he must improve his run defense skills at the next level.
Defensive end is the most obvious need on the Patriots' roster. Losing Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long in free agency really hurts their depth at the position. A mix of Trey Flowers, Rob Ninkovich and Kony Ealy is solid, but there is undoubtedly room for improvement there. Hendrickson is an interesting pass rush prospect who could make an immediate impact in New England.
They have the depth to only put him in pass rush situations early in his career, which would undoubtedly help his development. Hendrickson is also a strong special teams contributor which is always a huge plus with Bill Belichick. He is far from a perfect prospect, but landing Hendrickson in the third round would be solid.
Dec 3, 2016; Laramie, WY, USA; San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Damontae Kazee (23) waves to the crowd after game against the Wyoming Cowboys at the Mountain West Championship college football game at War Memorial Stadium. The Aztecs beat the Cowboys 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Damontae Kazee
Cornerback, San Diego State
With their own third round selection, the Patriots find a cornerback who fits their style of play extremely well. Damontae Kazee is not the biggest (5-10, 184 pounds) or the fastest defensive back, but he is an extremely competitive corner who always seems to be in a position to make a play.
Kazee is a quick cornerback who shows great route recognition skills. His press coverage ability is top-notch and he makes a break on the ball as well as any cornerback in this class. Kazee is a bit limited physically, but he makes up for it by being a smart and aggressive player in the defensive backfield.
The most impressive part of Kazee's game is his ball skills. He has a knack for making a play on the ball and creating turnovers. Kazee had an impressive 16 interceptions the last three years at San Diego State, seemingly always making a play on the ball when his team needed him to the most. Kazee was a lock-down cornerback in college who had big-time big-play ability.
His coverage skills are impressive, but Kazee also shows the ability to defend against the run. He is not afraid to come up and support the run and can hold his own on outside contain. Kazee is a downhill player who is an extremely willing and reliable tackler.
The concerns about Kazee's size and speed at the next level are legitimate. However, I am betting on a guy who competes as hard as he does. He is not the most physically impressive player in the draft, but Kazee is simply a good football player who will get the job done. At worst, I think he will be a strong slot cornerback at the next level. If the Patriots lose Malcolm Butler this offseason, Kazee would certainly be a nice guy to have around.
Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) carries the ball against Auburn Tigers linebacker Montavious Atkinson (48) in the second quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Samaje Perine
Running Back, Oklahoma
I really do not know what to think about what the Patriots are doing at the running back position. James White and Dion Lewis are strong speed/receiving backs who will certainly play a large role in the offense.
On Tuesday, the Patriots signed running back Rex Burkhead who is a more balanced back to add to the mix. Burkhead is a tough runner who can pick up yards on the inside, but he is far from a traditional power back. He is a well-rounded athlete who can impact the offense in a variety of ways. I still think the Pats either bring back LeGarrette Blount or replace him with a younger option.
Samaje Perine is the perfect prospect to become that younger option.
Perine is an extremely physical one-cut runner who hits the hole with authority. You better bring your A-game when you come up to hit Perine because he is a tank who is extremely difficult to bring day. Perine has incredibly raw power and he is not afraid to show it with the ball in his hands.
Scouts will kill Perine because of his lack of long speed, and it is fair, he is never going to be a threat to take it to the house from anywhere on the field. However, Perine does show nice short area quickness which is much more important for the running back position. He can get to the hole quickly and will meet the defender with elite raw power. That can be a deadly combination at the next level.
The New England Patriots still need a guy who can carry a heavy workload and pick up the tough inside yards on a consistent basis. Perine is the perfect player to be that guy. He is a younger, quicker and more powerful version of Blount.
Mar 4, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee-Chattanooga defensive end Keionta Davis speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Keionta Davis
Defensive End, Tennessee-Chattanooga
We talked about the Patriots' need at defensive end earlier. It is probably the weakest spot on their entire roster. Selecting Hendrickson, the Patriots attack their weakness with athleticism and upside. Here in the fifth-round, they find a much more balanced player.
Keionta Davis piled up 31 career sacks in college, including 24 the past two seasons. He obviously was not playing against the highest level of competition, but Davis showed an impressive combination of burst and power at Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Davis does lack ideal quickness and athleticism on the edge. However, he is an extremely powerful player who knows how to use his compact frame well. Davis will bull rush extremely well and commonly seems to get a good burst off of the snap.
He is never going to be a 10+ sack player in the NFL, but Davis shows a strong overall skill-set and a high-motor that will give him a chance. He is difficult to move off of the line of scrimmage and shows fantastic instincts as a run defender.
Personally, I wonder if Davis is best used as a versatile defensive lineman at the next level. His power and run defense ability will play at defensive end on early downs, but lacks impact on obvious passing downs. Perhaps the Patriots can kick him inside to rush the passer? He may be a bit small for it, but his strength would play inside and his lack of quickness would not be as big of an issue. If Davis can play that kind of role, he could quickly become a favorite of Belichick.
Dec 23, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Trent Taylor (5) runs for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Trent Taylor
Wide Receiver, Louisiana Tech
Trent Taylor is a small (5-8, 181 pounds), quick, shifty and smart slot receiver who has a knack for getting open. Yeah, I imagine that the New England Patriots could find use for a guy like that.
Nobody uses the slot as well as the Patriots and I could see Taylor being a diamond in the rough for the team. Taylor shows impressive route running ability and has the awareness to change his route on the fly. He is a smart receiver who knows how to find the open space in the defense. Taylor would be a perfect receiver to run the option routes out of the slot that the Patriots love to use.
Taylor is an extremely sure-handed receiver who seemingly never drops a pass. He also has the elite-level quickness that allows him to shake opposing defensive backs trying to keep him in check. Taylor does not have the functional strength to break a jam at the line of scrimmage, but if he gets free at the snap, he will likely get open.
His size is obviously a major concern. Taylor shows a willingness to go over the middle and has taken many tough hits in stride. However, the NFL is a different beast. Can Taylor hold up going across the middle at 181 pounds? That remains to be seen. Guys like Julian Edelman and Wes Welker are much stockier than Taylor.
He is far from a sure-thing, but Taylor seems like a strong gamble for the Patriots to take. The slot receiver running short and quick routes is an extremely important part of their offense and Edelman is not getting any younger. Snagging Taylor as an Edelman insurance policy with a ton of long-term upside in their offense would be a strong move for the Patriots.
Oct 8, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Jayon Brown (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jayon Brown
Linebacker, UCLA
Listed at 6-0, 231 pounds, Jayon Brown is an extremely undersized linebacker prospect who could struggle with the physicality of the NFL game. That being said, he is a rangy and athletic player who could certainly fill a versatile role for a creative team like the Patriots.
Brown showed strong coverage ability as a senior last season and has shown sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability against the run throughout his career. As an undersized linebacker, Brown cannot compete on the inside against the run. He is not afraid to stick his nose in there, but he consistently gets washed up in the middle and completely overpowered.
Honestly. this selection was made mostly with special teams in mind. Brown's athleticism will play on special teams at the next level and the Patriots value that as high as anyone. However, do not discount his ability to at least be a solid coverage linebacker at the next level. Even if it is limited, Brown could play a defensive role.
Scott Orndoff
Tight End, Pittsburgh
With their final selection, the New England Patriots select tight end Scott Orndoff in the seventh round. Orndoff played in a pro style offense in college and shines as a blocker in the ACC.
Orndoff's speed and athleticism leave plenty to be desired, but he has nice size (6-5, 253 pounds), can work the seam and will make the occasional tough catch. Orndoff is not going to be the next Rob Gronkowski, but he could be a strong blocking tight end who has some ability as a receiver.