New England Patriots: 5 First Round Targets in 2017 NFL Draft

The New England Patriots have just won Super Bowl 51. To reduce the hit that free agency will have on the team, the Patriots must build their roster through the 2017 NFL Draft, and strike gold in the first round.

The New England Patriots won Super Bowl 51 in exciting fashion. Coming back from a 25-point deficit to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Foxborough, Massachusetts excited the New England faithful. However, now the fans of the team glue their eyes to free agency and the draft.

With the Patriots expected to let some big free agents walk, they are expected to target those positions in the early rounds of the draft. Most people will gain a real view of the Patriots draft plans after free agency ends.

Logan Ryan, Dont’a Hightower, Marcellus Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, and Alan Branch are some of the names that could potentially leave the Patriots come free agency. Malcolm Butler is a restricted free agent, so the Patriots have the chance to match any offer for him.

Typically, the Patriots let some players leave for bigger deals while targeting the players in the draft. For instance, they let Vince Wilfork leave in 2015, only to draft Malcom Brown in the first round later that year.

So although it’s not uncommon in the Belichick era, the Patriots must strike gold in the first round of the draft. Here are 5 first round targets that make sense for the New England Patriots.