The 2017 NFL Draft is nearly here for the New England Patriots. Here is a seven-round mock draft of what things might look like for New England.
After winning their fifth Super Bowl, the New England Patriots will be entering the 2017 NFL Draft already having a strong offseason. Coming into the offseason, the Patriots had plenty of free agents that needed to be either re-signed or replaced.
So far, the Patriots have been able to not only address the holes that needed to be filled, but also improved overall. While the signing of cornerback Stephon Gilmore was surprising, the trade that acquired Brandin Cooks really was.
In 2016, the Patriots had one of the best offenses in the NFL. Now, they will be arguably even better with the addition of Cooks to the wide receiver corps. While Cooks is an excellent player, he did come at a high cost. The Patriots sent their first round pick for Cooks, resulting in them not having a first round pick this season.
In addition to trading their first-round pick, the Patriots also traded their second-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for defensive end Kony Ealy and their third round pick.
Despite the trades, New England still has seven picks, with two in the third round. Using Fanspeak.com, here is a complete seven-round mock draft for the Patriots. Starting with the pick they acquired from the Panthers.
DL, LARRY OGUNJOBI, CHARLOTTE
With the first pick for the Patriots in the 2017 NFL Draft, they selected defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi from Charlotte. Even though Ogunjobi might not be a household name as a college player, he would be good value for the Patriots at this point in the draft.
In two seasons at Charlotte, Ogunjobi was a force in the middle. He was able to total 127 total tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Playing at Charlotte means that his competition wasn’t the greatest. However, he is projected to be a second-round pick by CBS. In the early third round, there is value here for the Patriots.
Compared to Jonathan Allen of Alabama who will likely be an early first round pick, Ogunjobi not only had a better 40-time than him but also was able to beat him on the bench press. Just because he had a good NFL Combine doesn’t mean that he will be a good player, but Ogunjobi proved he has a great work ethic.
Even though the Patriots have some young talent on the interior of their defensive line, they relied heavily on Alan Branch in 2016. At over 30-years-old, Branch won’t be around forever. Ogunjobi might need some seasoning as a third-round pick, and he could help contribute in 2018 and beyond.
CB, JOURDAN LEWIS, MICHIGAN
With the second pick for the Patriots in the third round, our mock draft had them selecting cornerback Jourdan Lewis from Michigan. At Michigan, Lewis played in all four seasons in college, with a sizeable role starting as a sophomore.
Lewis is listed at 5’10”, 188lbs, as he has been able to put on some size since playing as a freshman. In his sophomore season, Lewis totaled two interceptions, six passes defended, and 39 total tackles. Lewis’ junior season was arguably his best, as he totaled two interceptions, one touchdown, and 20 passes defended. On a very good Michigan defense in 2016, Lewis played well once again on a talented team.
Even though the Patriots don’t have an immediate need at cornerback, adding some depth at the position wouldn’t be a bad idea. This offseason, New England did sign Stephon Gilmore to a massive contract, but they also have an uncertain future with Malcolm Butler.
Second-round pick Cyrus Jones of the 2016 NFL Draft had a dreadful rookie season, and he could possibly be a bust for New England. With that in mind, adding some depth would be a good idea for New England. Lewis likes to play up at the line of scrimmage, as he would be a good fit in the Patriots’ defense.
C, ETHAN POCIC, LSU
With the fourth-round pick in the mock draft, the Patriots addressed a need on the offensive line by drafting Ethan Pocic from LSU. Even though the offensive line for the Patriots was great this past season, adding young depth to the unit is always important.
For the Patriots to truly be successful, quarterback Tom Brady needs to be protected. When Brady has time, the Patriots are a hard team to beat, as he can pick a defense apart down the field.
Starting center David Andrews has been a good player for New England since they signed him, but having a backup for him is important. Last season, Andrews was good as a run and pass blocker, and at 24-years-old, he should be the center for the Patriots for years to come.
The selection of Pocic is another solid value pick for the Patriots. CBS has him ranked as the second best overall center, and he is projected to be drafted in the third round. Having him on the board late in the fourth round made him an easy selection.
Even though it isn’t a major need for the Patriots, adding another offensive lineman for depth doesn’t hurt. The fact that he was on the board in this mock was surprising and too good to pass up.
RB, JAMES CONNER, PITTSBURGH
Even though the Patriots have had a great offseason so far, they do lack a power running back. This offseason, the Patriots signed Rex Burkhead from the Cincinnati Bengals. While Burkhead had a nice end to his season in Cincinnati, he isn’t a power back and might be utilized on special teams more than in the offense.
Last season, the Patriots had LeGarrette Blount as their bruising running back. Blount had one of the best seasons of his career, as he totaled over 1,000 rushing yards. He also set the franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season. Blount is a still a free agent, and a return to New England is uncertain.
With a need for a power running back, we have the Patriots address that needs in the fifth round with the selection of James Conner from Pittsburgh. Conner is listed at 233 pounds, which certainly fits the bill.
In 2014, Conner had a great season for Pittsburgh, as he totaled 1,765 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. Unfortunately, 2015 was an awful year for Conner. In the first game of the season, he tore his MCL and was then later diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Conner was a great story coming back in 2016, as he was able to total over 1,000 rushing yards last season for Pittsburgh. Conner has some talent, and also fills a need for the Patriots. Not a bad combination in the fifth round.
LB, BEN GEDEON, MICHIGAN
With the second pick in the fifth round, the Patriots selected linebacker Ben Gedeon from Michigan. Gedeon is the second player from Michigan that we had the Patriots select, showing their talented defense from 2016.
While inside linebacker isn’t a huge need after the re-signing of Dont’a Hightower, it doesn’t hurt to look toward the future. Kyle Van Noy played well against the pass for the Patriots as an inside linebacker last season, but he is a free agent after next season. With Van Noy’s future in New England uncertain, it doesn’t hurt to have a player with a year of experience on the roster to replace him.
At Michigan, Gedeon played four years, but his senior year was by far his best. In 2016, Gedeon totaled 15 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. At the NFL Combine, Gedeon did fairly well, as he ran a 4.75 40-yard dash. This was just a tad slower than potential first round pick Rueben Foster, who Gedeon outweighs by 15 pounds. Where Gedeon really shined at the Combine was on the bench press, Gedeon totaled 27 reps at 225lbs, which was the most of any inside linebacker. Having Gedeon on the board late in the fifth round is decent value, and he could be a replacement for Van Noy in a year if he develops.
CB, MARQUEZ WHITE, FLORIDA STATE
Even though we had the Patriots select a cornerback in the third round, we have them taking one more in the sixth. As mentioned before, the uncertainty (as of now) in the secondary should have the Patriots being prepared for life without Malcolm Butler. While the Patriots might have him in 2017, the contract dispute will likely result in him leaving as a free agent eventually unless the Patriots open their wallets for him as well.
Even though late-round picks often amount to nothing, the Patriots have a good history of finding gems. In the sixth round, we found some good value once again in Marquez White. At 6’0”, 194lbs, White has some good size for a cornerback. Unfortunately, that size resulted in him running a 4.59 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Cornerback might be a need in the near future, and White could end up being a decent backup for the Patriots down the road.
G, COREY LEVIN, CHATTANOOGA
With the final pick for the Patriots in the NFL Draft, we had them add some depth to their offensive line. Coming from a small school in Chattanooga, Corey Levin isn’t going to get a lot of attention heading into the NFL Draft. However, he was very impressive among guards at the NFL Combine. Levin went toe-to-toe with some of the best guard prospects in the draft, and he might be a small school sleeper. As a seventh round pick, Levin may never make it as a pro. However, his strong combine should raise and eyebrow or two.