Patriots Draft: Pats projected to add monster TE in latest mock

The latest CBS mock draft has the Patriots nabbing a seemingly cant-miss tight end prospect in the first round.

The New England Patriots laboring through their most inconsistent season in recent memory has prompted media members to shed a damning light on Bill Belichick’s recent draft blunders.

After all, the team would likely be in an entirely different position had the de facto GM not jumped the gun on certain prospects — like taking running back Sony Michel over linebacker Darius Leonard in 2018 and N’Keal Harry over a handful of other receivers in the 2019 class, to name a few missteps.

That is obviously easier said than done, but his list of miscues is far too lengthy for somebody who’s supposedly a master talent evaluator. Luckily for the Patriots, however, they should have their pick of the litter as far as stud prospects are concerned next April.

And in CBS Sports’ latest mock draft, the Patriots are projected to get their hands on Florida star Kyle Pitts, who is widely said to be one of the most complete tight end prospects in several years.

Patriots fans should honestly love everything about this projection. We know Belichick drafted a pair of tight ends in the third round in 2020, but they unfortunately don’t look anywhere close to being NFL-ready. Even if their respective maturation takes a sizable leap during the offseason, that shouldn’t stop them from taking the best player available.

To put it simply, Pitts is the full package in terms of the modern-day TE. At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he’s too brawny to be slowed down by cornerbacks and too nimble to be impeded by linebackers in coverage. He’s the definition of a mismatch, especially in the red zone, and his numbers prove it.

For the season (six games), the Gators star has registered 29 receptions for 513 yards (17.7 YPR) and 11 touchdowns, the latter of which ranks second in the nation and is already more than any tight end in the country compiled in total last season.

We’ve been waxing poetic about how the Patriots need to get more dynamic at their skill positions. Well, with the running back spot now seemingly an afterthought thanks to the emergence of Damien Harris, all that’s left on the agenda is to improve the wide receiver and tight end positions.

Though Pitts is a TE by trade, he can play both positions and do so in an effective manner, and that makes him a no-brainer selection for the Patriots if he’s available when it’s their turn to pick presumably somewhere in the middle of the first round.

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