The New England Patriots will have an absolutely pivotal NFL Draft ahead of them this offseason.
Not only will Bill Belichick have to potentially find a quarterback of the future after a disappointing showing from Cam Newton, but he also has to figure out what other parts of this depleted roster need some beefing up.
The lack of wide receiver talent made it difficult for New England to do much of anything on offense.
Even on Belichick’s preferred side of the ball, some inexperience and roster deficiencies due to COVID-19 opt-outs meant that New England’s defense was unable to replicate their 2019-20 performance.
Luckily for Belichick, he will have the benefit of a very deep draft class to address these deficiencies.
Even beyond the No. 15 pick, Day 3 of the Draft could be a perfect opportunity for the Patriots to get some much-needed depth.
Any one of these late-round picks could follow in the footsteps of Michael Onwenu, a sixth-round pick last year who emerged as a quality starter as a rookie.
These three potential Patriots draft picks could end up being steals.
No. 3: Tedarrell Slaton, DT, Florida
No one can ever say Slaton isn’t getting enough to eat, as the Gators defensive tackle tips the scales at 358 pounds. Slaton presents all of the requisite problems presented with blocking someone that big, as the space-eating nose tackle was among the best in the country at freeing up Florida’s linebackers by taking on multiple linemen.
Slaton’s stats look pretty ordinary, but the Gators’ defense was one of the most consistently aggressive in college football over the last few years. They couldn’t have been flying around the defensive backfield and taking as many chances via blitzing without a freaky-strong player like Slaton solidifying the interior.
What would Slaton bring to the Patriots?
Belichick has an affinity for big tackles that can take on blockers, as he turned Vince Wilfork into a borderline Hall of Fame player thanks to his schemes. Slaton is by no means in Wilfork’s tier, but he could be compared to Danny Shelton, who won a championship with New England as their starting nose tackle.
There are some problems with Slaton as a prospect, as his lack of athleticism and nonexistent explosion off the snap because of his size make him a non-factor as a pass rusher. However, if Belichick wants a tackle to plug up running lanes, there are few better in this class.
No. 2: Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina
Smith seems like he’s been in Columbia forever, as he had a role in South Carolina’s offense for the last four seasons. While he’s suffered through poor quarterback play for the last four years, and though 2020 did not give him any reprieve, Smith had the best season of his career, setting records for catches with 57 and yards with 633 while scoring four touchdowns.
Smith made his mark as a slot receiver, using his tough-running style and soft hands to serve as a safety blanket over the middle. A Senior Bowl standout, Smith could be a very valued commodity in New England.
Smith could be an instant impact player for the New England Patriots
While adding some speed via a player like Jaylen Waddle could give the New England offense the verticality it needs, they need a player to go over the middle and pick up tough yards on short passes. With Julian Edelman starting to show his age in a very glaring way, Smith might be a low-cost, high-floor option to replace him.
He’s not a very explosive athlete, which could limit his downfield potential and ceiling at the professional level, but Smith has sure hands, sharp route-running ability, and a willingness to go over the middle to make tough catches. Smith should have minimal difficulty working his way up New England’s depth chart.
No. 1: Shane Buechele, QB, SMU
Bill Parcells, Belichick’s mentor, had a multi-faceted system that he relied on when looking to draft quarterbacks. Parcells wanted three-year starters who graduated, were able to win at least 23 games, and completed over 60 percent of their passes. In a time when more quarterbacks are declaring early, Buechele is one of the few QBs who can check most of Parcells’ boxes.
After losing the Texas QB1 job to Sam Ehlinger, Buechele ended up at SMU, where he conducted one of the most explosive offenses in the country. With and without OC Rhett Lashlee, Buechele showed off the deep accuracy and ability to throw off-platform that made him a hyped recruit, all the while totaling 57 touchdown passes against just 16 picks in his two years in Dallas.
Buechele has been an extremely productive passer…will he be a Patriots fit?
Buechele’s biggest problems are related to his size. Standing at a VERY generous 6-1 and 209 pounds, Buechele doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world, and that inability to drive the ball into tight windows could make him a hard sell for a team that plays in the bitter winter cold for a good chunk of the season.
Despite his physical limitations, Buechele has proven he can spin it in an offense that allows him to spread it out and chuck it down the field. While he won’t be ready to start as a rookie, he could have a higher ceiling than Jarrett Stidham, giving him an inside track to the backup job.