Patriots Rumors: Pats ‘consistently’ eyeing draft TE who’s not Kyle Pitts
By Jerry Trotta
In a perfect world, the New England Patriots would have most of their roster question marks sorted out before the draft so they’d know exactly what positions they need to target.
Given their evident lack of interest in overpaying for a tight end, the draft will present the perfect opportunity for them to address the position.
After all, the incoming class (though top-heavy) is said to be one of the deepest for tight ends in recent memory.
It goes without saying that Florida star Kyle Pitts is regarded as the cream of this year’s crop.
In what will come as a major shock to fans, however, the latest draft buzz indicates that the Patriots aren’t showing much of an incentive to pursue him at all, let alone aggressively.
That’s right, folks. Miami stud Brevin Jordan told The Draft Network this week that the Patriots are one of multiple teams (including the Packers, 49ers, Seahawks and Chiefs) he’s consistently heard from during the pre-draft process.
The Patriots are showing an evident interest in Miami tight end Brevin Jordan
Before fans get up in arms about this rumor, perhaps they should consider why drafting Jordan would make sense for the Patriots…and it has nothing to do with us rating him higher than Pitts.
In fact, it mostly boils down to the fact that Pitts will likely be gone by the time it’s their turn to pick at No. 15 overall. Some mock drafts have him going in the top 10, and in the slim chance he falls outside of that range, it’s difficult to picture a scenario in which every team among the Giants, Chargers (losing Hunter Henry) and Vikings passes on him before New England can pounce.
We don’t doubt that the Patriots have Pitts at or near the top of their draft board, but is trading up for a tight end — as great and dynamic as he projects to be in the NFL — really in the best interest of the franchise? Probably not.
Jordan, who registered 38 receptions for 576 yards (15.5 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns in his shortened junior season, is widely regarded as a Day 2 pick. If he offers similar intangibles to that of Pitts and could be taken potentially a full round later, wouldn’t using the No. 15 overall pick on another position of need (like linebacker or defensive end) be the smart move?
We would obviously love if Pitts fell to the Patriots as much as the next guy, but that doesn’t mean we’re blinded to the positives that would come with drafting Jordan in the second or third round. The draft is all about finding value, and the upside the Hurricanes star would offer in that range of picks cannot be understated, and it seems like the Patriots are fully aware of that.
