Patriots: Best first-round options for New England in 2021 NFL Draft

Patriots Draft Option: Trading Up

Any draft day value chart for trading up can be thrown out the window now after Miami dealt the third overall pick to San Francisco for the 12th pick in this years draft, along with two first-rounders (2022, 2023) and a 2022 third-round selection.

This blockbuster trade also made it more difficult for the Patriots to move up and grab a quarterback, as the top three signal callers will most likely be gone in the first three picks.

Still, if the Pats were to trade up, you have to believe it would be for one of the QBs remaining. As things currently stand, the best bet to do that is a trade with Atlanta to move into the fourth spot.

Do the Pats have the assets to pull off such a deal? And in doing so, would they have to mortgage their future (possibly both 2022 and 2023 first-round picks) to make it happen?

Miami also made another blockbuster trade with Philadelphia, sending picks 12 (acquired in the SF deal) and 123 in this year’s draft as well as a 2022 first-round pick to the Eagles to move up to the sixth spot.

Using the trade value chart as a guide can give you an idea what the Patriots might have to give up if they choose to make a deal with Atlanta.

San Fran’s package was worth between 754 points (having the last pick in each round) and 2,425 points (if they had the first pick). Since we don’t know where the 49ers will end up in those drafts, let’s use the average of the two: 1,590 points.

Miami packaged together a deal worth between 555 points (having the last pick of each round) and 1,371 points (if they had the first pick) for an average of 963 points.

Looking at these two trades from a Patriots perspective, a deal for the fourth overall selection would most likely fall somewhere in between, which would include at a minimum next year’s first-round pick, and at a maximum the next two first-rounders. An early-round selection in an upcoming draft would also likely need to be included.

If Belichick were inclined to move up, look for the Patriots to target Ohio State QB Justin Fields or North Dakota State QB Trey Lance. Both have high football IQs and are special talents that could benefit greatly from sitting behind Cam Newton for a year, while potentially becoming a cornerstone for the franchise for years to come.