Patriots Rumors: Power ranking non-QB options with No. 15 pick

Priority No. 1 atop the New England Patriots’ draft gameplan is finding a franchise quarterback.

If they fail to accomplish that, likely due to an inability to trade up with a team like the Atlanta Falcons, they might need to look elsewhere if they want to fill needs with the highest pick they’ve had in some time.

The Patriots took care of their needs at the skill positions thanks to their free agency spending spree, but they could still use a new cornerback considering the Stephon Gilmore saga, a starting linebacker, and more defensive linemen to help out an aging unit.

The Patriots might trade up for a quarterback like Trey Lance, Mac Jones, or Justin Fields, but the world isn’t about to end if they fail to pull off that move.

New England’s defense needs some standouts, but waiting until the later rounds to address some areas of need might not be the smartest idea.

If they resist the urge to move up, however, staying at 15 could mean that one of these four prospects will be up in Foxborough next season.

Power ranking the best non-QB options for the Patriots

DT Christian Barmore

The weakest position in this draft class is without a doubt interior defensive line, as Barmore is the only member of this class that could potentially end up being picked in the first round. It’s easy to see why the latest Nick Saban lab experiment is so highly regarded, as his pass rush potential combined with his power makes him quite the combined package.

Barmore would start right away in New England, as losing some key contributors along that defensive line has prompted a need for a player like him to step right in and make an immediate change. Belichick loves to pluck players from Saban’s ranks and the SEC’s elite crop of defensive linemen, and Barmore checks both of those boxes.

CB Jaycee Horn

Horn is starting to pass Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley as the No. 2 cornerback in the draft, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he somehow leaped Patrick Surtain II. Horn’s press coverage and physicality at the line of scrimmage is everything that the Patriots would like to see in an outside corner.

Stephon Gilmore still is not a guarantee to return to the Patriots, as the re-signing of JC Jackson has given them the security they need to potentially move off of the former Defensive Player of the Year in exchange for a haul of draft picks.

Why not replace one stick man-coverage Gamecock with another? Horn gives New England the chance to continue making noise with their standout defense at a much more effective price point.

WR Jaylen Waddle

If you think that Belichick is going to pass on a receiver with Waddle’s speed because he signed Nelson Agholor, then you don’t know the head coach. Waddle was Saban’s best deep threat when he was healthy, as his game-breaking speed was a vital component of a dominant passing game. Belichick still needs a vertical separator, and Waddle fits the bill.

The question marks around him are almost all related to his health, as he spent most of the last season on the sidelines after hurting his ankle. Provided that the Patriots receive a clean bill of health from Waddle and his trademark speed hasn’t dissipated because of his recent ailments, they could have a potential 1,000-yard receiver right out of the gate.

LB Micah Parsons

Parsons hasn’t played a snap of football since the end of the 2019-20 season, which, somehow, has caused his draft stock to slip despite his incredible talent. Parsons is a 6-3, 245-pound linebacker with edge versatility and 4.4 speed. The fact that he’s in danger of falling out of the top 10 is something Belichick should pounce on if it happens.

You couldn’t create a better linebacker for a Belichick, either. Parsons’ versatility, insane athletic potential, and production in one of the best conferences in all of college football are all things the head coach likes to see in his defenders.

Parsons will see time as a rookie and eventually be tasked with orchestrating Belichick’s latest defensive symphony once he develops.