Patriots: Don’t be surprised when Pats draft a defensive player in Round 1

We’re mere hours from the Jacksonville Jaguars being on the clock and the start of the 2021 NFL Draft. Naturally, the rumor mill is buzzing and smokescreens are flying every which way. The New England Patriots are right in the thick of it this year, with rumors indicating they may want to continue their aggressive offseason.

One look at the Patriots depth chart shows that drafting an offensive player is probably the right move for New England. Mel Kiper Jr. saying he would be very surprised if Bill Belichick doesn’t trade up for a quarterback is an enticing proposition.

There are also some extremely talented wide receivers that could be available to add talent to a receiving corps that needs reinforcements after the retirement of Julian Edelman.

As Patriots fans know, though, Bill Belichick doesn’t exactly follow the beaten path and may be setting up some smokescreens of his own.

Of course, Belichick has to be considering these options. It doesn’t take a genius to see what they need positionally. Come Round 1, though, don’t consider the Patriots a lock to select an offensive piece.

Bill Belichick is a defensive specialist at heart and understands better than anyone that a good defense is the foundation of any championship-caliber team. When it comes to drafting, he has a tough time resisting a defensive stud — even if they are not projected to go anywhere near the Patriots’ draft slot. Belichick has his own way of evaluating talent and is going to draft the player he wants, no matter their ESPN ranking.

One can go back and look at the Patriots’ recent history drafting offensive players (especially in Round 1) and see that this alone may have their coach hesitant to waste such high draft capital on an offensive player who may not be as sure a thing as some of the defensive talent that could be there at No. 15. Belichick isn’t one to second guess and will take the player he wants to take, but he may be more inclined to take one of the defensive talents.

The Patriots still have positions defensively that could benefit from some of the college stars available in this draft.

Cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn are great talents who could create a three-headed monster with Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson — or give New England the option to trade one of Gilmore or Jackson (ideally the older Gilmore).

Linebacker Micah Parsons is another no-brainer defensive prospect that Bill Belichick may not be able to pass up. The versatile playmaker would fit perfectly in the Patriots’ system.

New England is getting plenty of reinforcements at the position with Dont’a Hightower returning and free agent prize Matt Judon, but you can never have enough linebackers and Parsons can play all over the field.

What position should the Patriots draft in the 2021 first round?

The Patriots have plenty of options when it comes to their draft strategy.

Drafting offensively would fill New England’s needs, but drafting up shouldn’t be the direction this team goes. If Belichick truly wants Justin Fields, he may be able to wait until Fields falls to them. If the Patriots want to draft a receiver, they should have plenty of options available at No.15.

If the top-tier quarterbacks and wide receivers are not available come the Patriots’ draft slot, there are a ton of defensive talents that have extremely high ceilings and are much more of a lock than most offensive prospects.

One of Bill Belichick’s favorite things to do is trade down, and that is an idea that isn’t being discussed enough leading up to this draft. This draft class has some solid talent that will be falling into the second and third rounds, and even though the Patriots already have 10 picks, there’s nothing Belichick likes more than even more picks.

All the current buzz when it comes to the New England Patriots draft has to do with their hunt of offensive talent, but wherever the Patriots pick come Thursday night, don’t be surprised when Roger Goodell calls the name of a defensive player.

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