Patriots should be targeting these players with their Day 3 draft picks
By Jerry Trotta
We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, as general manager Bill Belichick’s recent track record suggests fans should temper expectations, but doesn’t it feel like the New England Patriots are absolutely dominating the draft thus far?
There are a handful of teams teams that’ve made excellent picks — like Washington, Cleveland and the Jets (what?) — but Patriots fans should really be ecstatic with the selections the front office has made over the first three rounds.
After waiting to land Mac Jones at No. 15 overall, the Patriots decided to get aggressive and traded up eight spots to select Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who was one of several touted prospects who fell out of the first round, at No. 38 overall.
With their next pick in the third round, New England once again bolstered the defense, netting Oklahoma edge rusher Ronnie Perkins. To call this an incredible value pick would be an understatement, as he was ranked as a top-45 prospect in the eyes of some experts.
This draft class already looks like a world-beater, but the Patriots still have a whopping five selections to make on Day 3, including two in the sixth round and the 15th pick (No. 120 overall) of the fourth round, which is set to get underway at noon on Saturday.
So, who should Belichick and Co. target with their upcoming selections?
The Patriots should target these two players with their next draft picks.
Day 3 of the NFL Draft, covering rounds 4-7, begins at 12 p.m. ET.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 1, 2021
Patriots 2021 class:
1-15. QB Mac Jones (Alabama)
2-38. DT Christian Barmore (Alabama)
3-96. OLB Ronnie Perkins (Oklahoma)
4-120
5-177
6a-188
6b-197
7-242
Trades: 2nd-round (38) for 2nd (46)/4th (122)/4th (139)
James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati
The Patriots were reportedly considering an offensive lineman — Alijah Vera-Tucker, to be more specific — in the first round before the Jets jumped one pick ahead of them, so you have to think they’re planning on addressing the position at some point on Day 3.
Why not get it over with at No. 120 overall? In our eyes, tackle James Hudson would be an ideal pick for the front office. The Cincinnati product is extremely raw and leaves a little to be desired in the athletic department, but he’s an intriguing developmental prospect who has the upside to become a starting-caliber tackle.
Offensive tackle isn’t an immediate need for the Patriots, but both of their current starters (Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn) aren’t guaranteed to be here long. It was shocking to see Hudson slip this far, and New England should make other teams’ negligence pay by drafting him with their first pick of the fourth round.
Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma
The Patriots are pretty much set for next season in terms of starters on both sides of the ball, meaning they can afford to invest in their future with their final five picks. With that in mind, they should look to target a cornerback at No. 120 overall.
Like offensive tackle, cornerback might not be a need until next year, when JC Jackson and Jonathan Jones are slated for unrestricted free agency, but why not prepare for the future?
While there was a run on corners to close out the third round, there are still plenty of talented prospects there for the taking in this loaded class. In fact, someone like Tre Brown out of Oklahoma just screams of a perfect fit in Belichick’s scheme.
In four years with the Sooners, Brown managed 141 tackles, 8.5 of which went for a loss, 31 passes defended and four interceptions. Like any player who’s fallen this far in the draft, he needs to be coached up, but his skills in the return game and on special teams in general really makes him a no-brainer for Belichick, who covets players who can contribute in that area.
