Patriots Mock Draft: 5 first-round targets for New England

It’s a great year to need an offensive tackle. Alabama’s Evan Neal might go off the board after the first few picks but players like NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu and UCLA’s Sean Rhyan should make teams very happy later in the first round. Cross is certainly in that tier due to his potential as a bookend left tackle.

Cross is incredibly strong for someone his size, and his production against some of the best edge rushers in the country has helped his stock shoot up in recent weeks. Cross might be a Day 1 starter that could replace Isaiah Wynn if everything goes as planned.

Charles Cross might be an upgrade over Isaiah Wynn.

One issue with Cross is his run-blocking, as Mike Leach’s Air Raid doesn’t give him a ton of experience on that front. He has also had mixed results dealing with speed rushers off the edge, but there’s more than enough skill in pass protection to work with for a team drafting in the middle of the first round.

Wynn is starting to slow down this season, and Trent Brown hasn’t been healthy enough to be considered a reliable option. Cross is by no means a finished product, but if the Patriots want to start winning games thanks to Jones’ arm, they need someone like the Bulldog star to keep him upright.