3 lower round cornerback draft options for the Patriots

The Patriots are thin at cornerback and the preferred way, contrary to popular opinion, to fill that need is in the later rounds of the 2022 draft. While some observers think that cornerback should be the team’s first-round pick, that’s a really bad idea.

The modern Patriots have generally drafted poorly, as pointed out recently by owner Robert Kraft. In addition, they have been largely incapable of drafting cornerbacks and safeties early in their drafts. Flops like Duke Dawson, Joejuan Williams, Terrence Wheatley, and lots of others who couldn’t play at all are legendary. Their greatest successes at the cornerback position have come from Undrafted Free Agents (UDFA), no less — think Malcolm Butler, Jonathan Jones, and J.C. Jackson.

The team should stick with that strategy and also draft corners in the lower rounds of the draft. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three lower-round cornerback draft options for the Patriots later this month.

Late in the draft, the team will probably not secure one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, yet on occasion, gold is struck there. So the thought is they should concentrate on one thing in particular with these picks: cornerbacks with speed, while drafting one or two in Rounds 4-through-7 of the draft.

The Patriots’ current defense generally lacks speed. In football, the tortoise doesn’t beat the hare very often. The team’s lack of speed was most notably exposed last year in two drubbings by the Buffalo Bills. That has to change, and there are later round cornerbacks who may be able to help.

3 lower round picks that can help the Patriots at cornerback

3. Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State

Our first notable who may be available in that area of the draft is Sam Houston State’s Zyon McCollum, SI.com’s 14th-rated cornerback in the draft. McCollum’s stock rose after the combine, where he ran a blistering 40-yard dash. Will that take him out of the late-round area? It may, but if he’s there in the fourth or fifth round, then he’s just the type of guy the team should roll the dice on.

His speed, plus great size at 6-2 and 199 pounds, make him the perfect risk.

Here’s what Oliver Hodgkinson of ProFootballNetwork.com has to say about McCollum:

"While college production isn’t the measure of success, McCollum’s 54 pass breakups that include 13 interceptions have caught the attention of NFL Draft analysts and scouts alike. It’s a case of come for the production, stay for the skill set. The Sam Houston State CB is my 123rd overall prospect. McCollum has a genuine chance of hearing his name called early on the third day of the 2022 NFL Draft."

Hodgkinson also cites McCollum’s ball skills as one of his assets. That should be especially interesting to the Patriots this offseason. They recently declined to franchise unrestricted free agent J.C. Jackson and allowed him to leave for Los Angeles Chargers. Jackson’s 25 picks in four years will be sorely missed in New England’s defensive backfield.  McCollum may be able to help replace that production with his speed and those aforementioned ball skills.