Pro Football Focus's (PFF) latest mock draft predicted the Patriots' first pick at No. 4 overall. The noted football cognoscenti at PFF are usually the last word on the NFL. However, in their latest mock draft, they got it wrong for the Patriots.
They made a surprising selection for the Patriots at pick No. 4. Even more questionable is who they have the Patriots passing up. While they may be spot on in filling one of the Pats' most pressing needs, they got most of the rest wrong.
Let's take a look at PFF's selection for the Patriots in this recent mock draft, analyze and dissect it, and come to a conclusion about its efficacy. One thing to consider in all this is that even the best, most informed, and educated experts on a topic sometimes get it wrong. Here, one does.
Analyzing PFF's pick for the Patriots
PFF was right in part about the Patriots' first pick. It has to be in a position of high need, and they got that right. They have the Patriots selecting Missouri's Armand Membou, an offensive tackle, at pick No. 4 overall in the draft. The team needs offensive tackles. There is no doubt about that.
Membou was certainly a workout warrior at the NFL Combine. His numbers, for example, including a 4.91 forty-yard dash, were noteworthy. His athleticism score was the top for tackles at the combine. All that is fine. Yet, he lacks an essential ingredient for a left tackle: length. He's only 6'4" tall, and, while he has 33 1/2" arms, he's undersized to play on the left.
The Patriots' critical need is at left tackle, a unique position. Membou is a right tackle, not a left tackle by trade, and isn't likely to become one because of that aforementioned "length" issue, the same one that's been dogging the best left tackle in the draft, LSU's Will Campbell. PPF got it wrong.
The Patriots need two positions above all others in the draft. One is a left tackle (they have none of NFL quality on the roster), and the other is to get two top wide receivers. PFF addressed neither. As such, they'd receive a grade of "C" as a result. It's in no way optimal at pick No. 4.
PFF's biggest gaffe in selecting the Patriots' first pick
PFF botched the positional issue by selecting a right tackle rather than a left for the Patriots. Even if they'd taken the best left tackle in the draft, the previously mentioned Will Campbell, they'd have done better but still missed the boat.
A player they passed up at pick No. 4 (and was selected immediately thereafter by Jacksonville) is the player the Patriots should and hopefully would select if he's available. It's the dual-threat, multi-talented wide receiver, cornerback, and Travis Hunter of Colorado. There are many reasons to argue in favor of taking Hunter. Let's explore them.
First, Hunter is an excellent receiver, probably the best in this draft, and the Patriots desperately need a No. 1 wide receiver. Hunter will be that guy. He far better fits as a "need" selection than right tackle, Membou. He's also a better player overall than Membou. After all, he won the Heisman Trophy.
Putting the cherry on top of the cake, Hunter is also PFF's No. 1-rated player overall on their big board in this draft, and it's their No. 1 cornerback. Don't they read their own ratings? Here's what they had to say about the dynamic, two-position superstar, Travis Hunter,
"Hunter is one of the most talented players I have ever scouted. As a cornerback, he brings good mirror-matching movements and truly elite ball skills. He can be a bit out of control and lacks some density, which gets exposed the most in press-man coverage. As a primary zone defender with press-man flexibility, he can be an immediate starting cornerback with an All-Pro ceiling."
They neglect to mention that Hunter had 96 receptions, for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Buffaloes this season. Guess that was just a slight memory lapse. The New England Patriots can't afford those gaffes if they want to be a playoff team in 2025, the only season that matters.
PFF got it wrong for the Patriots in this mock draft. Nobody's perfect. Yet, if the odds are correct. The Patriots, hopefully guided by Mike Vrabel and not the 2024 crew, believe they have the sense that they need to take Travis Hunter if he's available, and they'll likely brush off PFF's thoughts. He's the right pick, and they'll never look back.
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