The New England Patriots have 11 draft picks in the upcoming draft, but it seems incredibly unlikely they'll use all 11. While last offseason saw them make their fair share of selections, I'd expect quality to be the name of the game rather than quantity this year.
There will be plenty of navigating the draft board, and one mock sees the Patriots do so to nab one of the top tight end prospects. In a recent mock draft from AtoZ Sports' AJ Shulte, the Patriots move up from the 31st pick to the 18th pick to secure the services of Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq.
The Patriots trade Picks 31, 95, and 125 to the Minnesota Vikings to secure the trade up, and if Sadiq's athleticism is any indication of what he could be in the NFL, he'd no doubt be worth that price.
What Kenyon Sadiq would mean for the Patriots' offense
After a record-breaking 4.39 40-yard dash, Sadiq's stock shot through the roof. He ranked first among all tight ends with a 95/99 NextGen Stats athletic score and has been likened to Trey McBride, who broke the record for tight end catches this year (126), by Lance Zierlein.
There isn't a team in the league that wouldn't love to add a player like that.
The Patriots added Julian Hill, who had 298 yards during his three seasons with the Dolphins. Signed to a three-year deal, Hill will be expected to fill Austin Hooper's role as the second tight end, specifically as a blocker.
The issue with Hill is that the Patriots ran 13 personnel (2 TE and a FB) at a higher rate than any team in the league last year. While a breakout for the Campbell College standout isn't out of the realm of possibility, it certainly shouldn't be relied upon. If New England wants to take the next step while remaining reliant on two tight end sets, upgrading at the position will be key.
The viability of making a move for Kenyon Sadiq
Sadiq is no doubt talented and an excellent athlete, but there is one major knock: his production against ranked teams was far from elite. Oregon played six ranked teams this past season, and while he starred against USC (6 catches, 72 yards, 2 touchdowns), he struggled in the other five matchups.
The Duck averaged 3.8 catches for 28 yards and went without a touchdown in his other five games against ranked opponents, and in four of those five, he didn't manage even 30 yards.
Additionally, the trade package to move from No. 31 to No. 18 would likely be far steeper than suggested. According to the draft value trade chart, the 18th pick is worth 900 points, while the 31st is worth 600. The 95th and 125th picks combined are worth 167 points, 133 points short of an even trade.
New England would likely need to trade No. 31, No. 63 (second round), and No. 171 (fifth round) if they want a chance to move into the top-20. If they believe he's a Trey McBride-level game changer, then that price shouldn't be a problem, but if they're more skeptical, holding off until later in the draft could be wise.
While Sadiq is no doubt a world-class athlete and top tight end in the class, moving such significant resources to acquire him could backfire, given his lack of production against five of his six ranked opponents. I, for one, believe that a trade-up of that magnitude is worth the opportunity to land a player that could be Drake Maye's top weapon for the next decade.