New England Patriots jolt the NFL with a sparkling 7-round mock draft

In the fifth round the Pats shore up the tight end position

Keeping with their strictly anti-Belichickian draft strategy, the Pats again hold onto their own pick in the fifth round, pick No. 135, and select another offensive position of need, tight end. The choice here is massive Penn State tight end Theo Johnson.

Big Patriots' tight ends have done rather well at times in recent years, from Ben Coates to the best of them all, Rob Gronkowski. Like Coates, also a fifth-round pick, that type of excellence would be unusual but certainly not unprecedented. Johnson was not a prolific pass-catcher in 2023, with only 34 catches for 343 yards. Yet, importantly, he did snag seven touchdown passes for the Nittany Lions, an asset the Pats need.

collegesportswire.usatoday.com had this to say about the big tight end,

"Most people have Ja’Tavion Sanders penciled into the second spot after Bowers but there is almost no clarity for who the third tight end off of the board might be. One name that was circulating a ton during the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl week was former Penn State standout Theo Johnson, who was one of the big winners at the event...

"Johnson proceeded to be largely considered the top performer at the position in attendance. He was smooth in drills, flashing straight-line speed and that massive catch radius. Add in his development upside as a blocker, and you have a player who could be a much better pro than what he was in college."

He's huge, performs well under pressure against top competition, and fills a huge need. Landing Johnson near the top of the fifth round is a big score for the Patriots. Eliot Wolf continues on the road that should be taken, fixing an offense in dire need of help all over the field. Theo Johnson is another excellent piece of the puzzle.