The 2023 New England Patriots are a far cry from what fans are accustomed to seeing. But, this has been their story ever since Tom Brady left town.
We don't know what the future holds for head coach Bill Belichick. We hardly know what the future holds for dozens of guys in the building right now, to put it bluntly.
But, one thing we can almost be guaranteed of at this point, is that Mac Jones will no longer be the starting quarterback in New England after this season. The Patriots currently have the no. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that selection should absolutely be used on a quarterback.
In fact, in our latest mock draft, that's exactly they route they go, sending Jones either to the bench or out of New England altogether.
With the third overall selection, the Patriots go with the consensus no. 2 quarterback in this draft class, Drake Maye out of North Carolina. Standing 6-foot-5, Maye is every bit of your prototypical NFL quarterback. For those scared off by North Carolina quarterbacks after the Mitchell Trubisky debacle, I'm here to tell you: Maye is a different breed.
Some might even argue Maye could usurp Caleb Williams as the draft's best quarterback overall. He has the traits you love to see in a future stud. Maye can make all of the throws, including the big ones. He excels on the long ball a la Josh Allen. He's also mobile enough to escape the pocket and extend plays.
May represents a new era in New England, because he operates well in a vertical style offense. If the Patriots are going to completely reset offensively, he's a great start. Hopefully prior to the draft, the Patriots have hired a new offensive coordinator that can take them into this generation's style of offense.
In the second round, the Patriots go with an offensive tackle to likely replace Trent Brown. Prior to this year's trade deadline, Brown's name came up several times as a possible candidate to be dealt. After hearing all of those reports, there's a much better likelihood that Barton finds a job elsewhere than coming back to the Patriots.
That's why it's Duke's Graham Barton here in the second round. Barton is one of the better offensive tackle prospects in next year's class. Actually, he is one of the better all-around offensive linemen in this class. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, Barton moves extremely well for his size. He is agile and can get out in space quickly.
Because of his athletic traits, many project him as an interior lineman as opposed to a tackle. But, his build screams 'tackle' at the pro level. Positional versatility could be in his future, as he's played center in the past.
Barton is a mauler, too. No matter where he ends up playing, he's going to finish blocks. He plays with an edge and tenacity that his future starting quarterback will love playing behind. As a borderline first-round prospect, the Patriots get a good value here.
It is time the Patriots stop messing around with the tight end position. For several years, it's been draft bust after draft bust followed by some weird free agent moves. New England either drafts a bunch of tight ends you've never heard of, or they pay a couple of free agent tight ends as they have with Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry.
At the moment, it's Mike Gesicki and Henry as the two veterans on the roster. But, going forward, the Patriots need to find their no. 1 tight end. They have to find that guy who will be around for the long haul. That's why, in the third round, they go with arguably the second-best tight end in the draft and get immense value with Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders.
To go along with a new direction on offense, Sanders brings a ton of versatility to New England. He's a fantastic receiver, being able to make tough grabs and run after the catch. He runs routes like a receiver, yet he can block like a full back. He is a true athlete at the position, and if he's used correctly, the Patriots will have found a gem in the third round.
Sanders has first round potential written all over him, so if he has a strong pre-draft process, you can forget about finding him early in the third.
In the fourth round, the Patriots go with the best-available talent and also a guy who could help lock down the future of the cornerback position with a little development. Missouri's Kris Abrams-Draine is the pick here, and he enters the NFL after only playing cornerback for three seasons.
Prior to the 2021 season at Missouri, Abrams-Draine switched from wide receiver to cornerback and hasn't looked back since. He has always had the natural athleticism to play a wide array of positions, which made this switch easier for him. With some of the best raw speed you will find in this class, Abrams-Draine will jump off the screen when you watch him play.
Over the last three seasons with the Tigers, Abrams-Draine has tallied 33 passes defended and seven interceptions. His ball skills are tremendous, and they should only get better with more experience at the position.
Rounding out our five-round mock, the Patriots go wide receiver in the fifth round with Texas A&M's Ainias Smith. Once again, this is a pick that shows the Patriots are going in a different direction on offense and want as many weapons as possible.
Smith stands 5-foot-10 and operates as either a wide receiver or running back. He also has experience as a return man and has excelled there, too. Whatever you want this kid to do, he will do it. With the ball in his hands, Smith is indeed a weapon. That's all he needs: a chance.
Aside from being a weapon with the ball in his hands, Smith does a lot of the little things well. He runs routes with precision and quickness. He is shifty with or without the football. He's also a willing blocker, proving time and time again that he is able to do the work most players aren't necessarily excited to do.
This is a player fans will grow to love. He can do it all, and he definitely belongs at the NFL level.