Patriots 7-Round Mock Draft: First-round trade-down makes for impressive haul

Patriots 7-Round Mock Draft: No quarterback? No problem

Patriots select Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State, with pick No. 180

Now that James Ferentz has decided to retire and we haven't seen much from Jake Andrews, the Patriots' decision to draft another center makes sense. That's why, in this mock draft,, they select Hunter Nourzad from Penn State.

Besides backing up David Andrews, Nourzad adds a versatility that the Patriots love with their offensive linemen. He has experience playing all over the line, both left and right tackle, center and left/right guard.

Because injuries have created significant problems for the group over the past two years, having a guy like Nourzad who can easily play out of position when asked to and play well makes him all the more valuable.

Patriots select Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana, with pick No. 193

Who says you shouldn't take four offensive linemen in one draft?

With so many issues stemming from the lack of reliability of the offensive line last year, stacking the tackle positions seems like the easiest solution. Nathan Thomas would backup Morgan and could grow to be a good rotational piece in the future.

Although his stats won't jump off the page, Thomas was a stout protector of his quarterback throughout the last three seasons, allowing just seven total sacks, and proved to be the same as a pass/run blocker.

Patriots select Joshua Karty, K, Stanford, with pick No. 231

The uncertainty surrounding Chad Ryland after a rough rookie season in 2023 opens the door for the Patriots to use their final pick of the draft on a top special teams prospect.

Joshua Karty from Stanford would be a great pick to cap off the draft. He would provide some depth on special teams and competition for Ryland to remain the starter.

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