Predicting the Patriots’ first-round pick feels like a fool’s errand because it often is.
But will that stop us from trying? Ha.
Welcome to the end of draft season, where the mock drafts, player projections and bold predictions are almost behind us. Almost.
In the Herald’s final seveb-round Patriots mock draft, the team adds Clemson edge rusher Myles Murphy at 14th overall. But if Bill Belichick makes a different selection tonight, expect him to work from this list of the five other most likely Patriots first-round picks.
Georgia OT Broderick Jones
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 311
A projected top-15 pick, Jones could allow the Patriots to simultaneously address a top need and select the best player available. What could be better than that?
Only 21 years old, Jones is arguably the most physically gifted tackle in this class. He is immensely powerful, explosive out of his stance and plays with a mean streak. Scouts describe him as having the feet of a basketball player, making him tough to get around. And despite his inexperience, he had zero holding penalties last year.
Jones leaves Georgia as a one-year starter at left tackle who didn’t allow one sack during a national championship campaign. With some refinement, he projects as a future Pro Bowler at a premium position.
Tennessee OT Darnell Wright
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 333
Wright would be a plug-and-play starter at right tackle, where the Patriots present and future remains unsettled despite signing Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson in free agency. He allowed the third-lowest pressure rate in the FBS last year and bulldozes defenders as a run-blocker. And no one produced more impressive single-game tapes than him.
Against Alabama, Wright dominated edge rusher Will Anderson, a projected top-5 pick, in their head-to-head matchup last season. He also handled LSU’s B.J. Ojulari, a borderline first-round pick, and battled Clemson’s Bryan Bresee, a top-50 prospect, to a draw. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout with the Eagles and Ravens, believes Wright has a case for being the best offensive tackle in the class.
Bottom line: Wright checks every box for Patriots O-lineman as a smart, tough and athletic enough lineman with plus tape.
Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Ht/Wt: 6-0, 197
An explosive athlete who projects as a man-to-man corner, Banks has reportedly crept up draft boards the last few months. Don’t be surprised if one of them belongs to the Patriots.
Banks has 4.3 speed and an incredible ability to mirror opposing receivers through their routes. He allowed just 43% of his targets to be completed last season and played in a variety of coverages. If the coaching staff can smooth out some kinks in his press technique and refine his ball skills, Banks could challenge for a starting job right away.
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
Ht/Wt: 6-1, 170
If the Patriots trade back from 14th overall, Forbes should be on the short list of their targets in the late teens or early 20s. He checks all the major boxes for potential Patriots cornerbacks: ball skills, quicks and man-coverage skills.
Forbes finished his college career with 14 interceptions, including six he returned for touchdowns. Forbes’ game was forged in the fires of the SEC, where he faced some of the nation’s best receivers week in and week out. At 6-foot-1, he would provide a much needed size upgrade for a smaller group of cornerbacks. If the front office isn’t concerned about how thin he is, they should jump at the chance to add him.
The 10 NFL Draft prospects who best fit the Patriots after the 1st round
Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
Ht/Wt: 6-4, 265
Looking for a sleeper pick? Start with Mayer.
He's a throwback player who could push Hunter Henry for the starting job this season and replace him and/or Mike Gesicki next year, when both veterans' contracts will be up. Mayer is universally regarded as a top-two prospect among tight ends, and the safest pick in this class. He's punishing as a blocker and savvy with his routes, something few, if any, other tight ends in this draft can say.
Mayer caught 67 passes for 809 yards and nine touchdowns last season despite being an obvious go-to guy. The only knock on him is his long speed, but historically the Patriots haven't prioritized that at the position. Mayer wins where they want him to: down the seam, on contested catches and blocking in-line.
Best of all, he's been compared to future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Witten during the draft process.
