Wheeling and dealing once again, it was late Friday night before the New England Patriots made their first pick in the 2017 draft. Normally this would just be the Patriots accruing picks, but they spent a lot of their draft capital this season on trades. Bill Belichick is making the most of his final years with Tom Brady and doesn’t have the luxury of developing draft picks to do it.
Still, the Patriots did manage to make some selections and still have four more picks on the board for Saturday.
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Round 3, Pick 83: Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State
2016: 58 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, one pass defense
Who I had them taking: Round 3, Pick 72 – Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU
2016: 234 carries, 1,375 yards, 12 touchdowns, seven catches, 80 yards
With LeGarette Blount out on the streets, I kind of figured the Patriots might want to bring in his replacement with Williams. The good news for them is they still can later as he’s still available as the fourth round begins.
Rivers is an interesting pick because he’s so raw. The talent and NFL size is there, at 6-5 and 250 pounds, but he’s more of an NFL outside linebacker than a fist in the dirt defensive end. Maybe Belichick is thinking he’ll convert back to a 3-4 in a couple of years. Rivers contribution as a rookie will be as a pure, third-down rusher and not much else.
Round 3, Pick 85: Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy
Who I had them taking: Round 3, Pick 96 – Cameron Tom, Center, Southern Mississippi
The Patriots traded up to nab Garcia, who instantly adds depth to their offensive line and could be a potential starter at right tackle in a couple of seasons. Garcia has started 42 games in three seasons at left tackle for Troy and at 6-6 and 302 pounds, is the prototype size to play tackle in the NFL.
I had Garcia gone by the time the Patriots picked at No. 96 in my mock and recognizing, like they did, they need to boost up their offensive line added Tom. He’s still on the board for day three if they want him.
Round 4, Pick 131: Jayon Brown, OLB, UCLA
2016: 119 tackles, seven for a loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, six passes defended, two fumble recoveries
Who I had them taking: Round 4, Pick 131 – Dylan Cole, OLB, Missouri State
2016: 141 tackles, eight for a loss, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, four passes defended
Brown fills the same need Cole does, with better value and talent. Brown, more than any other player they’ve picked (or pretend picked here in my mock) actually has the ability to start early for the Patriots if called into service.
Round 5, Pick 163: No pick – trade
Who I had them taking: Round 5, Pick 163 – Chad Williams, WR, Grambling
2016: 90 catches, 1,337 yards, 11 touchdowns, one pass, 32 yards, one passing touchdown, one rush, six yards, five punt returns, 39 yards
The 6-2 Williams would have been long gone at this point anyway. The Arizona Cardinals snagged him in the third round.
Round 5, Pick 183: Joe Williams, RB, Utah
2016: 210 carries, 1,407 yards, 10 touchdowns, nine catches, 107 yards
Who I had them taking: Round 5, Pick 183 – Johnathan Ford, Safety, Auburn
2016: 64 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, seven passes defended
Since the Patriots skipped out on taking a running back in the third round, I’m giving them a different Williams here in the fifth. He’s not quite the bruiser that Jaamal Williams is, but he’s a solid, between the tackles runner that is used to working out of the spread. Ford would still be a solid pick here, but the Patriots could probably grab him later.
Round 6, Pick 200: DeAngelo Brown, DT, Louisville
2016: 40 tackles, 13 for a loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery
Who I had them taking: Round 6, Pick 200 – Keion Adams, DE, Western Michigan
2016: 49 tackles, 18 for a loss, 7.5 sacks, one fumble recovery
Brown gives the Patriots a sturdier defensive lineman at 6-1 and 310 pounds on the inside. Adams would have been a solid pick, but they already took a light in the ass end rusher with Rivers in the third round. They won’t pick two guys to play defensive line under 250 pounds.
Round 7, Pick 239: Nate Hairston, CB, Temple
2016: 27 tackles, three for a loss, two interceptions, three passes defended
Finally a pick I didn’t have to change. Hairston adds corner depth to the Patriots and a 6-0, 193-pound body to try to mold into a legit NFL starter in the future.
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