Smonze'S MOCK DRAFT

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  • Smonze DRAFTING FOR THE
    Patriots
Draft Selections
Joe Alt Head Shot
PICK: 4 RND: 1 (NE)
Joe Alt
OT Notre Dame
Amarius Mims Head Shot
PICK: 27 RND: 1 (NE)
Amarius Mims
OT Georgia
Brian Thomas Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 34 RND: 2 (NE)
Brian Thomas Jr.
WR LSU
Payton Wilson Head Shot
PICK: 68 RND: 3 (NE)
Payton Wilson
LB North Carolina State
Cade Stover Head Shot
PICK: 90 RND: 3 (NE)
Cade Stover
TE-EDGE Ohio State
Malachi Corley Head Shot
PICK: 103 RND: 4 (NE)
Malachi Corley
WR Western Kentucky
Dylan Laube Head Shot
PICK: 139 RND: 5 (NE)
Dylan Laube
RB New Hampshire
Braelon Allen Head Shot
PICK: 182 RND: 6 (NE)
Braelon Allen
RB Wisconsin
AJ Barner Head Shot
PICK: 188 RND: 6 (NE)
AJ Barner
TE Michigan
Joshua Cephus Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (NE)
Joshua Cephus
WR UTSA
Phil Jurkovec Head Shot
PICK: 232 RND: 7 (NE)
Phil Jurkovec
QB Pittsburgh
Draft Picks Received
Joe Alt Head Shot
PICK: 4 RND: 1 (ARI)
Joe Alt
OT Notre Dame
Amarius Mims Head Shot
PICK: 27 RND: 1 (ARI)
Amarius Mims
OT Georgia
Cade Stover Head Shot
PICK: 90 RND: 3 (ARI)
Cade Stover
TE-EDGE Ohio State
AJ Barner Head Shot
PICK: 188 RND: 6 (ARI)
AJ Barner
TE Michigan
Draft Picks Traded
Malik Nabers Head Shot
PICK: 3 RND: 1 (ARI)
Malik Nabers
WR LSU
Players Gained
Head Shot
Budda Baker
S
Draft Grade — Patriots
Overall B+
ValueB NeedB TradesA+ FutureB-
The Patriots let Allen fall and pounced. Final grade: B+.

If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Patriots, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. They moved the roster forward and banked a B+ for it.

Allen falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.

The Stover pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots. They will need Cephus to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it.

In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.

Pick Analysis
Pick4 Rnd1 Joe Alt
In the 4th overall pick they get a blindside protector at fair value.
Pick27 Rnd1 Amarius Mims
In No. 27 they get an anchor for the offensive line. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick34 Rnd2 Brian Thomas Jr.
Good price on Brian Thomas Jr. in pick No. 34, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick68 Rnd3 Payton Wilson
Payton Wilson in the 68th pick is fair value, right on his grade. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Pick90 Rnd3 Cade Stover
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Cade Stover at TE-EDGE with edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots open.
Pick103 Rnd4 Malachi Corley
Malachi Corley at Round 4, Pick 3 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick139 Rnd5 Dylan Laube
Dylan Laube at slot 139 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick182 Rnd6 Braelon Allen
They barely believed it either: Braelon Allen still on the board at the Round 6 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick188 Rnd6 AJ Barner
AJ Barner in No. 188 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick224 Rnd7 Joshua Cephus
The board had cheaper options than Joshua Cephus at the 224th pick, and it noticed. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick232 Rnd7 Phil Jurkovec
Phil Jurkovec at pick 232 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A need, and now a little less of one.