NFL Spot: What Would the Patriots’ Worst Scenario Look Like?

The New England Patriots are a bit disappointed when it comes to the concept, as they are going to choose where the highest level of talent is going to run out at most positions. In this mockery, therefore, I chose to do it without trade and try to put together a worst case for the club.

Let’s start by looking at the first 14 picks before New England would be at No. 15:

1: JAX – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2: NYJ – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3: SF – Justin Fields, QB, State of Ohio
4: ATL – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota
5: CIN – Kyle Pitts, “TE”, Florida
6: MIA – Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
7: DET – JaMarr Chase, WR, LSU
8: ENGINE – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
9: DEN – Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
10: DAL – Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
11: NYG – Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
12: PHI – Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
13: LAC – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
14: MIN – Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwest

1st Round, 15th Overall: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech

Other Considerations: WR Rashod Bateman, DE Jaelen Phillips, LB Zaven Collins

At this point of advice, I felt that Teven Jenkins, Collins and Farley had the best value. Everyone would get into situations where they do not have to start as freshmen right away, but will get the chance in a year.

Since the Patriots can draft on Day 2 for Pete Werner or Dylan Moses, I felt they could afford to pass on Collins if they could not find a back-earning partner. Jenkins has all the advantages of being a successful referee in the NFL, but the first round is perhaps too rich for the Patriots. Logan Mankins is the only offensive linebacker from the first round the Patriots have drawn since 2000, which did not start primarily with the left-back, but that is because Matt Matt started there.

While the Patriots have a decent depth as a linebacker and tackle, they do not have much depth in the corner position. They do have Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson under team control for another year, but there is no one behind them. Jason McCourty looks like a possible pick-up to the concept to fill in the graph, and Joejuan Williams has not played well enough in two years to earn a constant role in defense.

Farley, meanwhile, has the length and athleticism to be a leading frontier corner, and the IQ to be successful in covering both man and zone.

However, he also has problems. He has a particular injury history that includes an ACL injury as first-year and back spasms that affected him most of 2019. He is also a relative newcomer to the position, moving from the quarterback position at the university. He is also a bit inconsistent with a tackler, although this can be easily corrected with the right coaching.

Farley will need to be trained a bit to be able to recognize routes in the zone and extra-male coverage and make breaks on the ball. The idea is to have him teach at one of the best certificates ever wearing a Patriots uniform in Gilmore before taking over next year if Gilmore or Jackson left in a free agency.

2nd round, 46th overall: QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

Other options considered: OT Sam Cosmi, LB Jabrill Cox, LB Dylan Moses, FS Jevon Holland

Between the first and second rounds of the Patriots, I expect Kyle Trask to go off the board. Maybe not to a quarterback-needy team, but rather one that can afford to develop itself behind an established starter. While the Patriots miss Trask, they focus their attention on another SEC starting QB in Kellen Mond.

The Patriots apparently kept in touch with the former Texas A&M QB, with him and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels exchanging texts. It could mean a lot of interest, or it’s a giant smokescreen, but I wonder if it’s those who the Patriots realistically think they can get on Day 2.

Mouth is the closest QB to watch all of the Patriots’ subjects on quarterback with 33 starts in his career, a 26-7 record and the completion rate of more than 60 percent in his last two seasons. He also boasts an arm of the NFL caliber and shows adjustments in the short and intermediate passes, but will sometimes be too confident and make poor decisions. He does struggle with awaiting throws and passes in the field outside the numbers. Luckily for him, the Patriots attack works from the inside out with a few stiff points to throw between Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry.

Mouth’s ability to manage the game, provide enough scrimmage to keep momentum alive, and quick release should make him a potential mid- to low-level starting quarterback in the right system and with the right coaching. He would make a better backup for Cam Newton in 2021 than Jarrett Stidham, with his skill set closer to that of the Patriots’ likely starter, aiming to give him the keys to the franchise a year or two later.

3rd Round, 96th Overall: LB Pete Werner, Ohio State

After gaining a prospect on the front corner and their development back, the Patriots turn their attention to trying to pick someone up to develop in the defensive front seven. The team has many options to consider in the defensive line or lineout ball; here I went with Pete Werner as the best choice here as he will take over the role of Ja’Whaun Bentley as the primary linebacker of the team while the team Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy move.

Werner is an old-fashioned linebacker who tackles the attack and is agile enough to stay in the middle of the midfield or in the man against slower tight end points and fullbacks. His role in New England would mostly be in the early downward direction, while he would be replaced for Chase Winovich and Josh Uche when the Patriots want to put their best passers on the field.