Hot Takes, Predictions for Patriots Rookies After 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL draft could not have started any better for the New England Patriots.
New England dropped down three spots through a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers and still got an impact cornerback in Oregon's Christian Gonzalez.
The 12-man draft class is one of the more robust groups in the NFL, but Bill Belichick and his staff will be judged mostly on the Gonzalez pick at No. 17.
Gonzalez should walk on to the field as a Week 1 starter, and he can be the star of a young cornerback group that includes 2022 draft picks Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones.
Gonzalez could be exclusively judged on his success against Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Garrett Wilson in the Patriots' six AFC East contests.
The other high picks in the Patriots' draft class can make an impact on the front seven, but they will not be thrust into a starting role, like Gonzalez.
Offensively, the Patriots are still searching for additional help for Mac Jones, but they may avoid the free-agent and trade markets if one of their Day 3 picks makes an impact in training camp.
Christian Gonzalez Needs to Be a Star Right Away
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Gonzalez comes into the NFL with the pressure to be a star right away in the New England secondary.
He needs to fill that role immediately because of the schedule the Patriots face in the AFC East.
New England's secondary has arguably the toughest set of opposing wideouts to deal with in divisional play across the entire league between Diggs, Hill, Waddle and Wilson.
Add in Aaron Rodgers' presence inside the New York Jets offense and you have two of the top quarterbacks in the league to deal with between him and Josh Allen. If Tua Tagovailoa progresses in 2023, the AFC East could have three of the best passing attacks in the league.
Gonzalez comes into the NFL off his most successful college campaign in which he produced seven passes defended and four interceptions. He recorded his second straight 50-tackle season as well.
Gonzalez's physical presence on the outside has the opportunity to make an impact in the individual matchups in AFC East play.
The No. 17 pick will be tested outside of the division as well since the Patriots face the entire AFC West and NFC East in 2023.
The rookie corner may not shut down every No. 1 wide receiver he faces, but if he comes away with a high success rate in defending, he could be in the mix for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Keion White, Marte Mapu Thrive in Pass-Rushing Roles
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The Patriots' second- and third-round picks enter the NFL with far less fanfare than Gonzalez.
That is natural when those selections are defenders out of Georgia Tech and Sacramento State, two collegiate programs that are not exactly in the Saturday spotlight.
Second-round selection Keion White should bolster the team's pass rush. He had 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his final season at Georgia Tech.
Those are not the only numbers that stand out on White's collegiate stat sheet. He had 19 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2019, his sophomore season at Old Dominion.
The Patriots drafted an experienced pass-rusher who thrived in Conference USA and in the ACC. White's adaptability from those two levels of the collegiate game could help him mix in right away with the Patriots front seven.
Third-round pick Marte Mapu is more of an unknown because he came out of Sacramento State, but he garnered plenty of praise from draft experts.
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah praised his coverage ability prior to the draft, and the Senior Bowl's Jim Nagy showed what Mapu is capable of on film.
Mapu has been listed as a linebacker and a safety, and his biggest impact may be felt at linebacker because of the young secondary depth the Patriots possess.
It may not matter where Mapu lines up if he can make a hard-hitting impact on the pass-rush and guard against the run in the trenches.
He is more of an unknown than most Day 1 and 2 selections, but if there is anyone to trust with those types of players, it is Belichick. After all, this is the head coach who landed Cole Strange out of Chattanooga in the first round in 2022 and turned him into a starter on the offensive line.
Kayshon Boutte Turns Into New England's Day 3 Steal
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New England's offseason grade at wide receiver is still incomplete because it did not make a massive stride forward in the draft.
LSU's Kayshon Boutte was the first wideout chosen by the Patriots in the sixth round. They also took Liberty's Demario Douglas in the sixth round.
Boutte was a playmaker for LSU when he was on the field during his three seasons, and his potential should excite the Patriots' offensive staff.
Boutte had at least 38 receptions and 500 receiving yards in all three of his collegiate seasons. He left LSU with 16 total touchdowns, including nine in 2021.
Those statistics are more remarkable when you consider LSU was a program in transition after it won the national championship with Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Co. in 2020.
Boutte's nine-score season in 2021 came over just six games. If the Patriots get that type of production over a 17-game season, they could have one of the biggest Day 3 steals on their hands.
Boutte will have to work his way up the depth chart, which is led by JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker, but there is room to progress over Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton and others if he makes a splash in preseason.
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