New England Patriots Mock Draft: Finding Starters in Every Round
It's no secret that earning a starting job with the New England Patriots can be a challenge. It often seems even more difficult for rookies to accomplish that task. New England is a franchise that values experience.
There's a reason why New England traded for a wide receiver this offseason rather than drafting and developing one.
This—along with the fact the team already has a championship-caliber roster—is why players drafted by the Patriots this year shouldn't count on walking into a starting role.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean New England cannot find players who can hold starting jobs before season's end. The team doesn't select before the third round, but here's something that should encourage the team's draft targets.
The Patriots care far less about draft status than some teams and much more about a player's ability to fit with the team. Just consider that Tom Brady was a sixth-round pick, Julian Edelman was a seventh-round pick and Malcolm Butler wasn't even drafted at all.
New England has shown that it can find starters at any stage of the draft. With this in mind, we're going to examine players for each round who realistically could earn starting roles as rookies.
Let's have some fun and mock up a Patriots draft full of rookie starters.
Round 3 (72nd and 96th Overall)
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No. 72: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
We mentioned Malcolm Butler as one of the New England stars who emerged from late in the draft (in his case, actually after the draft). Butler has developed into one of the top cornerbacks in the game today, but there's still a chance the restricted free agent ends up with another team before the start of the season.
Even if Butler remains a Patriot for one more year, New England may start grooming his replacement as the season wears on. This is one of the reasons why any cornerback could emerge as a starter in 2017.
To kick off our mock draft, we're selecting former Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis. He is a versatile and physical cornerback who has shown some solid coverage ability. Last season, Lewis produced 11 passes defended and two interceptions.
"Love everything about the way he plays," one NFC scouting director told NFL Media's Lance Zierlein. "He's cocky and tough and doesn't take any (expletive) from anyone. And sub-package teams will love him because he won't kill you against the run."
One constant with the Patriots defense is that it is fluid. Sub-packages are normal in New England, and players often have to fill multiple roles. If Lewis is a defensive back who can fill more than one role, he's a defensive back who can start.
No. 96: Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
An edge-rusher like former Florida State standout DeMarcus Walker can earn a starting role because the Patriots desperately need to improve their pass rush. This was one of the few true weaknesses on the defense last season.
As a team, New England was rated just 24th in pass-rushing by Pro Football Focus.
Walker isn't as highly regarded as some of the other edge-rushers in this draft class, but he has the makings of a productive pro. He racked up 16 sacks last season and finished the year rated eighth overall among collegiate edge defenders by Pro Football Focus.
Walker would likely start the season as a rotational player and a pass-rushing specialist, but he could earn the top spot at defensive end opposite Trey Flowers by the end of the season.
At 6'4" and 280 pounds, Walker has the size to anchor the end position when the Patriots are running a four-man front.
Round 4 (131st Overall)
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Josh Jones, SS, North Carolina State
If the Patriots enter the 2017 season with no changes at the safety position, they team will likely still be in good shape. The trio of Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon helped New England field one of the league's top pass defenses.
However, the team could conceivably use an upgrade over Chung, who was rated as the league's third-worst safety by Pro Football Focus last season.
This is where N.C. State product Josh Jones comes into play. The 6'1", 220-pound strong safety is a big hitter who can play the enforcer role in the middle of the field. While he can be a bit too aggressive at times, Jones has the physicality needed to provide a boost to New England's secondary.
"This guy would just as soon hit you as look at you on the football field," one AFC secondary coach told NFL Media's Lance Zierlein. "Hey, it's fun to watch his tape because he's already got that NFL mentality to him, but he gets way out of control too."
Jones amassed a whopping 109 tackles last season for the Wolfpack. He also added eight passes defended and three interceptions. He definitely has the size to be a force against the run and he has the quickness—he ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the combine—to not be a liability in coverage.
If Jones can learn to play with discipline as a rookie, he could push to take over the starting role by season's end.
Round 5 (163rd and 183rd Overall)
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No. 163: James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
The Patriots have a backfield filled with versatile players, and the team added free agent Rex Burkhead to the mix this offseason. However, the team doesn't have the type of bruising early-down runner it had in LeGarrette Blount last season.
University of Pittsburgh product James Conner could step in and fill this role.
Conner doesn't possess world-class speed—he ran a 4.65-second 40 at the combine—but he is a big, physical and punishing runner. At 6'1" and 233 pounds, Conner can be a beast between the tackles. He used his physical traits to amass more than 1,000 yards rushing for the Panthers last season.
Conner could be a force on early downs and late in games when the team is looking to put the game away.
Because of the talent New England already has in its backfield, the Patriots do not need to draft a running back early. They can land a guy like Conner in the middle rounds to fill the starter's role.
No. 183: Ejuan Price, LB, Pittsburgh
The Patriots can help bolster their defense by adding Conner's former teammate, Ejuan Price, to their fifth-round haul.
A defensive lineman at Pitt, Price projects as an outside linebacker in New England's defense. At just 5'11" and 241 pounds, he's likely too undersized to anchor the end position. Price's ability to rush the quarterback from the edge, though, should get him some early work at the outside linebacker spot, and he may then be able to push for a starting job next to standout Dont'a Hightower.
Price managed to rack up 13.0 sacks last season and 24.5 sacks over the past two. Pro Football Focus rated him 10th overall among collegiate edge defenders in 2016.
Price could last this late in the draft because of the defensive depth in the draft class and because of his subpar physical traits. Price isn't the biggest edge defender and he isn't exceptionally quick either—he ran a 4.84-second 40 at the combine. However, Price has a motor that the Patriots should love.
"He's got some physical limitations, which will keep him from getting picked early, but I see an NFL rusher," one NFC scouting director told NFL Media's Lance Zierlein. "He's strong and twitchy and can finish when he gets the tackle beat."
While Price's lack of speed could make him a liability in coverage, he could be a solid early-down outside linebacker who rushes the passer and bears down on the run.
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Round 6 (200th Overall)
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T.J. Logan, RB, North Carolina
One thing the Patriots do not need is another shifty, undersized running back. Why then are we mocking 5'9", 196-pound T.J. Logan here? We're doing it because of Logan's return ability.
The Patriots have some solid returner options, but flaws surround each of them.
Edelman can be a quality returner, but the Patriots shouldn't want to overwork their most consistent wideout. Danny Amendola—who has a cap hit of nearly $8 million in 2017—could potentially be a cap casualty now that the Patriots have added Cooks. Dion Lewis has struggled to stay healthy and is only under contract for another season.
When the team tried a different option last season, it was a disaster—Pro Football Focus rated Cyrus Jones the worst return specialist in the entire NFL.
Logan, who ran a blazing 4.37-second 40 at the combine, could immediately take over as the team's starting return specialist. He averaged an impressive 32.86 yards per kickoff return in 2016 and scored twice.
As a rookie, Logan could potentially add an explosive element to New England's special teams. Beyond 2017, he could take over the scatback roles held by Lewis and James White. Both Lewis and White are scheduled to become free agents next offseason.
Round 7 (239th Overall)
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Players drafted in the seventh round are generally projects, and this is exactly what Temple product Nate Hairston is. After spending most of his career as an underused receiver, Hairston decided to make the switch to cornerback. Though he spent just one season with significant time at the position, Hairston did show some promise.
Harston produced 27 tackles, three passes defended and two interceptions in 2016. Pro Football Focus rated him 57th overall among all college cornerbacks.
What the Patriots would be getting in Hairston is a player the team can mold in its own image. He's extremely raw as a defender, but the talent and the instincts are there. At 6'0" and 196 pounds, Hairston also possesses the size teams look for in a starting cornerback.
It's difficult to see Hairston starting at cornerback early in his rookie season, but it's easy to see him getting on the field. As a former receiver, Hairston could fill a variety of roles, and head coach Bill Belichick should have some fun finding ways to utilize him.
If Hairston develops quickly, he could potentially earn a starting spot by the end of the season, especially if it becomes clear that Butler's future isn't in New England.
All prospect measurements via NFL.com.
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