It’s draft week, which means we’ll soon be writing draft grades articles instead of mock draft articles. However, there’s still time for one last mock. I went for upside on this one, but I think you’ll like it. Give it a read and let me know what you think in the comments.
As a reminder, I don’t draft the same player twice in my mock, so, if you can’t find your draft crush, he might be in another one, which you can find here: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0
Also, I am using the rankings from Arif Hasan’s consensus big board in parentheses to give you a reference of how each player is seen in the draft community.
TRADE: Patriots trade 1-31 to Cardinals for 2-34 and 5-143: Arizona moves up to take their quarterback of the future, and the Patriots trade back three spots while picking up an extra fifth-rounder and still getting one of the guys they are targeting.
2-34: G Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon | No. 41): The Patriots might have five starters locked in on the offensive line for this season, but they should think about the future as well. Alijah Vera-Tucker is an injury risk, while Mike Onwenu is entering the final year of his contract. That’s where Pregnon comes into play.
He is a physical, nasty, and strong player at guard who has the ability to step in and start on Day 1. His demeanor would fit what the Patriots want from their linemen, and I think that he would actually elevate the offensive line in the long run. He might not be the quickest guy, but if he gets his 11-inch hands on you, it’s over. The Patriots could use someone like him on the offensive line.
TRADE: Patriots trade 2-63, 4-125, and 6-191 to Steelers for 2-53: The Patriots move up in the second round by packaging one of their fourth-rounders with a sixth-round pick to get a guy that they want. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh picks up a few more slots to add to their arsenal for this year’s draft.
2-53: ED Gabe Jacas (Illinois | No. 50): The Patriots need help on the edge, and they move up to get a player who brings a ton of power to the position. Jacas is strong at the point of attack and against the run, and he shows a good ability to turn his power into a pass rush as well. He was a team captain, and fits not only what they want from their players on the field, but off of it as well. Matthew Judon is a comp that he has received, and you can see that on his film. Jacas might not end up being an All-Pro at the position, but he looks like a guy that should have a long career as a solid player in the NFL.
3-95: WR De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss | No. 105): How do you feel about a 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver who runs a 4.36-second 40-yard dash? If you like the way that sounds, that’s what you’re getting with Stribling.
His speed shows up on film, and he is a pretty decent route runner as well. In addition to his receiving talent, he is one of the best run-blocking receivers in the class as well. Whether or not the Patriots trade for A.J. Brown, Stribling can help elevate this receiver room. Remember that Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas are all on expiring deals, so the position is still a little up in the air after this season. Stribling would help make it more explosive, while also giving Drake Maye another good contested catch target as well.
4-131: CB Tacario Davis (Washington | No. 119): Davis isn’ t a perfect prospect, but you can’t teach size or speed, and he has both of them in spades. He stands at almost 6-foot-4 and runs a 4.41-second 40-yard dash. That type of guy doesn’t grow on trees. He does struggle at times with his lateral agility, but the prospect of adding a guy this big and fast to the defense is extremely exciting. He’s great in press man coverage, but he does a good enough job in zone that there’s a chance he could be a safety conversion if it doesn’t work at corner. Whatever position he winds up at, betting on athletic traits in the secondary usually is a decent plan.
5-143: TE Jack Endries (Texas | No. 124): The Patriots need help at tight end, and they want a guy who can both be a run blocker and receiver. Endries is a solid mix of both. He’s a three-year starter who has a decent amount of production, and was also a freshman All-American when he played with Fernando Mendoza. He needs to improve his strength to help with run blocking, but he shows flashes of being able to hold up. He is also a contested catch monster. Getting him with a fifth-rounder feels like a win.
5-171: OT Diego Pounds (Ole Miss | No. 180): Tackle depth is another need for the Patriots, and they get a mammoth here in the fifth round with Pounds. He’s 6-foot-6, 325 pounds with almost 34-inch arms. He’s also a pretty fluid mover for his size. He’s going to need some work on his technique, and his pass blocking is better than his run blocking, but the hope is that a year with the Patriots coaching staff, as well as learning from Morgan Moses, will get him ready to step in and start when time comes. When you’re taking a tackle on Day 3, you’re looking for size and traits, and Pounds has enough of both to make this a smart pick.
6-198: RB/WR Eli Heidenreich (Navy | No. 209): The Patriots have already drafted a receiver, but Heidenreich is one of the most intriguing Day 3 prospects in this year’s draft. His testing metrics are almost identical to Christian McCaffrey’s, and his tape shows a guy who is super elusive after the catch. He played wide receiver at Navy, but, at the next level, he projects more as a receiving back than a wideout. Regardless of where he plays, he’s a weapon. I like taking a shot on a guy like him to see what he can do for Drake Maye in a Josh McDaniels-led offense.
6-202: DB Lorenzo Styles Jr. (Ohio St | No. 280): Did I mention that you’re looking for traits on Day 3? How about a guy who ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, and transitioned from receiver to defensive back while in college? Styles has improved his technique the last few years, but he still has a long way to go. Luckily, he’s a willing special teams player, who did a lot for Ohio State there, which includes returning a kickoff for a touchdown. He also is a great leader off the field as well, and should fit in nicely with the Patriots culture. He’s a project but in the sixth round you’re taking swings, and I really like the swing here for Styles.
6-212: DE Uar Bernard (IPPP | N/A): We’re going totally off the board here, but Bernard made waves in the NFL community after he put on an absolute show at the HBCU Showcase. He measured in at 6-foot-4 and 306 pounds, and had a 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-10 broad jump. Oh, and he ran a 4.63-second in the 40-yard dash. He’s immensely raw as a football player, but he’s a ridiculous athlete who won’t count against the 90-man roster for training camp, since he is part of the International Player Pathway Program. As a developmental player, you can’t get a guy with much more physical potential than Bernard, so that’s a swing that’s definitely worth taking here at the end of the sixth round.
7-247: LB Erick Hunter (Morgan State | N/A): The NFL is moving to positionless football on the backend, and Hunter is a perfect fit for that. The FBS star also put on a show at the HBCU Showcase, running a 4.48-second 40 time, 4.21-second short shuttle, combined with a 10-foot-10 broad and 37-inch vertical jump. The explosion and coverage skills are real, as he showed it all over his tape at Morgan State. With the changing defenses in the NFL, he could find himself a role in the league someday.
So, that is it for my final mock draft of the offseason. Some trades early on, some needs being addressed, and some traits-based drafting in the later rounds. What do you think? Any particular picks that you did or didn’t like? Please let us know down below.
