With the 2012 NFL Draft just over two months away, my first attempt at projecting the Patriots' selections:

Round 1, Pick 27: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

At this point, Sanu could be seen as a slight reach, but I think he will rise up the draft boards fast in the coming weeks. Sanu is the type of receiver that the Patriots desperately needs. He has good speed - not elite - but at 6'2" and 218 lbs, he has plenty of size and strength. He can beat any corner who presses him - something the Patriots need in a wide receiver. He's also a solid route runner and seems to be one of the most NFL ready receivers in the draft (which is something else the Patriots could use with quarterback Tom Brady's career clock ticking). Sanu would come in, and depending on whether or not the Patriots added any veterans via free agency or the draft, could get the chance to start immediately.

Round 1, Pick 31: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

I sort of struggled to make this pick. A lot of the players that I liked for the Patriots likely will go early on (Michael Brockers, Courtney Upshaw). Mark Barron is a guy the Patriots could use at a position of need - he's a big, physical, instinctive, and smart safety with a lot of talent. There's no question that Barron could make the Patriots' secondary better. The real question is, since he projects as more of a "strong" safety, whether or not he would compliment incumbent strong safety Pat Chung. My feeling is that Patriots coach Bill Belichick could make it work, with Chung playing the deep half of the field more often than not. Barron is just too good to pass up here.

Round 2, Pick 48: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

The Boykin pick is one that I'm really excited to make at this spot. Although he stands at just over 5'9", Boykin has great athleticism, closing burst, and is very experienced playing the slot. At the Senior Bowl, he proved he can play press coverage - in addition to his usual effectiveness in the zone. He also has versatility, playing some offense and also returning kicks. Overall, he seems like a perfect fit for New England's scheme, and he could instantly be plugged in as the team's "star" cornerback.

Final three picks after the jump!

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Following the Patriots' Super Bowl XLVI loss to the New York Giants, the Patriots' position in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft was set, with the team picking at 27 (from Saints) and 31. That being said, SB Nation recently released their latest mock draft, and they have the Patriots going defense with both of their picks.

At 27, they have the Patriots going with Alabama safety Mark Barron:

New England was one Lee Evans dropped pass away from sending Baltimore to the Super Bowl. Their safeties struggle in coverage, more so than their corners. Barron does a number of things well, and has a natural instinct for the game. He'll fit nicely under Bill Belichick.

The Barron pick is one that a lot of Patriots fans are happy with. He's got great size, strength, and instincts for a safety. Unfortunately, he projects as more of a strong safety due to his less than stellar man cover skills and if the Patriots drafted him, it would likely restrict Pat Chung to the free safety spot. Still, Barron is a very talented player and is the best safety in the draft - he would certainly help the Patriots at the position.

With the 31st pick, SB Nation has the Patriots selecting Illinois defensive end / outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus:

2012 is shaping up to be the year of the scheme versatile pass rusher. That probably sets up some teams for disappointment. Mercilus does not look like a prospect who will disappoint. He has the speed and power to get around blockers and get to the passer, something he did with regularity last season. If he had more than one year of starting experience under his belt, he might get picked higher. Tweener or not, he's the kind of player the Patriots will find a way to use.

Mercilus has the typical size-weight-speed the Patriots look for in their 3-4 outside linebackers, as he stands at just under 6'4" and 265 lbs, and will likely run the 40 yard dash between 4.6 and 4.7 seconds at the combine. Mercilus has the type of burst you'd want and has the ability to line up at multiple spots and relentlessly get after the quarterback. However, he was a one year wonder at Illinois (had just two sacks prior to his 16.0 sack junior season) and he is still a bit raw. Still, the Patriots could benefit from drafting a project pass rusher - and Mercilus would be just that.

We're officially onto NFL Draft season, with the NFL Combine surprisingly only two short weeks away. That being said, the NFL has officially announced the 2012 Draft Order (although we already knew where the Patriots would be picking after they lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday). It's important to note that the 8/9 picks (Dolphins and Panthers) and the 11/12 picks (Chiefs / Seahawks) still will have to be decided by coin toss. Here are the Patriots picks:

2012 NFL Draft Order: Round 1

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. St. Louis Rams

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Cleveland Browns

5. Tampa Bay Buccanneers

6. Washington Redskins

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

8. Miami Dolphins or Carolina Panthers

9. Miami Dolphins or Carolina Panthers

10. Buffalo Bills

11.Kansas City Chiefs or Seattle Seahawks

12. Kansas City Chiefs or Seattle Seahawks

13. Arizona Cardinals

14. Dallas Cowboys

15. Philadelphia Eagles

16. New York Jets

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland)

18. San Diego Chargers

19. Chicago Bears

20. Tennessee Titans

21. Cincinnati Bengals

22. Atlanta Falcons

23. Detroit Lions

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

25. Denver Broncos

26. Houston Texans

27. New England Patriots (from Saints)

28. Green Bay Packers

29. Baltimore Ravens

30. San Francisco 49ers

31. New England Patriots

32. New York Giants

Patriots draft analysis after the jump!

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