Freeland1787's Second Round Board

The first round of the draft often brings excitement to a franchise while the second round is often where teams opt to go for the best value possible. In case you missed it, here is my First Round Board.The New England Patriots have drafted many players in the second round become major contributors. Big contributors to the 2014 Super Bowl championship run such as TE Rob Gronkowski (2010), RB Shane Vereen (2011), LB Jamie Collins (2013), and RT Sebastian Vollmer (2009) were all drafted in the second round. Now here's my 2nd round board for the 2015 NFL Draft:

There are a lot of different prospects that qualify for a second round selection, often because they are first rounders that slip through due to off-field flags. Whether it's injuries, athleticism not matching the tape, high floor players that have very limited upside for the future, athletically gifted players with raw football skills, or behavioral issues, many times proving to be a better value than a first round pick if the players pan out. Not everyone on this list will go in the second round, as some will be selected in the first round due to the fact I have only 24 prospects listed on my first round board. My criteria for second round prospects typically ask for players who can play multiple special teams units in addition to serving a prominent role on the offense/defense. The player does not have to be a superstar to be successful in that capacity.

For the Patriots, the second round could be where they address their long term need to draft an interior lineman. Bryan Stork is entrenched at the center position for the next three seasons with Ryan Wendell and Cameron Fleming competing for the right guard job. Dan Connolly is bouncing around teams in free agency while still not having signed a contract yet. Whether the Patriots retain the 33-year-old likely doesn't change that particular need. A potential game-changer in this round would be the Patriots trading back from the 32nd pick of the draft to the top of the second round where they could get a cornerback or a defensive lineman. My favorite prospects on this board include ED Eli Harold, CB Kevin Johnson, CB/S Eric Rowe, DT Xavier Cooper, LB Bernardrick McKinney and ED Lorenzo Mauldin.