The first round of the NFL draft is over, but the Patriots are in a fantastic spot to take advantage of all of the talent that remains on the board after the first day of the draft. Let's look at the Patriots biggest needs to see which players are still available.
Running Back
Ezekiel Elliott went to the Cowboys and is the only running back off the board.
Single dimensional power rushers like Derrick Henry and Jordan Howard are both available, as are versatile do-it-alls like Paul Perkins, Kenneth Dixon, and Devontae Booker. The Patriots could have their pick of the litter at the end of the second.
Wide Receiver
Corey Coleman went to the Browns, Will Fuller went to the Texans, Josh Doctson went to Washington, and Laquon Treadwell went to Minnesota.
Those were regarded as the Big Four prospects, with players like Michael Thomas, Sterling Shepard, Tyler Boyd, and Leonte Carroo in the next tier. It's unlikely that more than one of those players will reach the Patriots, so the talent is already thinning.
Offensive Tackle
Ronnie Staley went to the Ravens, Jack Conklin went to the Titans, Laremy Tunsil went to the Dolphins, Taylor Decker went to the Lions, and Germain Ifedi went to the Seahawks.
Jason Spriggs remains the only viable option at tackle in the second round, unless the Patriots feel like taking on a major project like Le'Raven Clark. The Patriots would be better off just dipping into the next tier of players with lower upside, but proven ability like Kyle Murphy in the 3rd round.
Defensive Tackle
DeForest Buckner went to the 49ers, Sheldon Rankins went to the Saints, Kenny Clark went to the Packers, Robert Nkemdiche went to the Cardinals, and Vernon Butler went to the Panthers.
There are still plenty of players on the board, including Andrew Billings, Jarran Reed, A'Shawn Robinson, Chris Jones, and Austin Johnson- and that's not including the next tier like Sheldon Day, Maliek Collins, and Javon Hargrave. The Patriots could actually sit until the third round due to the depth still on the board, because it's unlikely that all of the players will be gone by the end of day two.
Edge Defenders
Joey Bosa went to the Chargers, Leonard Floyd went to the Bears Shaq Lawson went to the Bills.
There are still plenty of pass rushers available, including first round names like Noah Spence, Jonathan Bullard, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Kevin Dodd. There's a slim chance they could make it down, but there are enough quality players on the board that the Patriots could get a top 40 prospect at the position like Shilique Calhoun.
Linebacker
Darron Lee went to the Jets.
Seriously. Myles Jack is available. Jaylon Smith is available. Reggie Ragland is available. Josh Perry is available. Su'a Cravens is available. There are a ton of players still here and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Patriots wound up taking a linebacker in the second round, just because the team had a first round grade on the prospect.
Cornerback
Jalen Ramsey went to the Jaguars, Eli Apple went to the Giants, Vernon Hargreaves III went to the Buccaneers, William Jackson III went to the Bengals, and Artie Burns went to the Steelers.
Mackensie Alexander remains the last blue chip cornerback on the board and he probably won't escape the top 40. The drop between the first round prospects and the next tier is pretty severe, so don't be surprised if the Patriots sit on their hands at this position until the third round.
Safety
Karl Joseph went to the Raiders, Keanu Neal went to the Falcons.
After an early pair of picks, the rest of the safeties remained on the board. Vonn Bell, Darian Thompson, Jeremy Cash, Sean Davis, and Justin Simmons are all options in the second and could very well be worth an early pick.
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If I were the Patriots, I'd aim to leave the second day of the draft with a couple more picks in the 4th and 5th rounds, but I'd target players like edge defender Shilique Calhoun in the second round, and then grab a defensive tackle, a defensive back, and an offensive skill player (Perkins? Carroo?). That'd be a great haul.