The 2018 NFL draft is officially over! 256 players heard their name called, from first overall selection Baker Mayfield to Mr. Irrelevant, wide receiver Trey Quinn – nine of them were picked by the New England Patriots. Let's take a look at the newest members of the team:
1-23: OT Isaiah Wynn: The Patriots added a versatile and technically sound offensive lineman to their line by picking Georgia’s Isaiah Wynn, who has experience playing both guard and tackle. Despite his relatively small build, he could compete for the starting left offensive tackle spot.
1-31: RB Sony Michel: One half of the Bulldogs’ dynamic backfield duo, Sony Michel is a lower-upside option as a runner when compared to Nick Chubb, but offers a bit more in the passing game. Michel is a sound route runner and a solid pass protector and despite not producing spectacular stats as a pass catcher has the makings of a good all-around back at the next level.
2-56: CB Duke Dawson: After two trade-downs, New England moved up the board to select a physical slot cornerback out of Florida. Dawson enters a deep cornerback group and will compete against Eric Rowe, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones and Cyrus Jones for practice and playing time.
5-143: LB Ja’whaun Bentley: An off-the-ball linebacker that registered 272 tackles over the course of his career, Bentley is a physical player that lacks speed but comes with plenty of strength. A potential depth option and special teamer.
6-178: LB Christian Sam: An agile defender, Sam has the ability to cover running backs and tight ends in the open field. Sam possesses NFL size, speed, and quickness, but isn’t exceptional in any of those categories. He could be a solid long-term solution for the Patriots that doesn’t earn league-wide accolades.
7-210: WR Braxton Berrios: When Berrios committed to Miami, he was called a “Wes Welker clone” given his frame and ability to perform on offense and in the return game. Serving those multiple roles, the wide receiver had a breakout campaign in 2017: He caught 55 passes for 679 yards and 9 touchdowns and also averaged 15.9 yards per punt return – all career-highs.
7-219: QB Danny Etling: A slightly smaller quarterback at 6’2, Etling started his career at Purdue before transferring to LSU. He completed 60% of his passes in 2017 for 2,463 yards, 16 touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.
7-243: CB Keion Crossen: A two-year starter, the slightly built defensive back has experience playing both on the boundary and in the slot – all while seeing plenty of action in the kicking game as well.
7-250: TE Ryan Izzo: Coming with ideal size, Izzo is an able inline blocker at the tight end position. While he is not the most athletic player, he should be able to compete for a backup role in New England.
Poll
How would you grade the Patriots' 2018 draft?
This poll is closed
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18%
A
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49%
B
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23%
C
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5%
D
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3%
F