NFL 2021 draft order: Looks like the Patriots were just awarded an extra draft pick

Update 3/19/2021: Looks like the NFL just awarded the Patriots an extra draft pick

Shortly after the NFL announced its draft order and mysteriously awarded New England an additional compensatory selection, NFL spokesman Michael Signora explained what had happened. Asked by Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal, Signora gave the following statement:

The inclusion of a 33rd compensatory selection in this year’s Draft resulted from a correction by the Management Council to the calculation of average yearly compensation. As a result of the correction, the Patriots were awarded the first compensatory pick in Round 5, and the Falcons’ first compensatory selection in Round 5 has moved down two slots. By agreement with the NFLPA, the Bears will retain their compensatory selection at the end of Round 6, previously the 32nd awarded, now the 33rd.

The new calculation allowed the Patriots to pick up the 177th overall selection in this year’s draft, bringing their total to 10 picks.

Original story 3/19/2021: Looks like the NFL just awarded the Patriots an extra draft pick

With more than a month left to go until the big event, the NFL announced the official 2021 draft order on Friday afternoon. A total of 259 players will hear their names called during late April’s selection meeting, and as of right now 10 of them will become members of the New England Patriots (a number that is almost certain to change one way or another).

Wait a second... 10?

Yes, it seems that the league awarded the Patriots an extra compensatory draft pick since originally announcing those extra selections earlier this month. Back then, the team was awarded two of those: the 96th overall choice in the third round — courtesy of departed quarterback Tom Brady — as well as the 139th in the fourth.

However, the draft order released on Friday also lists the 177th selection in Round Five as part of New England’s compensatory tally. As a result, the Patriots now own the following picks this year:

• Round 1, No. 15 overall
• Round 2, No. 46 overall
• Round 3, No. 96 overall (compensatory)
• Round 4, No. 120 overall
• Round 4, No. 122 overall (via Houston)
• Round 4, No. 139 overall (compensatory)
• Round 5, No. 177 overall (compensatory)
• Round 6, No. 188 overall (via Houston)
• Round 6, No. 197 overall
• Round 7, No. 242 overall

Besides the three compensatory picks, the Patriots also own an extra pair of selections in the fourth and sixth rounds as a result of the Marcus Cannon trade. The team sent its long-time starting right tackle to the Houston Texans and received a pair of draft choices in return (4-122 and 6-188) while also giving up two of them alongside the veteran (5-158 and 6-194).

With those picks also part of the equation, the Patriots now a total of 10. According to the Rich Hill trade value chart, they are worth a combined 559.87 points — slightly more than the 553.62 points the team was originally expected to own after the Cannon trade was processed earlier this week. In total, New England’s draft capital is still ranked 14th in a league-wide comparison.