With the 2022 NFL Draft less than two weeks away, I decided it was time to put out another seven-round New England Patriots mock draft for the people. If you want to compare results, you can find my mock draft 1.0 here and my mock draft 2.0 right here.
Let’s not waste any time and get right into it.
TRADE: Patriots trade 1-21 and 3-85 to L.A. Chargers for 1-17
The Patriots don’t typically trade up in the first round, but when there are potentially impactful defensive players available they have been known to do it. They traded up for Ty Warren in 2003 and then again for both Dont’a Hightower and Chandler Jones in 2012. Bill Belichick does the same thing this year.
Round 1, Pick 17: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
The Patriots struggled against the run last season, and Davis is just too good to pass up. There are definitely other positions of need, and there are other players that the team might want to target in the first round. However, the combination of Davis and second-year man Christian Barmore in the middle of the defense is an exciting one that will surely keep offensive coordinators up at night.
#99 Jordan Davis with the stack and shed and making it look casual pic.twitter.com/RIK0ynwCWO
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 12, 2022
TRADE: Patriots trade 2-54 to Houston for 3-68, 4-107, and 7-245
After trading up for Davis, the Patriots decide to move back and pick up a few extra picks in the middle rounds. Given the depth in this draft, grabbing an early third and early fourth could really help.
Round 3, Pick 68: OT Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
After taking a defensive lineman with their first pick, the Patriots go offensive line with their second. Some people have Kinnard as a guard in the NFL, but he has the size and arm length to play tackle on Sundays.
Tackle might be low on the list of projected needs for the Patriots, but with Isaiah Wynn on the final year of his rookie contract and both he and Trent Brown having a history of injury issues, the Patriots would be wise to try to shore up their tackle position.
One of the coolest parts of the #SeniorBowl 1st practice was the three play matchup at midfield between Kentucky OL Darian Kinnard and FLST EDGE Jermaine Johnson
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) February 2, 2022
Both players should be on the #Giants radar pic.twitter.com/zr8tKfYrSZ
Round 4, Pick 107: WR John Metchie III, Alabama
The Patriots need to get another weapon for Mac Jones as he tries to make the famous second-year jump. His former Alabama teammate would be a great fit. Not only does Metchie provide some high-end traits, but he already played with Jones and has talked about how he would love to reconnect with him in the NFL.
Sorting through some old draft stuff and stumbled upon a Mac Jones to John Metchie reel. Plenty of chemistry between these two in Mac's last season at Alabama.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) January 20, 2022
Metchie tore his ACL in the SEC title game. But wouldn't mind it at all for the #Patriots on day two. pic.twitter.com/7INgYa996S
TRADE: Patriots trade 4-127 and 7-245 to Miami for 4-125
The Patriots throw in their recently acquired seventh-round pick to leapfrog the Las Vegas Raiders and get the guy that they are targeting.
Round 4, Pick 125: CB Josh Jobe, Alabama
It’s two straight ‘bama prospects for the Patriots. This time they take Jobe, a press-man cornerback who plays with very good physicality. His athleticism is a bit limited, but he’s a solid corner who is a willing tackler, and plays special teams. That screams “Patriot” even if people don’t love all of his traits.
His skillset is limited, but on a team that needs more bodies at the position, Jobe could be a guy to come in and play on the outside possibly right away.
Wrote down ‘boundary bouncer’ beside #Alabama CB Josh Jobe in my notes. ‘Physicality’ is the one word that will repeatedly be at the top of his draft resume. WRs to the boundary side have to come with their hands ready. If not, he will throw you out of bounds. pic.twitter.com/2oDHXOopgD
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) June 2, 2021
Round 5, Pick 158: S JT Woods, Baylor
The Patriots have a bunch of needs, but they are going to need a deep safety when Devin McCourty eventually leaves, and Woods could be that guy. He doesn’t always play with the best athleticism, but he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash in testing and also posted some elite jumping numbers as well.
He’s going to need to add a little weight to play the safety position in the NFL, but Woods is a player who could help the Patriots not only this year, but down the line as well.
JT Woods has some extremely high level plays on film for @BUFootball
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) April 5, 2022
Here’s two that instantly translate to schemes on Sunday⤵️
6’2 195 4.36
39.5” Vertical
9 INTs ‘20-‘21 pic.twitter.com/CQscHyPuYF
Round 5, Pick 170: WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
Jones is a wide receiver in the way that Matthew Slater is a wide receiver. However, with Slater set to retire within the next few years, getting a clone of him in the draft would be a great thing for the Patriots.
Jones is physical on special teams, is a solid returner, and is really fast — all things that can help the Patriots right away. The fifth round has been used by Bill Belichick for special teams in the past, and Jones is their guy this year.
Velus Jones Jr is going to be one of them gems. His story is interesting.
— Laurie Fitzpatrick (@LaurieFitzptrck) April 2, 2022
You can see his 4.31 speed on film... right out of his release into his stem, and maintains it stride for stride downfield pic.twitter.com/ZZciA13nmk
TRADE: Patriots trade 6-200 to Detroit for 6-217 and 7-234
With the Patriots lacking a seventh-round pick, they move back in the sixth and pick up an extra seventh along the way. Detroit doesn’t give up much, and gets a player it is looking for.
Round 6, Pick 210: G Jason Poe, Mercer
Perhaps the most glaring need on the Patriots’ roster is at guard. New England already targeted an offensive lineman earlier in this draft, but it definitely needs more depth.
Poe is coming from a smaller school, transferring from Lenoir-Rhyne, where safety Kyle Dugger went, but he is an exciting prospect to watch. The Patriots have taken a bunch of offensive linemen later in the draft and turned them into contributors, and Poe could be the next man up on that list.
Folks the best pulling guard in college football plays at Mercer
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) October 14, 2021
Jason Poe is one #funtowatch offensive lineman pic.twitter.com/7Nn3FWJGUI
Round 6, Pick 217: DE/LB Jeremiah Moon, Florida
Moon is a bit of a tweener. He’s not quite big or quick enough to be an off-the-ball linebacker, but he’s a little small to be an edge defender. What he does have is unreal length, with an almost 83-inch wingspan that allowed him to post a 40.5-inch vertical; he also posted a 11’1-foot broad jump.
He may lack some of the suddenness of the prospects ahead of him, but there’s enough athleticism to be an intriguing pickup that could provide some positional flexibility for the Patriots defense.
Jeremiah Moon summed up in 2 plays... @JimNagy_SB pic.twitter.com/aqF5reEmED
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 5, 2020
Round 7, Pick 234: WR Slade Bolden, Alabama
The Patriots pick their third Alabama product of the draft, and their second wide receiver. Bolden lacks top-end speed and agility, but he’s a crafty route runner who knows how to get open in tight spaces. As an added bonus, you’d be getting another one of Mac Jones’ college targets, which certainly cannot hurt.
Look at that route tempo from Slade Bolden at the bottom of the screen. pic.twitter.com/0sVfIoJaPn
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) February 22, 2022
So, that does it for this mock. I’m planning to get one last one out a few days before the draft as well. In this one, the Patriots are focused on the lines and getting some athletes on the team. Let me know what you think in the comments and the poll below!
Poll
How would you grade this draft?
This poll is closed
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21%
A
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36%
B
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25%
C
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10%
D
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5%
F
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