Pats Pulpit Reacts: Fans want Patriots to trade down in the first round of the draft

The NFL Draft is only a few days away, and the New England Patriots are in an interesting position in the first round.

Set to pick 14th overall, they are slated to make their highest selection since 2008, when linebacker (and current assistant coach) Jerod Mayo was added 10th overall. While the team might be in a position to grab some top-tier talent in Round 1 on Thursday night, the strength of this year’s draft lies in its depth rather than its blue-chip prospects.

There is a belief in league circles that only around 15 players might truly be worthy of first-round consideration no questions asked, meaning that the Patriots find themselves right near the apparent drop-off zone. Because of that, there is an argument to be made for trading up the board to secure one of those few high-level prospects.

However, fans prefer a different approach: trading down to capitalize on the draft’s depth.

According to the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 59 percent of participating Patriots fans want the team to move back. For comparison, 25 percent do not want to see any trade being made in Round 1. Only 16 percent are lobbying for a trade-up.

Ultimately, the board will decide what the Patriots will do; they have never been afraid of moving in either direction if the picks fall that way. What those numbers show, however, is the public perception of both this year’s draft and New England’s positioning in it as well as the team’s current roster needs.

The topic of the Patriots making a trade in the first round also was a lively one in our Pats Pulpit Debates installment last week. Here are some of the comments on the matter:

byrnzee:
Normally I want Bill to move up for an impact player, but this draft seems to be deep, and trading back for more picks seems to be the way to go.

Patriotpower:
Yeah…Trading back for more dead picks …. after the rest of the league has picked through the garbage….

DreithVader:
We could afford to shop at Filene’s Basement when Tom was here but this team is sorely lacking in elite talent on both sides of the ball these days and that is what we need if we expect to compete for division/playoffs

Victor Kermit Kiam’s Close Shave:
He’ll just trade back for a left-footed punter.

Patsfanindy:
If we trade back I’m going to lose it. So tired of accumulating draft picks to add more average players instead of just picking one very good to elite player. Impact players define a team.

Enik:
The only issue to me with trading back is that you need to find someone willing to trade up to grab a prospect you’re not interested in.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of those types of players maybe one of the tackles.
Getting enough back to justify the move may be difficult. It might make more sense just to take your top guy then to risk moving down for a late 3rd.

bornstedt:
They should trade back, hopefully there is a team with a hardo for a player at 14. Give me 3 players in top 60 rather then 2. Deep draft. Need bodies

tpr04:
If we are in striking distance to get JSN or Gonzales (meaning moving up 3 or 4 picks), then we should move up.

stevethumb:
my fear is that GM BB will trade back out of the first and second round to accumulate picks in the 3rd and 4th round because that’s where all the depth and special team players are..
Please give me a star and a scrub at every position instead of 2 ordinary joes at every position..
having average guys gives you an average team which is what we have been for 3 years..
It is proven that the stars in the NFL get drafted in the first 2 rounds .. stay there

Mosi_Tatupu:
Stay at #14, can still get an elite talent especially with 3/4 QB picks in the top 13. We should trade up with our 2nd rd pick back into the 1st though.

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