I tried a quick mock with just the top 7 picks, since I didn't feel like waiting for the entire 7 rounds and 12 picks to scroll by. I skipped TE and OL and tried to switch up some of my usual names for fun just to see how I liked the general team composition.
Like most of us, I went with Lawrence at 32, but I was surprised to see Simmons fall to 56. He represented better value than any of the remaining TE / OL / EDGE options in the mid-second, although it was sad to pass up my favorites at safety. I think his upside is just too great when he recovers. Simmons plays like a young Suh. Lawrence + Simmons in 2020? Elite.
I'm a huge fan of JJAW as an X in our offense. He's smart, competitive, dominates on contested catches, and has the size and strength to block on the perimeter. Instant red zone weapon with Gronk's retirement.
Johnson doesn't have my favorite tape, but he's a recent convert from wide receiver and he appears to be an ascending prospect. This is a shoot for the stars pick with an eye toward 2020 and beyond, since he probably wouldn't play much with Jackson, Gilmore, McCourty, Jones, and Dawson in front of him for now. Incredible size and athleticism if he puts it all together. Good enough for me in the 3rd round.
Okereke has some big time flashes on tape, but also some maddening inconsistencies. He's fast and rangy, with a knack for finding the ball, and he's better in space than anyone on our current LB corp. I want to like his snap to snap game more than I do, but the splash plays and good reads are exceptional. He can take time to develop and then replace Roberts full time next season. Bentley and Okereke can form a strong inside nucleus.
Jackson has the size the Patriots look for and his 4.77 at his pro day is excellent for a 275 pound DE. His testing was otherwise mediocre to poor, but he's similar in size and athleticism to Vrabel (who put up a 4.9 40 and a 7.77 3-cone, but improved his body while a backup in PIT). Their games have a lot of similarities: jarring punch, strength to set the edge, constantly looking to find the ball, bad intentions on a tackle, and an unrelenting motor. Jackson can rotate in with Wise and Simon this year, and should become a full time starter next season.
Jennings is fast and has a ton of experience in the slot as well as out wide. He's a good Z receiver who studied the Patriots often. He ran a lot of our route concepts and combinations. Productive player with over 2K yards in the past two years combined. Good Senior Bowl.
