MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft 1.0
(PHOTO: Jerry Lai - USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 3 minutes
Posted Under: 2021 Patriots Draft
(PHOTO: Jerry Lai - USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 3 minutes
New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
(PHOTO: Jerry Lai - USA TODAY Sports) It’s that time of year to start generating Mock Drafts. For this Mock, I am using Fanspeak’s On the Clock Mock Draft Simulator, with Steve Shoup’s player rankings and projected team needs. I am making no trades. Projected Compensation picks are included.
As you may know, the Patriots’ real Draft Board usually contains no more than 75 names. Therefore I am going to use Draft Forum contributor Bacon Grundle Candy’s Big Board of Patriots Type Players. These players are broken down by position and in what round they should be selected.
Round 1 Pick 15 – Trey Lance QB North Dakota State – Come April for the real Draft, I do not expect Trey Lance to be available at number 15. I have to play this as it is made available to me and I wouldn’t hesitate to take Lance. He was one of only 11 players BGC had as a Patriot type players and a 1st round grade.
Round 2 Pick 15 – Zaven Collins LB Tulsa – At 6’4” 260 lbs he will be the biggest LB in the draft. He has the speed and instincts to go with it. 186 tackles in 2020. I would be surprised if the Patriots took him at #15 in the real draft.
Round 3 Pick 96 © – Darius Stills DT West Virginia – At 6’ 285 Stills is a smaller DT but he runs under 4.96 40 yards dash. He had 7 sacks from his DT position in 2020. Butler and Guy are UFA at this point.
Round 4 Pick 119 – Dazz Newsome WR North Carolina – 5’11”, 190 lbs runs a 4.4 40. Excellent route runner from the slot, good hands and excels at yards after the catch. Last two year at NC, he had 126 catches, 1700 yards and 16 TDs. Newsome was rated a 3rd round player by BGC.
Round 4 Pick 138 © – Sadarius Hutcheson OG South Carolina – I had another player in mind at this pick that wasn’t on BGC’s list. However Hutcherson is a Left Guard and I believe Joe Thuney will be gone via Free Agency. He is 6’4” 320 lbs but slow at 5.4 40. He has played LT and RG and would be a valuable player to have. BGC rated him a 2nd round player.
Round 4 Pick 144 © – Tyree Gillespie S Missouri – He is 6’ 200 lbs, plays a Single High Safety position. Devin McCourty will not last forever. Gillespie has been described as a terror, flying around from the safety position. He also made his bones at Missouri by playing on Special Teams as a true freshman. He never red-shirted. BGC had Gillespie as a 3rd rd selection.
Round 5 Pick 158 – Shi Smith WR South Carolina – 5’10” 186 lbs , Smith is explosive off the line. Very quick feet and fearless going over the middle. His quickness shows at the top of his routes too. I saw him in the Senior Bowl practices and he impressed. Expect a 4.33 40 from him. Smith was also rated a 3rd round player by BGC.
Round 6 Pick 198 – Quinn Meinerz OG Wisconsin – Whitewater (DIII) 6’3” 320 This is the one pick I made that was not on BGC’s list (I think it will be on his next update). Meinerz absolutely killed the Senior Bowl practices, being voted National Team OL Practice player of the week. This honor was voted on by the D Lineman he went up against all week. He dominated. He also moved to OC and did not look out of place. In fact he broke his hand in practice and never came out. Finished practice and begged to play in the game on Saturday (They don’t allow injured players to play). Meinerz didn’t play in 2020 since DIII cancelled the season. He has Patriots written all over him., and I think he will be a day 2 selection.
Round 7 Pick 240 – Tony Fields LB West Virginia – 6’1” 220 4.6 40. He played Inside LB for WVU. Transfer from Arizona. Fields was the National Team LB Practice Player of the week as voted by his peers. Some say he could be a Day 2 selection. Again by the rules we are using, Fields was rated a 3rd round player by BGC.
NFL League Schedule
Feb 23 – New NFL Year begins and Trading Season can officially begin.
Mar 10 – College Pro days begin, as of now, the first Pro Day is Mar 10. Only 30 schools have listed their Pro Days, so this date may move to earlier.
No Combine workouts – Regional “Combine” will be internet interviews and limited medical workups. Pro Days will become more important.
Mar 17 – Clubs are allowed to begin contact with players that are about to become UFAs.
Mar 18 – Teams can exercise options, submit qualifying offers to RFAs and extend Minimum Salary Tenders to exclusive rights Free Agents.
Mar 18 – Teams are required to be under the salary cap of $180M with the “rule of 51” definition.
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