{"id":59111,"date":"2025-04-01T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=59111"},"modified":"2025-04-27T11:15:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T15:15:10","slug":"morse-patriots-mock-draft-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/04\/01\/morse-patriots-mock-draft-4\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft #4"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patriots Mock Draft<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Draft is just 24 days away!\u00a0 In my last Mock Draft, I had both Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter taken in the 1st<\/sup> three picks.\u00a0 For this Mock Draft I am going to assume that Cam Ward is #1, Travis Hunter is #2 and the Giants shock everyone and take Sheddeur Sanders at #3.\u00a0 The Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as a backup and if they chose to draft Sanders he would not have to start right away and learn the position of NFL QB.<\/p>\n

That leaves Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State at #4.<\/p>\n

1-4 Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State –<\/strong> The Patriots are put in a little bind here.\u00a0 They love Carter but they desperately need a Left Tackle.\u00a0 The need is so desperate they may forgo the \u201cBest Athlete Available\u201d approach.\u00a0 Carter also has a medical issue discovered at the Combine.\u00a0 It has been reported as a foot Stress Reaction that may require a screw to be inserted into his foot and a 10-week recovery time.\u00a0 The latest rumor has him going in for surgery the day after the draft.\u00a0 That could be smoke from a team lower in the draft tat would like a shot at him.\u00a0 Carter did not work out at the Penn State Pro Day on Friday March 28th<\/sup>. His reason for not working out was a shoulder injury which initially kept him out of Combine workouts.\u00a0 According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, he may work out for individual teams later in the draft process.\u00a0 He is only meeting with the top 4 teams in the draft and has a visit scheduled with the Patriots.<\/p>\n

The 6\u20193\u201d, 250-pound EDGE rusher runs an estimated 4.48 40-yard-dash.\u00a0 The unanimous All American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is a game changing pass rusher.\u00a0 The Patriots were dead last in pass rushing last year.\u00a0 The new Defense under new HC Mike Vrabel and DC Terell Williams, with at least 4 new starters and improved depth, will be an aggressive, up-the-field, attacking Defense and that is exactly what Carter does.\u00a0 Carter had 23 sacks in his 3-years at Penn State including last season with 12.\u00a0 He also added 24 Tackles for Loss.<\/p>\n

Would you trade QB Joe Milton and LB Jahlani Tavai with a 2026 1st<\/sup> Round Selection to New Orleans for Pick #9 and 3rd<\/sup> Round Pick #71?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t trade a young QB, under a team-friendly contract, with three years remaining for nothing.\u00a0 Yes, he is relatively unproven, but he looked spectacular against the 2nd<\/sup> string of the Bills in the final game of the season. \u00a0That wasn\u2019t the 3rd<\/sup> and 4th<\/sup> string players that a rookie QB would face in the Pre-season game.\u00a0 These were players that made an NFL roster. \u00a0Milton has great size, mobility and arm strength to be a top tier QB.\u00a0 The Patriots took a chance on Milton, and I give Alex Van Pelt, TC McCarthy and Ben McAdoo all the credit for doing a great job developing him and eliminating some of his flaws. \u00a0To make this trade, the Patriots trade next year\u2019s 1st <\/sup>round selection in exchange for New Orleans 1st<\/sup> this year and their 3rd<\/sup> pick.\u00a0 The Patriots would be using their 2026 1st<\/sup> round pick a year earlier!\u00a0 In this mock draft Will Campbell has slipped all the way to #9.\u00a0 I would throw in LB Jahlani Tavai who no longer fits the Defense the Patriots want to run to make this deal happen.<\/p>\n

1-9 Will Campbell Left Tackle LSU<\/strong> – Campbell has many fans within the Patriots scouting department.\u00a0 The controversy about his arm length has been dismissed by those in the Patriots hierarchy, especially long time OL coach and patriots Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia.\u00a0 He dismissed the short arm controversy about Campbell and simply stated \u201cTrust the tape\u201d on the player.\u00a0 Campbell had 33\u201d arm length at the LSU Pro Day, measured by an NFL scout and not some flunky from LSU.\u00a0 Generally, the arm measurements at the Combine were short almost completely across the board.\u00a0 Campbell himself said that nobody measured his arms for two years while he protected LSUs quarterbacks in the SEC. \u00a0He is going to be a very good Offensive Lineman in the NFL.\u00a0 Some think he will be a long-term Pro Bowl player, but at Guard if he doesn\u2019t work out at Left Tackle.\u00a0 \u00a0Take the chance!<\/p>\n

2-38 Darious Alexander DT Toledo<\/strong> \u2013 Since I have already secured an OT with the trade, I can shore up another weakness with the Best Player Available.\u00a0 I loved what I saw of Alexander at the Senior Bowl practices.\u00a0 He followed that up with an impressive Combine.\u00a0 His 4.95 40-yard dash at 6\u20194\u201d, 305-pounds was tied for 5th<\/sup> best at DT.\u00a0 On the Bench he raised the bar 28 times, which was 2nd<\/sup> amongst DTs.\u00a0 There are still questions about Christian Barmore\u2019s health.\u00a0 The Patriots had Christian Barmore in a few weeks ago to meet with the doctors according to Mike Vrabel at his press conference on Monday at the NFL Meetings. The Patriots begin off-season workouts on April 7th, <\/sup>and Vrabel stated that he expects Barmore will be a full participant in the Voluntary workouts.\u00a0 He stressed Voluntary several times, and this is a right the players have per the CBA.\u00a0 Either way, Alexander would give them another up the field disruptor.<\/p>\n

3-69 Ozzy Trapilo RT Boston College<\/strong> \u2013 The Patriots sent Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden, Doug Marrone and Mike Vrabel to the Boston College Pro Day last week.\u00a0 Marrone worked for BC Head Coach Bill O\u2019Brien last season, working with the Offensive line.\u00a0 He knows Trapilo better than any lineman in the draft. Further, Trapilo has been working with Dante Scarnecchia leading up to the draft and reports from the Pro Day indicated that Trapilo has made significant progress under Scar\u2019s tutelage. Trapilo is a large tackle at 6\u20198\u201d, 316-pounds and was a 1st<\/sup> Team All-ACC Right Tackle last season.\u00a0 Under Marrone, and learning from 34-year-old Morgan Moses, who signed a 3-year contract in Free Agency, Trapilo could be a long-term solution at Right Tackle without having to be thrown into the fire as a rookie. \u00a0\u00a0Trapilo put up a disappointing number of reps (22) on the Bench Press that indicates he needs work in the weight room.\u00a0 I might add that doing the Bench Press is difficult for players like Trapilo with long arms (33\u201d arms).\u00a0 Familiarity with players was important in Free Agency and given Marrone and Trapilo\u2019s relationship last season, I expect him to be drafted by the Patriots.<\/p>\n

3-71 Mason Taylor TE LSU<\/strong> \u2013 The nephew of Miami Defensive Ends coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Jason Taylor.\u00a0 The 6\u20195\u201d 250-pound TE wowed Daniel Jeremiah when he ran the gauntlet drill at the Combine.\u00a0 Taylor painted the 35-yard line and at full speed caught every ball thrown to him with ease.\u00a0 Last season he had 55 catches for 546 yards and a 9.9 YPC and 2 TDs.\u00a0 Taylor did not run the 40 at the Combine but ran a very good 4.65 40, 7.06 3-cone and tossed a very good 28 reps on the Bench Press at his Pro Day.\u00a0 Let\u2019s compare his Pro Day versus the best at Combine.\u00a0 His 40 would have been tied for 2nd<\/sup>, 3-cone 4th<\/sup>, and the Bench Press 2nd<\/sup>.\u00a0 \u00a0In the field drills at the combine, he was magnificent.\u00a0 \u201cEverything he does is smooth and natural,\u201d an NFL Network commentator said of the record-setting pass-catcher. \u201cHe\u2019s polished as a route-runner, understands how to work back to the quarterback. He tracks it well.\u201d\u00a0 Taylor holds the LSU records for receptions and yards by a Tight End.\u00a0 Both Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are on the wrong side of 30, turning 31 in season, and both are entering their 10th<\/sup> year in the league.\u00a0 Neither are good blockers.<\/p>\n

3-77 Anthony Belton OT North Carolina State<\/strong> \u2013 I\u2019m taking a hedge in case Campbell can\u2019t play Left Tackle.\u00a0 I am selecting the massive Belton.\u00a0 The \u201cEscalade\u201d is 6\u20196\u201d 326-pound tackle with 33 7\/8<\/sup>\u201d arms to keep pass rushers away from his body and ride them beyond the pocket for the passer.\u00a0 He can play either Left or Right Tackle.\u00a0 During the Senior Bowl practices Belton looked very good in matchups that are not designed for lineman to succeed.\u00a0 This is what NFL Draft Buzz had to say about Belton:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n