It’s almost time for the first round of the NFL draft. We are hearing final pushes on what each team may do with their first-round selections, and that includes the New England Patriots NFL analyst Tom Pelissro noted that the Patriots may not be opposed to moving their first-round pick.
The Patriots currently have the 31st overall selection in Thursday’s draft. There are multiple ways that they can go with the selection. They have held a variety of top-30 visits on both sides of the football as they prepare for the first round, and with all the visits, that doesn’t mean that they are opposed to trading their first-round pick, as Pelissero noted.
“The Patriots have already gotten calls about moving down in the draft and are open to moving down.”
Patriots Can Go Multiple Ways With Pick
There are a couple of different ways that the Patriots can go in this draft with the draft pick. For starters, the Patriots could trade their first-round pick by gaining draft capital while also getting a player that is high on their draft board. This could be helpful if the player they want can be taken on day two or three of the draft.
Players such as Caleb Lomu or Max Iheanachor could be available for the organization to select. The Patriots need a right tackle, as they have limited depth behind Morgan Moses. Moses is currently 35 years old, and either of those two could be players who could develop quickly and be ready to play in short order.
Draft Capital Could Be Important For Patriots
There is also the chance that the Patriots could inherit more draft capital via a trade. Currently, the team has 11 draft picks over the course of the next three days. Adding additional picks to the mix would allow the Patriots to rebuild multiple sides of the football. This could be important in terms of continuing to develop and maximize depth.
The Patriots’ defense is filled with veterans. Some of them are on the other side. Harold Landry III is 30 years old. So too is linebacker Robert Spillane. In the meantime, safety Kevin Byard is turning 33 in August. Key defensive veterans are getting older, and now may be the time to restart with depth.
To be fair, some of the other defensive pieces are on the underside. For example, corner Christian Gonzalez and safety Craig Woodson are both 23. Christian Barmore is 26, while Milton Williams is 27. By comparison, edge defender Dre’Mont Jones is 29. The Patriots are in a unique position where they can rebuild and restock while they are also in the prime of several impact veterans.
It has been discussed for months about what the Patriots will do with their first-round selection. Now, we get a chance to see how it plays out. The Patriots have a unique chance to alter the course of the first round of the draft. The key here is going to be how they view the pick themselves, and how the rest of the board settles. It’s all part of the fun of the draft, and the Patriots will be picking at the bottom of the first round for the first time since 2018.
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