ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are thinking about the future for the New England Patriots by nabbing a tight end and a quarterback in the top two rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft. The two ESPN draft analysts drew up dueling mock drafts, and had the Patriots picking a tight end, a quarterback and a defensive tackle. They agree on the tight end. They didn’t agree on the quarterback or defensive tackle.
Those positions are among New England’s major needs. The Patriots also need help at receiver, where Julian Edelman and, perhaps, Josh Gordon are their top options. And they’ll need help at defensive end, where they don’t have any proven options beyond Michael Bennett.
Here’s a look at their selections.
First round, 32nd overall
Kiper: Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama: Bill Belichick could address the front seven, but I like Smith here as a potential Gronk replacement.
McShay: Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama: The Pats have 12 picks, and history suggests they’ll wait until Day 2 to get their future quarterback project. I agree with Mel here — Smith is a matchup nightmare.
Patriots Wire’s take: Every once in a while, these two analysts agree (even thought it’s far more entertaining when they do not). Smith makes sense. There’s a chance Iowa’s Noah Fant or T.J. Hockenson last until the 32nd pick. More likely, the Patriots will have to take or leave Smith, an Alabama product who seems to like the idea of playing for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Next up: Second round, 56th overall
Second round, 56th overall (from the Chicago Bears)
Kiper: Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Michigan: The Patriots lost a few starters this offseason and need to add depth in the front seven. Saunders, a four-year starter at Western Michigan, could develop into a starter.
McShay: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke: Time to take a shot at the heir to Tom Brady on the Patriots’ QB throne. Jones will need time to develop — he doesn’t have a cannon and needs work under pressure — but luckily Brady isn’t going anywhere just yet.
Our take: If Jones is available at 56th overall, the Patriots will absolutely pull the trigger. I imagine a team will trade into the bottom of the first round to secure Jones on a first-round rookie contract, which gives teams the option of extending that player for a fifth year. Saunders, meanwhile, would fit the profile of past second-rounders: some risks (small school project) with big reward (three-down interior player).
Next up: Second round, 64th overall
Second round, 64th overall
Kiper: Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn: This is quarterback No. 6 in the first two rounds. Stidham had an inconsistent 2018, but he has the tools to be a starter in the NFL. And Tom Brady can’t play forever …
McShay: Gerald Willis III, DT, Miami: Trey Flowers and Malcom Brown are elsewhere, so Bill Belichick would be happy to land this fierce defensive lineman.
Our take: Stidham might be a bit of a surprise for the Patriots, as his 2018 season wasn’t quite as impressive as his 2017 season. His completion percentage fell from 66.5 to 60.7 and his yards per attempt dropped from 8.5 to 7.6. Still, he’s an interesting prospect who could develop nicely if given the change to sit behind Brady. Willis, meanwhile, has a similar high-risk, high-reward profile to Saunders. Willis is a “feast or famine 3-technique whose game is characterized by splashy wins and glaring losses,” according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
