It’s been an offseason defined by transition for the New England Patriots, and the current NFL Draft presents an opportunity for Bill Belichick and Co. to fill some necessary voids.
So the fanbase wasn’t exactly delighted when the Patriots, upon going on the clock, traded their first-round pick (No. 23 overall), to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Considering the Patriots sent their second-rounder to the Atlanta Falcons in the Mohamed Sanu trade, it’s not a complete surprise that New England decided to move back, as they’ll now get to pick at 37 and 71.
Furthermore, this is a loaded draft, and plenty of fine players remain on the board with the second and third rounds set to take place Friday night. And this tweet from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Friday afternoon might explain why the Patriots were comfortable moving back.
One personnel director calls this “the deepest second round in the last 25 years.” He believes there are 20 players available tonight that could have been first-round picks; there usually are 7-10. “There will be as many starters in this round that there are in the first round.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2020
That explains a lot.
Barring more trades, the Patriots have a good bit of draft capital to use Friday. They are slated to pick at 37, 71, 87, 98 (compensatory) and 100 (compensatory).
