The Patriots own the 21st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but that obviously doesn't guarantee New England will make its first selection at that particular spot.
Bill Belichick could swing a trade, up or down the board, which is exactly what NFL draft analyst Chad Reuter projected last week in his seven-round mock draft published on NFL.com.
Reuter predicted the Dallas Cowboys will jump to No. 21, trading their own first-round pick (No. 24) plus a fourth-rounder (No. 129) and a fifth-rounder (No. 178) to New England to leapfrog the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers. He projects the 'Boys will select Trevor Penning, an offensive tackle from Northern Iowa.
So, who does Reuter have the Pats then choosing at No. 24? Boston College offensive lineman Zion Johnson.
Here's more from Reuter:
The Patriots need help in the interior of their offensive line after trading Shaq Mason to Miami and losing Ted Karras in free agency. Johnson's savvy play and mobility gives him the capability to step into the lineup right away, probably at guard for now and potentially at the pivot when David Andrews retires. The BC product also has experience at left tackle, which could come in handy if Isaiah Wynn misses time due to injury again.
The Patriots have several major areas of need entering the draft, with the offensive line being one of them. There's been some debate as to whether New England might veer from its usual draft strategy and select either a cornerback or a wide receiver in Round 1, but perhaps O-Line is the safer play given the Patriots' track record.
Reuter projects the Patriots will use the extra picks acquired from the Cowboys in his hypothetical trade to draft Cincinnati edge rusher Myjai Sanders and South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong at No. 129 and No. 178, respectively.
The Patriots already made a draft-related trade Monday, sending a fifth-round pick (No. 170) to the Houston Texans in exchange for a sixth-rounder (No. 183) and a seventh-rounder (No. 245). Perhaps that's just the beginning of Belichick's maneuvering around the board.
The 2022 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night with Round 1, followed by Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday and Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday.
