Heading into the 2022 NFL Draft next Thursday, the New England Patriots have so many holes on their roster to fill that it can be overwhelming from the outside on how they should prioritize their needs.
So what exactly should the Patriots target first with the No. 21 overall pick? NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes he has the answer.
“They’ve got to get some more dynamic players, some more difference-making players,” Jeremiah told reporters on Thursday, per The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “That to me is kind of their challenge in this draft, and being more explosive offensively.”
Adding playmakers on both sides of the ball is certainly an area of need for the Patriots, who are devoid of explosive weapons on offense and defense.
Jeremiah said if Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams and Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd are still available when the Patriots are on the clock, either one of them would make for a “potential home-run pick.”
Williams was an electrifying wideout with the Crimson Tide, catching 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns before tearing his ACL during the National Title game in January. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay likened Williams’s dynamic ability to that of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, which is a mountain-size worth of praise.
With Lloyd, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year could give the Patriots defense a burst from the linebacking position. Lloyd totaled 110 tackles, 22 of which went for a loss, eight sacks and four interceptions during his final season with Utah.
If Williams or Lloyd end up staying on the board long enough for the Patriots to draft, it could check the first box of many and give New England a playmaking threat it needs on the field.
