Patriots Mock Draft 6.0: Pats Buck Tradition After First-Round Trade

With the 2022 NFL Draft a mere one week away, it’s time to roll out NESN.com’s penultimate New England Patriots mock draft.

This week, we have the Patriots breaking with tradition in Round 1, making a notable special teams shakeup in Round 4 and making multiple additions to their cornerback room on Day 3.

Previous mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0

TRADE: Nos. 21 and 170 to Cowboys for Nos. 24, 129 and 155

First round, No. 24 overall: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia
Using a Day 1 pick on the 5-foot-11, 229-pound Dean would represent a major philosophical shift for a Patriots team that has long valued big, physical, old-school linebackers. (Think 260-pound Dont’a Hightower and 255-pound Ja’Whaun Bentley, their two 2021 starters.) But comments last week by new director of player personnel Matt Groh suggested such a shift could be coming.

Groh spoke about the dearth of bigger ‘backers at the college level and the need for NFL teams to adjust accordingly. He also confirmed the Patriots are looking to add more speed and playmaking ability on defense (and everywhere else) this offseason. Dean would provide that. He was a disruptive force for the best defense in college football (six sacks, 10 1/2 tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight passes defended in 2021), winning the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, and also boasts the intelligence, leadership, experience and durability (25 starts over the last two seasons) that New England looks for in its defenders.

The Patriots also have shown an increased willingness to roster smaller linebackers, adding players like Cameron McGrone (6-1, 236), Mack Wilson (6-1, 233) and Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 242) within the last year.

Dean’s size and length concerns are valid, however. Here, they cause him to slide toward the tail end of the first round, allowing the Patriots to pick up an extra fourth-rounder and swap fifths by trading down three spots before selecting him.

TRADE: Nos. 54 and 158 to Chiefs for No. 50

Second round, No. 50 overall: EDGE Josh Paschal, Kentucky
In the Patriots’ annual Day 2 trade — they’ve made at least one in 11 of the last 12 drafts — they climb up five slots to grab a versatile SEC defender. Paschal, who overcame a 2018 cancer diagnosis to become a star at Kentucky, started 37 games for the Wildcats, was his program’s first-ever three-year team captain and lived in the backfield last season, tallying 15 1/2 tackles for loss as a senior.

The Patriots will like Paschal’s size (6-foot-2 1/2, 268 pounds) and athletic profile and view him as a player who can line up in multiple spots and handle a variety of responsibilities. Edge rusher is an underrated need for New England with little proven talent outside of Pro Bowler Matthew Judon.

Third round, No. 85 overall: OL Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
Another SECer, Salyer was the starting left tackle for the national champion Bulldogs. He also was the nation’s top guard recruit out of high school, with most draft analysts projecting he’ll shift back to that spot in the pros. A reliable pass protector and physical run blocker at 6-foot-3, 321 pounds, he could be a Day 1 starter for New England at left guard — there’s a gaping hole there with no obvious in-house replacement for Ted Karras — while also offering the flexibility to bump out to tackle if need be.

The Patriots value versatile O-linemen, and they currently lack depth at every position up front. Salyer even has some experince at center.

Fourth round, No. 127 overall: CB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
A staple in nearly all of our Patriots mock drafts this spring, the 6-2, 199-pound McCollum brings top-tier ball skills (13 INTs, 54 passes defended in college), a wealth of experience (52 collegiate starts, albeit at the FCS level), a very intriguing size/athleticism combo and a boatload of Patriot-esque intangibles (two-year captain, special teams contributor, Senior Bowl participant, etc.).

The Patriots still need help at cornerback after swapping out J.C. Jackson for Malcolm Butler and Terrance Mitchell, and though it could take McCollum some time to adjust to the NFL game, he’d be a promising addition.

Patriots Draft Trades: What To Learn From Bill Belichick’s Trading History

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Fourth round, No. 129 overall: P Matt Araiza, San Diego State
Jake Bailey is a very good punter, but the 2020 All-Pro’s effectiveness dipped in 2021, and he’s set to make close to $4 million this season thanks to a proven performance escalator in his rookie contract. That’s a lot to pay any player at his position. Since Bailey’s salary is nonguaranteed, we have the Patriots making a business decision and handing the keys to “Punt God” Araiza, whose prodigious power made him a true weapon for SDSU.

Fifth round, No. 155 overall: WR Bo Melton, Rutgers
Melton isn’t a physical specimen at 5-foot-11, 189 pounds, but he’s fast (4.34-second 40-yard dash), quick (6.81-second three-cone at his pro day), tough, savvy and versatile, with experience at receiver, running back, kick returner and punt returner. He was a leader for Greg Schiano’s Scarlet Knights (team captain in 2020 and 2021), the top receiver in three bad Rutgers offenses, a Senior Bowl participant and a contributor on special teams.

Simply put, Melton checks a lot of boxes for a Patriots team that could use more young talent in its receiver room. And with Schiano — a longtime friend of Bill Belichick — now back at Rutgers, it would not be at all surprising to see his players again begin landing in New England. (Belichick loved Rutgers products during Schiano’s first stint there but haven’t drafted one since 2013.)

Sixth round, No. 200 overall: CB Chase Lucas, Arizona State
Given the makeup of the Patriots’ current cornerback group, they could look to add multiple corners in this year’s draft. Lucas, who recently met with New England evaluators, is uber-experienced (49 starts at ASU), tested well pre-draft and can play outside or in the slot. He didn’t allow a touchdown during the 2021 season, but he also hasn’t intercepted a pass since 2019 and already is 25 years old, which could deter potential suitors and cause him to slide into the later rounds.

Sixth round, No. 210 overall: RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan
Hailing from one of the Patriots’ favorite pipeline programs, Haskins rushed for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns during his final season at Michigan. He wasn’t especially prolific as a pass-catcher (18 catches, 131 yards, no touchdowns in 2021, with just six career receptions before that), but scouting reports praise his work in pass protection — a vital skill for young New England backs — and in the kicking game. Haskins also had zero fumbles in 476 collegiate touches, which is sure to endear him to Belichick.

The Patriots have selected a running back in three of the last four drafts, and top option Damien Harris is entering the final year of his rookie contract.