The Patriots might not be as high on Zay Flowers as many of their fans seem to be.
Flowers, the most productive pass-catcher in Boston College history, is one of the top receivers available in the 2023 NFL Draft. Most analysts expect him to be selected within the top two rounds, with some believing Flowers could hear his name called during Round 1.
New England, which hosted Flowers for a pre-draft visit, owns the 14th pick, a spot probably too high for the speedy slot receiver. But even if the Patriots trade down in the first round, Flowers still might not be someone they target, according to FOX Sports' Henry McKenna.
"I am seeing a groundswell about Zay Flowers among Patriots fans," McKenna tweeted Thursday. "I'm hearing he isn't a player they like at 14. He's one of those players they would likely only take if they can trade back. And even then, it sounded like they'd prefer to target a different position."
It's worth mentioning that, hours after McKenna tweeted his update, NFL Network's Pete Schrager reported the Patriots are interested in using a first-round pick on Flowers. So, take all of these rumors with grains of salt.
Nevertheless, New England needs help at wideout despite signing JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency. In our final mock draft, we projected the Patriots to use a fourth-round pick on a receiver.
The NFL draft is scheduled to start Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
