Todd McShay had the Patriots taking an offensive tackle in his first mock draft. A month later, he shifted course and projected New England to select a wide receiver.
Now, ESPN’s NFL draft expert is back to his original line of thinking — albeit with a twist.
McShay on Tuesday published his latest mock draft, in which he predicted the Patriots to trade their first-round pick (14th overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The end result is the Bucs selecting Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with the 14th pick and New England using the 19th selection to draft Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright.
“To get it done, I think the Buccaneers would have to surrender the No. 19 selection, a third-rounder (No. 82) and one of their two fifth-rounders (No. 153),” McShay wrote. ” … Trent Brown turns 30 this offseason, Isaiah Wynn is still unsigned, and Riley Reiff isn’t a long-term fix at right tackle. And when your quarterback turns in a league-low 4.1 QBR when pressured, you’d think getting him some more protection would be a priority.
“So landing Wright at No. 19 after the trade-back works on a lot of levels. Wright allowed just one sack last season, thanks in part to his great balance and 6-foot-5, 333-pound frame. He’d also help spring running back Rhamondre Stevenson as one of the best run-blockers in the class. I considered Boston College receiver Zay Flowers, but while pass-catcher is a need, right tackle is a bigger one.”
McShay also made predictions for the second round. He believes the Patriots will use the 46th overall pick to select Michigan cornerback DJ Turner.
“Turner has a great combination of speed and fluidity,” McShay wrote. “He ran a scorching 4.26 in the 40-yard dash (fastest at the combine this year), and he can mirror receivers’ every move. Jonathan Jones re-signed in New England, but there’s a need for more playmakers in the secondary. Turner had three interceptions and 18 pass breakups over the past two seasons.”
The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled to start on Thursday, April 27.
