10 Potential Patriots Draft Targets To Watch In National Title Game

The New England Patriots currently possess the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they’ll start the process of figuring out what to do with that selection on Monday night.

It’s almost time for the College Football Playoff National Championship, baby!

Michigan and Washington will meet in the CFP title game at NRG Stadium on Monday, with a number of players set to compete in that matchup slated to be on the board in April.

There’s a pretty high level of uncertainty in New England, with Bill Belichick’s future looking more like a mystery with each passing report. The Patriots do have some clear holes to fill, though, no matter who is running the show down at One Patriot Place.

Here’s a list of players you can watch Monday that might help fill some needs in New England:

Mike Sainristil (No. 0), DB, Michigan
This is someone who seemingly checks all of New England’s boxes.

Sainristil was born in Haiti, but grew up in Massachusetts and attended Everett High School. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018 and enrolled early in Michigan before turning heads as a two-way player. He’s been at Michigan for quite a while, but that doesn’t make his five career offensive touchdowns and six interceptions any less impressive.

Sainristil is the Wolverines’ top cornerback now, but has spent time at safety and is involved in the majority of their special teams units. He can play multiple roles, which would be perfect in the event Belichick returns in 2024-25. 

Rod Moore (No. 9), S, Michigan
If all goes well, the Patriots wouldn’t necessarily need to add at cornerback as they’ve got Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Jonathan Jones and (possibly) J.C. Jackson slated to return.

Kyle Dugger’s about to hit free agency, and didn’t sound too keen on taking a discount to return following the Patriots’ season-closing loss to the New York Jets. New England might need to add to the back end, and Moore fits the mold of a versatile safety who can play in the box when needed. He’s a fit, though it might take a premium pick to ensure his services.

Rome Odunze (No. 1), WR, Washington
Ja’Lynn Polk (No. 2), WR, Washington
Jalen McMillan (No. 11), WR, Washington
It isn’t often that you seen an entire receiving corps enter the draft together, but that’s what we’re likely going to get this season from the Huskies.

Odunze is the top dog, but he’ll likely be picked in the middle of the first round so he shouldn’t be on the Patriots’ radar unless they were to trade back. Polk and McMillan, on the other hand, are exactly what New England should look for if it were to draft a No. 2 receiver this offseason. The latter pair have similar skill sets, which happen to fit what the Patriots offense historically does best. They can play underneath, primarily lining up from the slot, but have the speed and fluidity to take the top off a defense.

You can’t go wrong with one (or two) of these guys.

Junior Colson (No. 25), LB, Michigan
The Patriots are going to need to add an off-ball linebacker, and they might dip back into the Michigan well to get him.

Colson is a similar prospect to Cameron McGrone, who New England drafted in 2021. The only difference is Colson doesn’t have any injury concerns, which severely hindered McGrone’s development with the Patriots.

Troy Fautanu (No. 55), OL, Washington
You’ll watch Fautanu on Monday and see him play left tackle, but what makes him such a special prospect is his ability to play all over the line. He can fill in at both tackle and guard spots, though he’ll likely settle in somewhere on the left side.

The Patriots historically covet versatility in their offensive lineman, and Fautanu’s could make him their top choice at tackle in the second round.

Kris Jenkins (No. 94), DT, Michigan
Jenkins has primarily played on the inside for Michigan, but if you watch him you can clearly see he’d be a great fit as one of the Patriots’ edge defenders. He’s reminiscent of Matthew Judon in how he plays the run, setting the edge and letting his lower half do most of the work.

He could use work as a pass rusher, but the raw tools are certainly there. He might not be in the perfect range for New England, but feels like someone a team could fall in love with.

Michael Penix Jr. (No. 9), QB, Washington
J.J. McCarthy (No. 9), QB, Michigan
It’s all about the QB.

We’ve been aware of the Patriots’ need for a new signal-caller for a few months now, and some have even known for longer than that, and this is the final chance for New England to get a good look at two options on the biggest stage possible.

Penix is certainly going to be on the board at No. 3, and a solid performance could influence J.J. McCarthy to declare himself. There’s going to be a lot of quarterback talk over the next few months, and there’s no better time to start than now.