What Will Patriots Do If Blue-Chippers Off Board? Mike Vrabel Responds

If Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter are on the board when the Patriots are on the clock, the expectation is New England will happily select the remaining blue-chip prospect.

But what if Carter and Hunter come off the board after Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall?

Speaking to reporters during a pre-draft press conference at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about that exact scenario.

“We’re in the process of going through what everybody calls these simulations,” Vrabel told reporters, per a team-provided video. “That’s been and will continue to be good exercises, running scenarios and what we would do based on those scenarios. To say that we have a definitive answer on those scenarios? No. But those are processes that are ongoing and will be done here shortly.”

The never-ending debate at that point: Do the Patriots draft the best player available or someone who’d address New England’s biggest remaining need?

“Would love for them to align,” Vrabel said. “That doesn’t always happen. And we certainly want to pick the best player as many times as we can. The player that we think, at that point, is the best player, and then we’ll figure it out.

“To add premium players when available is something that you should probably always try to do.”

Does that take offensive tackles Will Campbell and Armand Membou, who aren’t viewed as the next best prospects but would solidify the biggest need, out of the running? No. There’s a chance the Patriots have those players in a tier right behind Carter and Hunter. Vrabel said he believes there are offensive tackles who will be starters in the NFL.

It also suggests the Patriots could consider edge rusher Jalon Walker or tight end Tyler Warren, who are viewed as two of the top prospects behind the aforementioned blue-chippers.

“Where we’re drafting, there’s a handful of guys,” Vrabel said when asked how many prospects are under consideration. “I do think there’s certainly players that we covet at every level. I think that’s the thing we’re finding as you go through.”

Whether Vrabel is speaking the truth or taking part in pre-draft gamesmanship will be decided April 24.