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Kelley: New England Patriots Seven Round Mock Draft

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2 months ago

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The 2024 NFL Draft takes place in just over five weeks, I am posting a New England Patriots seven-round mock draft every Wednesday until the start of the draft on April 25. Last week the first edition of this exercise was published here, with Marvin Harrison Jr. being selected third overall. This week I opted to take the advice I gave the Patriots myself, following the strategy outlined in how to improve the team’s depth.

These drafts will be done using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator. I will draft for the New England Patriots and post the results for the seven rounds. Only one attempt will be given each week for the draft. No trades will be made, at least for now.

These will be my selections for the Patriots, not who I believe they would draft. That is a different exercise for another day.

Without further ado, the 2024 NFL Draft selections for the New England Patriots.

Round 1 (No. 3 overall) – QB Drake Maye, North Carolina

The New England Patriots select the top quarterback left on their board at three (Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were already selected). Despite people picking apart Maye’s game at the moment, I remain steadfast that he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. A lot of the negative comps for him are just outright lazy. That said, it is understandable not everyone will view prospects the same way. Since I’m doing the picking here, I’m very happy to have Drake Maye heading to New England.

Round 2 (No. 34 overall) – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Getting the best wide receiver or offensive tackle here was the plan. In my latest NFL Mock Draft, I had Mitchell going to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 32. Many believe he will be gone well before that. But in the spirit of this exercise, he was available and I was happy to see it. 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, 4.34 speed in the 40. Adonai Mitchell is a great way for the Patriots offense to get more explosive in a hurry.

Round 3 (No. 68 overall) – OT Patrick Paul, Houston

Patrick Paul‘s availability in Round 3 works out well for my draft once again. He is the only player to be selected in both of these exercises so far. He seems to be a player I am higher on than many. Paul was one of the most difficult players to scout. There were games that the opposition didn’t even challenge him with a pass rush, opting to attack the Cougars’ other side instead. He has good size at 6-foot-7.5 and 331 pounds, though he can easily bulk up even more. Paul would not be forced to start immediately in New England, but he’d be allowed to compete for the job. Paul has a chance to improve his strength and technique under Scott Peters while providing a potential bookend for many seasons into the future.

Round 4 (No. 103) – ED Javon Solomon, Troy

Javon Solomon has flown under the radar a bit due to his playing for the Troy Trojans. Solomon’s tape is incredibly impressive. His knack for getting to the quarterback is his most appealing trait. If Solomon were a bit bigger he’d be a Round 1 option. He measured 6-foot-1 and weighed 246 pounds at the combine. Solomon could learn under Matthew Judon and Josh Uche while adding bulk. He is already built like a superhero.

Round 5 (No. 137) – TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

The New England Patriots have three tight ends under contract at the moment. In addition to starter Hunter Henry, they have Austin Hooper on a one-year deal, and La’Michael Pettway, who will be fighting for a roster spot. Bringing in another option at the start of Day 3 of the NFL Draft is a good plan. Sinnott and Penn State’s Theo Johnson were two players I was hoping would still be on the board and am glad to secure the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Wildcat.

Round 6 (No. 186) – CB Kamal Hadden, Tennessee

Hadden was off to a great start in 2023 before his season ended prematurely after seven games with a shoulder injury. But what Kamal Hadden put on tape last season was impressive. He stands 6-foot-1 and weighed in at 196 pounds. Although he was unable to participate at the combine, he states he will be a full participant at Tennessee’s Pro Day on March 27. He could significantly improve his stock with a good showing, no longer making him available at No. 186.

Round 6 (No. 193) – S Omar Brown, Nebraska

It was tempting to grab Texas Tech’s Tyler Ownens here based on his athletic ability alone. Owens seems like he could be an exceptional special teams player at worst. However, he also had a tremendous number of missed tackles at Texas Tech. Omar Brown is a better football player. Brown played his final two seasons with Nebraska after transferring from Northern Iowa, where he was an FCS All-American. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Brown did not receive an invite to the combine. He is excellent in coverage and has good ball skills. He stood out at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Round 7 (No. 231) – LB Jordan Magee, Temple

Once again it was tempting to go for the athlete with the most upside. This time it was Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs. But Jordan Magee is a very underrated prospect. He improved every season at Temple and finished 2023 as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-highest graded linebacker in college football. Magee only measured 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds at the combine. He ran a 4.55 in the 40 and was ranked as the fourth most athletic linebacker in Indianapolis. Magee may not have the size teams are looking for a linebacker, but he is a good enough football player to find a home in the NFL.

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