By: Lily Zhao
As the NFL Draft nears, the New England Patriots have been given six picks all before the fifth round. What are the team's needs? Will they even use all six picks or will Bill Belichick trade up or trade down? Here are my thoughts and predictions for the Patriots for this year's NFL Draft.
1. This year's draft is all about defense. Last year, the Patriots were all about the offense and this year Belichick needs to focus on the defensive side of the ball. New England needs to address their secondary issues, specifically at cornerback and safety, especially since the team was ranked 31st in pass defense. I expect the Pats to focus their #27 and #31 draft picks on getting defensive players.
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| (nfldraftmonsters.com) |
2. Another thing to keep an eye out for is what the Patriots do if they choose to elect a player on the offensive side of the ball. Out of all the positions, a receiver who has the talent and ability to develop into Belichick's offense will be someone to look out for. I think Greg Childs out of Arkansas has the height, speed and hands to be a potential pick on offense. However, I think he goes late in the fourth or fifth round, so if Belichick trades down, this pick could work.
3. There really are no immediate team needs. During the free agency period, Belichick signed 14 players, which was the most in the league. However, looking down the road, Belichick needs to build the team, not so much collect the most talented players out there. He took a chance at drafting Brandon Spikes and Aaron Hernandez later in the draft and that paid off. So, with no picks between the fifth and seventh round this year, I expect Belichick to trade down to get some picks late. By doing so, he can get some players with talent, value and can create a sustainable culture.
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