Where Should Patriots Go With First Round Draft Picks?
The New England Patriots will have two draft picks in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The first pick will be the number 27 pick which they received from the New Orleans Saints and the second will be the number 31 pick which is their own. There are three positions that the Patriots will be focusing on this offseason; wide receiver, defensive end, and defensive back. In all three positions, the decision will be whether to draft a top prospect or go after one of the top free agents.
The one problem for the Patriots offense is at the wide receiver position. If the Patriots re-sign Wes Welker and Deion Branch, they are still small at that position and without a real deep theat. There are a few free agents that fit that mold that the Patriots could go after. Vincent Jackson and Reggie Wayne are both veterans who could be good fits for the Patriots. Another veteran who would be a good fit is Brandon Lloyd who, it is rumored, would like a reunion with the Patriots new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Lloyd played under McDaniels when they were both in Denver in 2009-2010. Dwayne Bowe is another player the Patriots could look at though he isn’t quite the deep threat receiver as Jackson, Wayne, or Lloyd.
If the Patriots look to the draft for a receiver, there are a few players they could consider. A good fit for the Patriots would be Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State but, considering that Blackmon is by far the number one receiver in the draft, he’ll likely not be around by the time the Patriots pick. More realistic picks include Mohamed Sanu from Rutgers, Michael Floyd from Notre Dame, or Alshon Jeffery from South Carolina.
The Patriots will also be looking for a pass rusher this offseason. There are several established players that would help the team in 2012. Some of the top defensive ends due to be free agents will be Mario Williams, Robert Mathis, Calais Campbell, Cliff Avril, and John Abraham. If the Patriots continue to play the same 4-3 defense, Mathis and Abraham would probably be the two players to look at for the position.
If the Patriots decide to draft a pass rusher for their 4-3 defense, there are a few options to consider. The top defensive end in the draft is undoubtedly Quinton Coples but he most likely won’t be available for the 27th selection. The other four defensive ends to look at would be Nick Perry from Southern California, Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, Andre Branch from Clemson, and Melvin Ingram from South Carolina. All four will be more than capable pass rushers in the NFL.
The most important position for the Patriots to improve at this offseason is defensive back. The Patriots had the second worst secondary in the NFL in 2011. Three of the top defensive backs who will be free agents in 2012 will be Carlos Rogers, Cortland Finnegan, Brandon Carr, and Rashean Mathis. Carlos Rogers would be a good pickup for the Patriots but many believe that if the 49ers offer Rogers the long term contract he wants, he will re-sign. Finnegan and Carr however, are likely leaving their two teams. Carr seemingly wants out of Kansas City and Tennessee might be ready to cut ties with Finnegan. As for Mathis, it’s still unknown what Jacksonville will do with their franchise corner.
The Patriots have been rebuilding their defensive backfield since 2009 and could continue in 2012. With the issues they had in 2011, this might be a position to use one of their early picks. The top cornerback is Morris Claiborne from LSU but he will likely be taken before the Patriots have a chance to select. Some of the other top prospects that will be considered are Dre Kirkpatrick from Alabama, Janoris Jenkins from North Alabama, Alfonzo Dennard form Nebraska, and Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina. It’s possible Janoris Jenkins and Dre Kirkpatrick could be top 15 picks as well which would leave Alfonzo Dennard as the top available cornerback.
So which positions will be taken with the first round selections? The Patriots have lately been going after free agents to be leading receivers. It worked well in picking up Randy Moss and not so well in getting Chad Ochocinco. If the Patriots could get Jackson, Wayne, or Lloyd, these would be good additions to an already extremely dangerous offense. Likely one of the picks will go for a top cornerback. If the Patriots decide to use Ras-I Dowling or Devin McCourty at safety, they’ll need to use an early pick on a cornerback. The Patriots must limit the deep plays on defense and to do that, they must improve their defensive backfield.
New England will probably be drafting a cornerback and a defensive end in the first round. Which one they pick first could very well depend on how quickly the players at those positions are being taken. There is more talent at defensive end in this class than there is at cornerback so defensive end might be their first selection. Either way, these first round picks should help improve a defense that was the weak side of the ball in 2011.
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