2017 NFL Draft: New England Patriots Select OT Antonio Garcia With 85th Overall Pick

The New England Patriots moved up to 85th overall after selecting Derek Rivers with the 83rd pick, to address the offensive line.

The New England Patriots have had a busy third round. First they traded down from their 72nd pick to land the 83rd while also swapping a sixth rounder for a fourth.

They used that 83rd pick to select DE Derek Rivers.

Then, the Patriots made another move. They traded pick 96 and pick 124 which they had just received, to the Detroit Lions for the 85th pick.

With the 85th pick the New England Patriots selected OT Antonio Garcia from Troy.

Garcia was a projected second round pick, so Bill Belichick must have been excited that he was still available here. As always, I trust the opinion of Lance Zeirlein of NFL.com, so here is his take on Garcia:

"“Consistently playing below 300 pounds, his lanky frame is the first thing that gets noticed. But his positive attributes show up on tape more than his weaknesses. Mass and functional strength are concerns and he still needs plenty of technical work, but a team could look to draft and stash him based on his starter’s traits and ability.”"

The Patriots certainly have the right staff for Garcia to develop. Dante Scarnecchia is arguably the best offensive line coach in the NFL. This is a great fit for bith sides.

Next: Derek Rivers Selected 83rd Overall

New England’s next draft pick is now scheduled to be the 132nd overall pick in round four.