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New England Patriots: The best fits in the 2018 NFL draft

By Tre Wiggins

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Draft Day is getting closer and closer, and the New England Patriots have a few gaps to fill.

Even though there is a huge pool of fantastic free agents ripe for the picking, the New England Patriots could use a solid infusion of youth. While they don’t need to trade up for a top ten prospect, a solid first round selection wouldn’t hurt, rather than throwing away the pick on someone that will just sit and wait.

Lucky for New England, there is no wrong decision to be made this year. Everyone that is projected in the first round could be very impactful if utilized correctly. There are a few players though that would really take the Patriots to great heights in a hurry.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the big needs for the team and some prospects that will surely fill the need.

The holes that need plugging

The Pats have a great edge rusher in Trey Flowers, but two never hurt anybody. There is supposed to be one on either side, anyway. Talents like Marcus Davenport or Harold Landry make sense here. Both are crafty with their moves, and they also know how to establish position quickly off the snap. Once they do that, their athletic ability usually kicks in.

A backup Quarterback would not be a bad option this year. There are more options than I’ve seen in past years for the Pats. One player that comes to mind is Mason Rudolph. He has a good arm, solid footwork in the pocket, effective decision making, and to top it all off he can run a little too.

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While they have some solid options at this position, the New England Patriots could always pick a solid young receiver. Tom Brady can never get enough targets. One player that could help diversify their group is Cortland Sutton. He is a tall, lengthy, physical target that can go up and get it. He can serve as a slightly slower Randy Moss for Mr. G.O.A.T.

The more obvious choices

If they want to bolster their secondary, the Super Bowl runner-ups could always take a player like Josh Jackson out of Iowa. He is a balanced player who could add something to a unit that needs a little bit of work, kind of like the way in which your old beat up 90’s coupe needs an upgrade but you’re convinced that the plastic wrapped window slots still keep out the rain and it still sounds like a dream.

For the last position, even though it could easily be filled with a free agent (cough cough) Doug Martin, cough cough cough), the Patriots could always just let their free agents at Running back walk and draft a player like Sony Michel. He can do everything from run in between the tackles to running routes out of the backfield. He’s the perfect combination of strong and skilled. Why wouldn’t a team that needs to balance their offense get someone like him?

Next: 5 potential upgrades at linebacker

Since I’ve now given a few scenarios for you all to consider, I can now say that this will probably be the year in which the Patriots are actually predictable in the offseason.

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