New England Patriots draft day live: Team selects RB Sony Michel at No. 31
The 2018 NFL Draft is here and the New England Patriots will be one of many teams looking to find the next franchise guy in a deep quarterback draft.
Update [11:30 p.m.]: The New England Patriots select Georgia running back Sony Michel with the No. 31 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Michel was considered the best running back in the draft by some and is already labeled as a taller version of Dion Lewis.
Update [10:35 p.m.]: The New England Patriots select Georgia offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn with the No. 23 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Wynn is the prototypical Patriot. He is an interior offensive lineman who can play tackle. He is a good candidate to help fill the void left by Nate Solder.
Coming off a disappointing Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots are favorites again to get back to the big game. Bill Belichick and the crew has endured a lot of drama during that defeat and have suffered some key losses. All of this combined makes this 2018 NFL Draft a key one for the organization.
One main area the team may target is the quarterback position. With Tom Brady turning 41 before the start of the 2018 NFL season, a challenge for the team is to find the next guy.
Over the last couple months, the team has been linked to quarterback prospects like Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson, Kyle Lauletta, Mason Rudolph and Luke Falk. Out of that lot, Jackson has drawn the most interest from the team and could be available when their turn comes to select.
While players like Rudolph, Falk and Lauletta are more realistic possibilities, the Patriots will have to really be sold that one of those guys can be molded into something special.
It could turn out that the team won’t draft a quarterback. That’s what makes this 2018 NFL Draft so intriguing.
Team selections
Round 1, No. 23 and No. 31; Round 2, No. 43 and No. 63; Round 3, No. 95; Round 6, No. 198 and No. 210; Round 7, No. 219.
Don’t be surprised if one or both of those first round picks is used to either move up in the draft or move back to accumulate more draft picks. Belichick’s track record is usually to trade down for more picks.
How to watch the NFL draft
When: Round 1: Thursday, April 26 at 8 p.m. EST
Round 2-3: Friday, April 27 at 7 p.m. EST
Round 4-7: Saturday, April 28 at 12 p.m. EST
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
TV: NFL Network, ESPN (Thursday-Saturday), Fox Sports (Friday), ABC (Saturday)
Stream: Fubo TV
Main areas of need
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With the loss of Nate Solder to free agency, left tackle will be an area of focus. Offensive lineman to watch out for is Kolton Miller (UCLA) and Connor Williams (Texas).
The team will also need to address adding more speed at the linebacker position and a pass rusher. Some of the players the team has been linked to include Rashaan Evans (Alabama), Josey Jewell (Iowa), Leighton Vander Esh (Boise State) and Malik Jefferson (Texas).
Bill Belichick’s motto has always been to take the best player available, so don’t be surprised if the team doesn’t address one of the key needs above in the first couple picks. The Patriots could always draft a wide receiver, running back, tight end or a cornerback if someone they had at the top of their board falls.
One of those possibilities is tight end Hayden Hurst. Despite Rob Gronkowski finally confirming that he will return, don’t rule out Bill Belichick drafting a tight end high in the draft as either a complement to Gronk or an eventual replacement.
Predictions
The New England Patriots will trade up in this draft, but it will not be to take a quarterback like Josh Rosen or Lamar Jackson, it will be to take a defensive player.
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The Patriots will also accumulate additional picks to address their offensive line needs as well as secondary help. They will select a quarterback in either the second or third round. The player could be Lamar Jackson after he slides out of the first round.