The New England Patriots 2023 NFL draft is in the history books and reviews are all over the lot from excellent to meh. That notwithstanding, it might be illustrative to conduct an alternative draft that might have been if the board had fallen similarly.
Note: An immediate and important caveat to all this is that any choice could have/would likely have altered the proceedings somewhat if not significantly.
For the sake of this exercise though, let’s assume that the board falls similarly to what actually happened and the players selected were available where they actually were selected and see what happens.
There seems to be somewhat of a consensus that the first pick, Christian Gonzalez was stellar and that the second pick, Keion White was fine. It’s after those picks that opinions vary a lot.
With all that in mind, let’s select the draft as it would have been preferred here, and see how it all comes out. Let’s assume that the picks for the New England Patriots remained exactly the same.
The New England Patriots 2023 alternative draft
In the first round, the Patriots selected Christian Gonzalez, a top cornerback after a trade-down to No. 17 from 14. with four top offensive tackles off the board, the pick of Christian Gonzalez makes perfect sense.
He’s the best player available and meets a definite need of the Patriots at cornerback. The pick received a straight A here and why not stay with a good thing? Gonzalez is the choice.
In the second round, things get a bit more interesting. Edge was cited as a need and a specific edge, Lukas van Ness of Iowa was a favorite here. The Green Bay Packers agreed and took him off the table with the 13th pick overall.
The Patriots liked the position, as well, and selected Keion White, an edge from Georgia Tech at pick No. 46. At 46, the alternative draft goes in a different direction, selecting an offensive tackle. We select Tyler Steen, an offensive left tackle from Alabama.
A trade-down to still get Steen and another pick or two was possible here but since we’re going with the actual flow of the draft, we’ll reach a bit for a position of absolute and unquestioned need.
Steen was placed at the all-important offensive left tackle spot by Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban and his then-offensive coordinator and now Patriots’ OC, Bill O’Brien. Those considerations help warrant the slight reach.
New England Patriots go big at tight end and offensive tackle
In the third round, we go a bit outside the box and go for broke on another position of need. We select a huge tight end with awesome potential if not production thus far. It’s 6’7″ and 264-pound Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.
He’s an athletic force and at worst, will be a blocking nightmare for linebackers. At best he’d use his athletic talent to be a contributor on offense in an offense that loves its tight ends. It’s come to light that Washington may have a knee issue causing him to slide. No problem here. We take him.
After day two, we have Gonzalez, Steen, and Washington.
On Day three, the New England Patriots used three fourth-round picks. They took a center/guard, Jake Andrews at pick No. 107. The alternative goes in another direction and doubles down on offensive tackles, selecting Dawand Jones of Ohio State, a huge offensive right tackle.
With both starting tackles out of contract after the season, the Patriots have now secured the future for next season and beyond, as well as proving quality depth for when (not if) a tackle or two gets injured in 2023.
With their next pick No. 112, the Patriots took a kicker, Chad Ryland. They need a kicker, but not in the fourth round. Instead, the alternative goes for another offensive need and takes prolific pass-catcher, slot receiver Charlie Jones from Purdue.
Here’s what nfl.com had to say about Jones, who caught 110 passes for 1310 yards and 12 touchdowns:
"Exceptionally productive in his season at Purdue after transferring from Iowa, Jones will have trouble shedding tight, press-man coverage due to his lack of suddenness and blow-by speed. He possesses above average ball skills and has a feel for positioning and focus that creates a solid win rate on his contested catches. He can play zone-beater all day long and has the route savvy to keep improving his short-area separation. Jones is unlikely to work the deepest portions of the field but might find work in a possession-based passing game as a Day 3 draft pick."
If you liked Julian Edelman, you may like a similar player, Jones. He’ll step right into the slot receiver position seamlessly maybe from day one.
With pick No. 117, the Patriots selected Sidy Sow, a big guard from Eastern Michigan. It’s still a bit early for an interior lineman, so the Patriots go in a different direction and draft Darian Thompson-Robinson, a dual-threat quarterback from UCLA.
The NFL is trending heavily towards quarterbacks who can make up for deficiencies in protection and Thompson-Robinson, a good passer and top runner would. Again, a trade-down here might have been advisable but we’re not going in that direction, so it is what it is.
New England Patriots add a punter and more depth pieces
In the fifth round with pick No. 144, the Patriots selected a guard, Antonio Mafi (their second) from UCLA. The alternative likes the pick and also takes Mafi to help provide quality depth inside on the O-line where little exists now.
Moving to the sixth round, the team has three picks and it’s time to take fliers on players and fill more needs. The team selected wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, a wide receiver from LSU with the 187th pick.
The alternative selects the same position as pick No. 187 but goes in another direction. It selects a bigger target for quarterback Mac Jones, A.T. Perry, from Wake Forest.
Perry is big at 6’3 1/2″ tall and 198 pounds and the perfect draft complement to Charlie Jones selected earlier. He’s productive logging 82 catches, gaining 1096 yards with 11 TDs in 2022. Wide receiver is set.
At pick No. 192, the team selects another clear-need, defensive tackle. It’s Scott Matlock from Boise State.
Here’s what nfl.com had to say about Matlock:
"Matlock might fit best as a 4i or five-technique, where he can avoid interior blockers a little more often while activating his motor and athleticism. He’s not going to be a consistent block-beater or take on double teams unless he’s able to get bigger and stronger, but he does show flashes as a rusher and as a penetrator against the run. He could have late-round value."
With pick No. 210 in the sixth round, the Patriots selected wide receiver, Demario Douglas. Having already drafted two wideouts, the alternative goes in a different direction selecting punter Bryce Baringer, whom the Pats selected at pick No. 192. Hopefully, he slips this far.
With their last pick in the sixth round, No. 214, New England selected cornerback, Isaiah Bolden from Jackson State. In the alternative, the Patriots select Zach Kuntz, another big tight end from Old Dominion. Kuntz is 6’7″ tall and weighs 255 pounds.
Along with Washington, he adds youth and size to a tight-end room that needs lots of help. Both top tight ends, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki are out of contract after this season.
Finally, in the seventh round with the Patriots’ last pick, the 245th pick of the 2023 draft, the selection is backup center, Alex Forsyth from Oregon. Forsyth played under new Patriots O-line coach, Adrian Klemm.
Summary of the New England Patriots 2023 alternative draft
The New England Patriots 2023 alternative draft is complete. Let’s list who we have selected and see how it went.
1st round: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
2nd round: Tyler Steen, OLT, Alabama
3rd Round: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
4th round: Dawand Jones, ORT, Ohio State
4th round; Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
4th round: Darien Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
5th round: Antonio Mafi, OG, UCLA
6th round: A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
6th round: Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State
6th round: Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State
6th round: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
7th round: Alex Forsyth, C, Oregon.
So there you have it. A complete alternative draft.
It’s similar to the Patriots draft in still selecting Christian Gonzalez to bolster the defensive secondary. Yet. it differs dramatically from the New England Patriots draft in a few ways.
First, and most significantly it drafts two big offensive tackles to set the team up with present depth and future starters. The Patriots drafted none.
It also provides two additions tight end, another position that may be empty after the season. The Patriots neglected to select even one tight end.
It also makes the wide receiver a higher priority with a slot receiver selected in the fourth round and then adds another big receiver in the sixth. And like the Patriots, it adds interior line depth, in this case, two instead of three players.
For additional depth, it adds a defensive tackle, a very necessary punter, and a dual-threat quarterback to provide completion to the incumbents. The kicker is left for undrafted free agency.
How would you have liked this draft instead of the Patriots’ actual draft? We’d like to hear your views. It’s certainly preferred here.