After trading up in Round 2 to select Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore (Roll Pats!), the Patriots emptied some of the late-round ammunition they had for Saturday. To move up from Pick No. 46 to Pick No. 38 the Patriots had to part ways with Pick No. 122 from Round 4 as well as Pick No. 139 from Round 5. Still, the Patriots enter the final day of the 2021 NFL Draft armed with plenty of picks. To reset, the Patriots remaining picks Saturday are:
Patriots currently have 5 picks remaining in the 2021 draft.
4th round - 120th overall
5th round - 177th overall (compensatory pick)
6th round - 188th overall from Texans (Marcus Cannon)
6th round - 197th overall
7th round - 242nd overall
They now have 79 players on the roster
— Cap Space=$15,544,482 (@patscap) May 1, 2021
And then, of course, there will be UDFAs, priority free agents who come in a land rush once the draft is over, an area where the Patriots have excelled during the Bill Belichick years. And while sometimes, like last year, the later rounds provide swings and misses (kicker Justin Rohrwasser, fifth-round, Marshall), there are also diamonds in the rough who turn into building blocks (guard Michael Onwenu, sixth-round, Michigan). Here are some players who hopefully would make for more Onwenu and less Rohrwasser for the Patriots in the final rounds today:
OFFENSE
Amon-Ra St. Brown: WR, USC - A physical receiver who doesn’t have the most eye-popping of highlights, but is a solid route runner with great hands. Was projected 2nd rounder, could make an impact in the slot at pro level.
Shi Smith: WR, South Carolina - Small, speedy slot receiver with outstanding hands who overcomes size and athleticism limitations to make big plays and get vertical.
Tylan Wallace: WR, OK State - Big play target who peaked his sophomore season and has seen his stats slip since. If he can regain form would be a steal this late.
Dazz Newsome: WR, UNC - Productive slot receiver with good quickness and separation who loves football so much he slept in his uniform as a kid (paging Coach Belichick).
Demetric Felton: WR/RB, UCLA - A hybrid offensive talent who had a great Senior Bowl and seemed an early round lock until a subpar pro day dropped his stock.
Kenneth Gainwell: RB, Memphis - Multi-purpose back with excellent speed and agility who compiled over 2,000 all purpose yards in 2019 before opting out in 2020. Could see work on all three downs, be a prime candidate to succeed James White eventually.
Michael Carter: RB, UNC - Short, quick and explosive, Carter was the speedier half of UNC’s 1-2 punch this past season alongside Javonte Williams, now a member of the Denver Broncos. Another prime candidate to draft and develop with an eye toward being the next third dow back.
Chuba Hubbard: RB, Ok State - Straight line speedster who set the college football world on fire in 2019, then came back to Earth in 2020. Style of running could lead to boom or bust, but those booms often result in long TD runs.
Jermar Jefferson: RB, Oregon State - Another strong, speedy and shorter back (5’10”), Jefferson had a strong 2020 which has gained the attention of a number of teams looking for a productive and versatile back. Has already had a Zoom meeting with the Patriots. Perhaps the interest comes to fruition on the draft’s final day.
Brevin Jordan: TE, Miami - After drafting two TEs in 2020, then signing two more to premium deals this offseason, it’s not exactly a position of need. But Bill Belichick had a chance to see Jordan, an athletically gifted pass catcher who’s great after the catch, in-person at the U’s Pro Day, so perhaps the up close observation makes this a value impossible to resist.
James Hudson: OT, Cincinnati - A raw but athletic and powerful tackle, could be a classic grab-and-stash pick for the Patriots who could have some O-Line vacancies in 2022.
Trey Smith: G, Tennessee - A giant of a human (6’ 6”, 330 lbs) who has vowed to “never forget” plummeting in the 2021 draft, he could be a steal considering he’s admitted to being highly motivated. Played tackle early, now a right guard with extreme power but some mobility concerns.
DEFENSE
Dylan Moses: LB, Alabama - Tuscaloosa North, right? Or is it New England Crimson Tide? Look, he played linebacker for Nick Saban, and we all know how this goes for Belichick. Moses is a but undersized but then again the position has been trending smaller for coverage in recent years. Also, again, ‘Bama.
Shaun Wade: CB, Ohio State - An injury filled up-and-down 2020 where Wade opted back in seems to have hindered his draft stock. Seems to have the right size and speed. If he regains his 2019 for could be a secondary steal for a team looking to add depth at corner.
Jabril Cox: LB, LSU - Rare to see a highly touted defensive player out of LSU still available come Day 3. Cox is on the smaller size for linebackers, and the LSU defense was pretty underwhelming in 2020. Yet everything about him says pro-ready.
Ar’Darius Washington: S, TCU - Undersized safety who could take some time to develop. Aggressive playmaker with good instincts who teamed up with Trevon Moehrig, drafted by the Raiders, to form one of the best safety duos from 2019-20.Not all safeties are giants (Bob Sanders ring a bell?)
Jamar Johnson: S, Indiana - By most accounts one of the top five safeties available in this draft, Johnson doesn’t exactly come from a school known for being a secondary factory. Yet he has good size (6’ 1”, 200 lbs) and is coming off a solid 2020 season. Could be a steal for a team looking for safety depth and willing to take a chance on a lesser known prospect.
Caden Stearns: S, Texas - Burst onto the scene in 2018, then was beset by injuries the past two seasons. Needs to improve on tackling and strength. Solid Pro Day should have teams interested early Saturday. Could be a candidate to be mentored behind veterans like McCourty and Philips.
Dayvion Nixon: DT, Iowa - Surprise to see him still available. Big, athletic, quick tackle who can penetrate the line and play the run equally. Deceptively fast, would be a solid addition to any defense looking for depth and a potential gem to develop over time.
