It’s hard to imagine any draft in the last 20 years that has had this much intrigue in New England.
Typically, the Patriots are picking in the back end of the first round coming off another season that ended with a deep playoff run and more often than not at least a trip to the Super Bowl. These drafts didn’t have much hype because the majority of the years would get to the Patriots at the very end of Round 1 only to have Bill Belichick and Co. trade out to pick up an extra pick in Rounds 2 and 3.
What fun was that? Things are much different this year.
Coming off a 7-9 season, the Patriots will be picking No. 15 overall and since they are firmly in the quarterback market there’s a genuine excitement for Thursday night.
And for once, there’s also a legitimate possibility for Belichick to actually trade up, and into the top 10 potentially for quarterback Justin Fields. But then again there’s also a legitimate possibility he decides to trade back into the 20s to pick up an extra pick in Round 2 or Round 3 while still getting a quality player high on the Patriots' draft board. Or they could just stay at No. 15 and select a good player.
That is the beauty of this year — anything can happen and really whatever does will elicit some strong reaction, either positive or negative.
And if this offseason has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected.
While the Patriots entered free agency with a ton of money and were expected to spend big, did anyone think they would spend $159.6 million in guaranteed money during the month of March? The expectation was they’d address the tight end position, but did anyone think they’d add the two best free agents at the position in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith?
No, no and no.
The expectation is the Patriots will address the quarterback position at some point over the next few days, but it’s anyone’s guess as to how.
New England could decide to trade into the top 10 for Fields. It could predict Fields will fall to No. 15 and pick him there. It could not get any of the top five quarterbacks in the draft, but really like Davis Mills, Kellen Mond or even Kyle Trask. Or it could be all in on Jimmy Garoppolo and somehow end up by acquiring him via trade by the end of the weekend.
Based on what’s taken place this offseason, nothing should come as a surprise. And it isn’t just the quarterback position where a bold move could be made.
There’s the chance the organization is enamored with one of the two Alabama wide receivers — DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — and decide to trade up a few spots to prevent them from going a few picks before they are on the clock at No. 15.
They could also just stay at No. 15 and select a player who would be their highest selection since taking Jerod Mayo at No. 10 overall in 2008. And as we’ve seen in past years, Belichick has the ability to surprise even the best draft analysts with the players he picks.
And while not exciting as any of those scenarios, there’s always the possibility of trading back to pick up future picks. New England has a 50-pick gap from No. 46 (Round 2) and No. 96 (compensatory pick in Round 3) and it seems very likely this will be addressed. Who knows who would be their first overall pick if this happened, but it surely would generate tons of reaction after trading back from such a high spot.
As is always the case with Belichick and the Patriots in the draft, it’s so hard to predict what will happen, but at least this year no matter what it is it’s sure to be dramatic.
