2023 NFL Draft: Patriots First-Round Predictions

New England has the 14th pick on Thursday night but history has taught us anything is possible when Bill Belichick and the Patriots are on the clock.

The Patriots are armed with the No. 14 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, their earliest selection since 2008, with apparent needs at two premium positions: cornerback and offensive line. Those two positions are co-favorites to be the team’s first pick and wide receiver is close behind in the betting markets.

New England, which finished third in the division last season, missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. And the only AFC East team that finished with a worse record in 2022 — the Jets — just added four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

SI’s Albert Breer pointed to those three positions, in addition to outside linebacker, as New England’s biggest needs heading into the draft. Should one of the top two corners in the class (Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois) fall this far — which seems unlikely — that would be an easy pick for coach and general manager Bill Belichick. If that’s not the case, tackle might be the way to go to add some youth to a solid but aging offensive line.

Who  Will the Patriots Draft in the First Round?

Cornerback +250

Offensive Lineman +250

Wide Receiver +275

Defensive Lineman +550

Running Back +900

Quarterback +1400

Safety +1600

Tight End +1800

Linebacker +1800

Odds via SI Sportsbook

Matthew OHaren/USA TODAY Sports

New England is probably out of range to land either of the top two corners, which would leave them with CB3: Joey Porter Jr. out of Penn State. Conor Orr projects that to happen in SI’s latest mock draft:

There are probably a lot of other sensible things for the Patriots to do with this pick, but to select the son of an NFL defensive legend and take a defensive back at the same time would be too difficult an enticement for Bill Belichick to pass up.

As far as offensive line prospects go, Tennessee’s Darnell Wright and Broderick Jones out of Georgia should both be available in this range. New England, which signed veteran tackle Riley Reiff in the offseason and drafted guard Cole Strange 29th overall in 2022, could still use another young offensive lineman to help open up rushing lanes for running back Rhamondre Stevenson and keep quarterback Mac Jones upright.

N’Keal Harry was the first and only receiver drafted in the first round (2109) by the Patriots in the the Belichick era. While wide receiver Jaokobi Meyers left via free agency, JuJu Smith-Schuster was brought in during the offseason, but the team’s top returning target is DeVante Parker. Drafting Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Ohio State would provide an immediate boost to the skill position group assembled around Jones, and the draft odds (+275) indicate it’s nearly as likely that New England takes a pass-catcher as a cornerback or offensive lineman.

The way the board is lining up, an offensive lineman (+250) in this spot sounds like a solid bet. But remember, Belichick surprised everyone with the Strange selection last year and did the same with safety Kyle Dugger in 2020. And both times, the Patriots traded back. So it’s entirely possible when New England does make its first-round pick, it’s not at No. 14.

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