The New England Patriots have at least three approaches they can use their No. 3 determination in the 2024 NFL Draft. And there’s an argument to be made for all three offensive positions.
But if the Patriots experience as if they should build around a quarterback as a substitute than draft one, New England would possibly be better off going the boring route at offensive tackle alternatively of extensive receiver. A trade back from No. 3 might even end result in a stud offensive address and more draft capital.
“In the tackle-wideout discussion, if it’s close, you go tackle early,” NFL draft specialist Daniel Jeremiah said at some point of his pre-NFL Scouting Combine conference call.
In Jeremiah’s top-50 listing published Monday, the NFL Media analyst listed three receivers (Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers) among his pinnacle four prospects. The only player ranked greater was quarterback Caleb Williams, who is heavily favored to be the first participant drafted. Joe Alt is Jeremiah’s top handle prospect (No. nine overall) with seven total tackles ranked in his top 19 players.
The depth at receiver and drop-off at tackle, though, is eventually why Jeremiah would advocate it.
“I sense a lot better about the third-round wideouts than I do about the third-round tackles,” Jeremiah said. “That to me would make that — I would lean greater in that tackle route early because in the 1/3 round you obtained some really, really fascinating guys (receivers).”
Jeremiah specifically named Georgia’s Amarius Mims, who he has ranked No. 19, as the final tackle before his perceived “drop-off.” Those ahead of Mims consist of Alt, Taliese Fuaga (No. 10), Olumuyiwa Fashanu (No. 12), JC Latham (No. 13), Troy Fautanu (No. 17) and Tyler Guyton (No. 18).
There’s just one tackle listed on Jeremiah’s pinnacle 50 after Mims (Jordan Morgan, No. 39).
“It’s a loaded handle class,” Jeremiah said. “Just in terms of that top group, there’s 10, 11 guys that are clearly interesting. I suppose we’ll see a bunch of starters, a bunch of day one starters out of that tackle group.”
In regards to receivers, Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 16), Adonai Mitchell (No. 33), Keon Coleman (No. 36), Troy Franklin (No. 37), Xavier Worthy (No. 41), Ladd McConkey (No. 42), Malachi Corley (No. 44), Ricky Pearsall (No. 48) and Roman Wilson (No. 50) all ranked inner Jeremiah’s top 50. It’s clear Jeremiah views a drop-off from doable stars in Harrison Jr., Odunze and Nabers, however one would think New England would have different preferences when it’s returned on the clock.
The Patriots currently have preferences No. 34 and 68 on the 2d day of the draft. The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan these days wrote how the Patriots took notice of McConkey during the Senior Bowl. Additionally, Jeremiah cited Corley, Wilson and Pearsall as attainable third-round targets. NESN.com’s Keagan Stiefel also made the case for either Wilson or Corley.
“It’s a really, sincerely interesting mix of wideouts,” Jeremiah said.
The Patriots very nicely could have their desire of any player at both offensive handle or wideout on April 25. Or perhaps they do some thing completely exclusive and select their quarterback of the future.
What do you think? Should the Patriots prioritize an offensive lineman alternatively of a wide receiver in the first round? Leave your opinion in the comments below.
