2017 Potential Patriots: Round by Round

The NFL Draft is a unpredictable event, and in the case of the New England Patriots, sitting back all the way in the third round for their first selection (72nd pick to be exact) can be a good thing. Fortunately, this draft is loaded with prospects in all positions (quarterback is a iffy) and capitalizing on late round talent is how New England rolls in the draft process.

Here are my updated predictions on players that fit the bill and could wind up in Foxboro.

3rd round (72nd)- Julie’n Davenport OT Bucknell– A big lineman (6’7 310 pounds) that competed against bigger named players at the NFL combine, Davenport will be a smaller school prospect (FCS) getting picked. Just recently, reports say that the Patriots are having Davenport do full workouts for them, and this could be a player that New England pulls the trigger on to replace Sebastian Vollmer. A respectable player that commanded the O-Line, Davenport may not have the elite athleticism, but has the football IQ and durability to stay a while in the NFL.

3rd round (96th)- Bucky Hodges TE Virginia Tech- A mismatch tight end with ridiculous athleticism to stretch the field, Hodges can fill the role of Martellus Bennett while adding some youth to the squad. At roughly 6’7 and 255 pounds, Hodges has the size to be a legit tight end, but his 39″ vertical and 4.57 forty yard dash stick out as legit reasons to snag the gym rat of the Hokies. With previously playing QB and converting to the tight end position, Hodges is a prospect that has lots of upside. We have seen Virginia Tech switch prospects over, such as Logan Thomas, who was QB at Virginia Tech and is back over to a tight end in the NFL.

4th round (131st)- Shaquill Griffin DB UCF- An aggressive corner from the AAC, Griffin fits the typical protocol in the height and weight column (6′ 194lbs) but has a swagger to his game. Watching tape of him, Griffin has the tendency to be a shutdown player and eliminate your best targets. A New England type of player with staggering NFL Combine numbers, Griffin could fall this far and scoop him up for bolstering the backfield militia due to the large number of corners and safeties in this draft.

5th round (163rd)- Riley Bullough LB Michigan State- You want to talk about a natural born football player that has the family genes to continue into the NFL, Bullough is your guy. His brother Max was a well known Spartan that gained lots of attention, but Riley is making a name for himself. Approximately 214 tackles in his collegiate career, Bullough loves contact and is a hard nosed guy. A player that could slip down the boards for not so elite athleticism, but makes up for it with outstanding technique and IQ. Special teams and or an actual spot as a long term player could be in the future of Bullough, but the road will be long in order for it to happen.

5th round (183rd)- Noah Brown WR Ohio State- Curtis Samuel for the majority of the time, gained the attention of being a speed demon on the turf. His teammate Noah Brown may not have gained so much of the spotlight, but has the physical tools to thrive at the next level. At 6’2 and over 220 pounds, Brown is a bigger target and put up 19 reps on the bench at the combine. Inexperience is what scouts say about Brown, but the upside is huge for a guy of his nature.

6th round (200th)- Ejuan Price DE Pitt- A smaller defensive end that has a low center of gravity, Price is an interesting choice here that goes well with the packages New England runs. Despite being injury prone, Price when healthy makes an impact on the field (13 sacks in this year alone) while having arguably his best year of his young career. If he falls this far, you bet New England should take him to try and reload on the defensive end position that really only consists of Trey Flowers and Rob Ninkovich (Sheard/Mingo left for Colts).

7th round (239th)- Dan Skipper OT Arkansas- At 6’10, Skipper automatically stands out as a huge target, but the Patriots like to have big tackles on their roster. Skipper is good at pulling and being a fluid athlete on the field. A player that will certainly give others a run for their money at winning a roster spot, I’d like to see this happen.