The Athletic

With the initial week of free agency in the rearview mirror, attention turns to next month’s NFL Draft. It’s no secret this is arguably the most meaningful New England Patriots draft in decades. What they do with the No. 3 pick will chart the course for the team for the next five years. All indications are that the Pats prefer to keep the No. 3 pick and use it to select their next quarterback. But who knows whether a shocking offer from a team like the Minnesota Vikings (maybe three first-rounders and a second for No. 3?) could change that plan. For this mock draft, we’ll stay away from trades. Stay tuned, though, for a beat writer mock draft later this week in which I take a different approach. The biggest regret from this mock draft was not landing a defensive lineman, but it does serve to get the offense a lot of help. Let’s dive into the eight picks.