The Many Choices the Patriots Have with the 2nd Round Pick

Big news in the NFL broke last night. Jimmy Garoppolo, former Patriots backup, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2018 second round pick. This was crazy, especially since the Pats were offered a first round pick for him in the offseason. It came down to Jimmy G wanting to start rather than sit behind Brady until he retires, even though the Patriots wanted to resign him after this season when he was set to be a free agent this upcoming offseason. Many Patriots fans are upset and mad at this trade, because what can we possibly do with a second round pick? First of all Pats fans, don’t look at this pick as a second rounder, but actually a late first round pick, as the 49ers are 0-8 this season, and will be lucky to win three games. Barring any hot streaks that might happen in the second half of the season, this second round pick will turn into the 33rd or the 34th pick in all likelihood.

With a pick like this, the Patriots can find a playmaker and possibly a future franchise player. These players can help New England with aspects that they are lacking this year. The Patriots essentially have four main needs that need to be filled with players they draft this offseason. The first is offensive tackle. Nate Solder has played poorly this year, and it seems his years as a reliable offensive tackle are numbered. We also need help at the linebacker position, as talent is currently scarce at that position for the Patriots. Another position that we desperately need is an edge rusher that can put pressure on the quarterback, along with helping stop the run. We could also use an upgrade at middle linebacker, as Kyle Van Noy has been subpar so far this year.

*These are in random order and not in order from the best to worst choices for the Pats. These prospects are all equal from a scouting point of view, and benefit the team in different ways.*

Martinas Rankin – Offensive Tackle – Mississippi State:

Rankin was one of the most well rounded right tackles in the SEC last year, as he was great in both the run block and pass block game. This year, Martinas was moved to left tackle and still continued to excel in both the pass block and run block, but is still only projected as a late first to early second round pick, as he’s not a big name player, but is one that could turn out to be a future star in the league. He is 6’5″, and weighs 307 pounds, but is one of the most athletic tackles for his size. Rankin also has quick feet that will allow him to get the upper hand on any defender right off of the snap. This would be a major upgrade to a line that has failed to protect Brady throughout the season this year, as he’s been constantly battered this season.

Tremaine Edmunds – Outside Linebacker – Virginia Tech:

One of the most explosive linebackers from the 2016 season, that finished with 106 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 3 passes broken up. This is a player that can do it all. He can rush the passer, drop back into coverage, and stop the run. Many linebackers, that are in college, or even sometimes in the NFL, can’t do all of the things that Edmunds did last year. This year, Tremaine has struggled so far, as he’s only collected 50 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and 2 forced fumbles. Edmunds is a big defender, weighing in at 6’5″ and 236 pounds. This is one athletic player that can use the reach from his height to get by defenders, while his height and speed can also help cover tall tight ends down the field. Bill Belichick loves these types of players that can do it all, and he also likes players who struggle, but show real potential, something that he himself can mold into a super star.

Harold Landry – Defensive End/Outside Linebacker – Boston College:

One of the best pass rushers from the 2016 season started the season out as a top 10 draft prospect, but poor play has dropped his stock to the end of the first round/early second, which can help one of the purest pass rushers fall right into the lap of the Patriots. Last year in 2016, Harold recorded 16.5 sacks, 51 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 4 passes batted, and 7 forced fumbles. These stats are insane, and he easily could have gone in the top 20 in last year’s draft, but he decided to return to BC, to be drafted in the top 10. Due to his poor play this year, he has made a major fall on the boards. Landry’s stats this year are 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and 5 sacks. At 6’3″ and weighing 250 pounds, Harold possesses both speed and power to get to the passer. The only issue that Landry struggles with is run defense, as he is more of a pure pass rusher. Harold Landry reminds me of Chandler Jones, since Jones was more of a passer rusher, but when he was drafted by New England, Belichick was able to change him into a well rounded player. Bill may see the same in Harold that he saw in Chandler and draft Harold, if he’s available at their pick, which may be unlikely.

Duke Ejiofor – Defensive End – Wake Forest:

Duke was one major force in 2016, but many people didn’t know of him because of the poor play from his team as a whole. Last year, Ejiofor put up 50 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 passes broken up, and 1 interception. In 2015 as a sophomore, he put up 4.5 sacks. He is an under the radar player, who doesn’t possess speed on the edge which is going to affect his draft stock, as he isn’t seen as a first round pick. He would be a solid pick in the second round, which could be a steal at the first or second pick in the second round. His stats this season are solid, as he’s recorded 34 tackles, 7 sacks, and 14.5 tackles for a loss, 1 pass batted down, and 2 forced fumbles. The Patriots are in need of a solid well rounded defensive end that can get to the quarterback, but also stop the run. Belichick would love a defensive end that can do it all for his team. Bill would also like a big strong kid who is 6’4″, and 270 pounds on defense who’s power could really help the team.

Malik Jefferson – Inside Linebacker – Texas:

Jefferson has always been a solid leader and player at Texas; a player that has both speed and strength to make plays. His sophomore year in 2016 was solid, as he finished with 60 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 pass defended, and 1 forced fumble. This was a great year for him, proving he was one of the top players on the Longhorns defense. This year, Malik is playing at an even higher level, as he has 76 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and 4 sacks. Malik Jefferson is a solid athletic player, at 6’3″, and weighing in at 238 pounds. His athleticism and playmaking would be a major upgrade for New England. Belichick likes playmakers that can call the plays and run the defense, which Malik excels at. He is projected to be drafted in the early second round of the draft, which means he could be there when the Patriots pick.

Sione Teuhema – Outside Linebacker – Southeast Louisiana:

It’s no surprise that Bill Belichick likes to draft players earlier than they’re projected. Sione is one of those potential players, as he has amazing stats, but goes to a small school, which dropped his draft stock to a third or fourth round pick. This the first main year that Teuhema has started since transferring from LSU, where he was suspended for unknown reasons and only played a limited amount of snaps. Sione played with an ACL injury last season and still showed signs of explosiveness and using speed and power together. His stats are crazy for being an edge rusher, as he’s produced 53 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 8 sacks, and one pass broken up. Sione Teuhema stands 6’4″ and weighs 245 pounds, which will help him to go up against the bigger offensive linemen in the league, as he can use both his reach and strength, along with the speed he possesses to get to the passer. Bill Belichick could possibly see his skills and raw talent and use the second round pick to reach for Sione, just to help him develop into a star.

Written by Domenic Buccini