After having over 2 weeks to think about the NFL Draft I have finally made my decision on whether New England did a good job or not. While some of the picks they made may have been controversial, in the end, New England has put themselves in the best position to win again. Here, I will briefly go through each pick that the Patriots made and give my own opinion on what it means for the future.

Round 1, Pick 15: Mac Jones

Quarterback, Alabama

New England finally got their quarterback they so desperately needed. Mac Jones had a breakout season in 2020 with the Crimson Tide as he won the national championship and threw for 464 yards and 5 touchdowns. Like many other Patriots fans, I thought that New England would trade up for a QB since this offseason has been crazy. I figured that anything could happen. Unfortunately, Belichick elected not to do this and ended up selecting Jones at 15. While it was not my ideal pick, I can understand where NE is coming from. They need a QB, an especially a smart one who makes good decisions and that is exactly what you get from Jones. However, the lack of athleticism scares me. Nowadays, a mobile QB is the new wave. Jones isn’t the slowest QB but he sure isn’t the fastest. I have never been high on him but over the past couple weeks, Mac has grown on me quite a bit. My only issue is that at Alabama, Jones had one of the best receiving corps of all time with 2 top 10 picks in the 2021 NFL Draft (Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle). The amount of talent the offense had may have made Jones look a little better than he really is but overall he was very efficient. I just feel that if he had such a great offense, Jones should have played a little better than he did. Personally, I wish NE traded up for Justin Fields who was taken by Chicago, but in the end the pick makes sense for a team lacking a QB.

Final Grade: B-

NFL Comparison: Alex Smith

Round 2, Pick 38: Christian Barmore

Defensive Tackle, Alabama

The Patriots went down south for the second pick in a row which is not surprising due to the strong relationship between Bill Belichick and Alabama HC Nick Saban. Barmore stands at a massive 6’4” and 310 pounds. He broke out in 2020 with 8 sacks which is absurd for an interior lineman. I absolutely love this pick. Even though NE gave up their 46th, 122nd and 139th picks to the Cincinnati Bengals, Barmore is going to be a stud. He was widely regarded as the best interior lineman in the draft and will flourish in the Patriots system. With the loss of Adam Butler, New England needs a long term replacement at the position and Barmore will do just that. He also had 9.5 tackles for loss which is what the Pats need up the middle. He will provide lots of pash rush presence along with the ability to stuff the run. He is a true complete DL.

Final Grade: A

Player Comparison: Richard Seymour

Round 3, Pick 96: Ronnie Perkins

EDGE, Oklahoma

This pick is another great selection and an edge player was a huge need for the defense. NE signed Matt Judon in free agency who was a star edge defender for the Ravens but other than Kyle Van Noy and Chase Winovich, the Pats were shallow at the position. Perkins is a bit undersized for the position at 6’2” and 253 pounds but got the job done in college. Over 3 seasons at Oklahoma, Perkins averaged 5.5 sacks and over 10.5 tackles for loss each season with his sophomore year being the best (6 sacks and 13.5 TFL). Not to mention, he only played in 6 games in 2020 and still totaled over 5 sacks and was on pace for an incredible season. Perkins is speedy and can set the edge for this defense while possessing strong hands and special power allowing him to be a great run defender. 

Final Grade: A-

Player Comparison: Elvis Dumervil

Round 4, Pick 120: Rhamondre Stevenson

Running Back, Oklahoma

The Patriots went back to back Oklahoma prospects in the 4th round as they selected Stevenson. The former Sooner stands at just under 6’0” and weighed in at 235 pounds which is quite big for the position. Even though NE is very deep at the position, the addition of a true powerback is appealing. Stevenson had a long journey before becoming a Sooner as he went to Cerritos College (Junior College) in California. He put up incredible numbers rushing for 2000 yards on 222 carries plus 16 touchdowns. In 2019 sitting behind Jalen Hurts, Kennedy Brooks, and Trey Sermon on the Oklahoma depth chart, he still managed to put up impressive numbers with 515 yards on 64 carries and 6 touchdowns. In 2019, he and the Patriots 3rd round pick (Ronnie Perkins) were suspended for a positive THC test before the Peach Bowl. This cut his 2020 season to only 6 games but Stevenson did really well with over 110 yards per game along with 7 touchdowns. He reminds me of former Patriot LeGarrette Blount who ran extremely hard with surprising athleticism. Stevenson is hard to bring down and uses his frame very well in goal line/short yardage situations however he is very light on his feet allowing him to hit holes quickly along with sharp jump cuts and fluid pace while running. I like the pick but I believe it could have been used elsewhere such as wide receiver or even cornerback. 

Final Grade: B-

Player Comparison: LeGarrette Blount

Round 5, Pick 177: Cameron McGrone

Linebacker, Michigan

One of the more risky picks of the 2021 class, Belichick went up north and got McGrone late in the draft. He is a true MIKE linebacker and was phenomenal in 2019 for the Wolverines. In November 2020, he tore his ACL and didn’t return to the field but still declared for the draft. Despite his injury history, McGrone is an explosive linebacker with incredible athleticism. He fits well into the Patriots’ blitz-heavy scheme since at Michigan McGrone flourished in a similar system. New England went in on pass rushers and outside linebackers in free agency but the former Wolverine will get a chance when healthy. As Dont’a Hightower returns from injury at 31 years old, his performance may be taking a turn for the worst due to age. Ja’Whaun Bentley is the other “MIKE” on the Patriots roster but hasn’t shown enough to be a reliable starter. I love the potential that McGrone has and I believe it was worth the risk. When healthy, this kid is the real deal.

Final Grade: A-

Player Comparison: DeMario Davis

Round 6, Pick 188: Joshuah Bledsoe

Safety, Missouri

Bledsoe is the first player from Missouri drafted by New England since 2000. I feel as though this pick went under the radar and it shouldn’t have. Bledsoe isn’t a standout safety but he did his job very well in college and fits right into the scheme of Belichick’s defense. He is primarily a nickel safety (3rd safety), but Bledsoe thrived when working in the slot covering the smaller and speedier receivers. He is a great man to man defender and has shown lots of bright spots when lined up near the line of scrimmage in the D-gap making tons of plays on running backs. He also has the ability to cover tight ends efficiently. The “Big Nickel” (3 Safety) formation in football is very special in some systems including the Patriots.  Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon held it down for a while but as McCourty gets older and the other two off the team, Bledsoe has a serious chance to have a significant role. For a 6th rounder, the athletic youngster has a lot of potential and could be a steal. 

Final Grade: B+

Player Comparison: Patrick Chung

Round 6, Pick 197: William Sherman

Offensive Tackle, Colorado

Sherman is an interesting figure at tackle. Although he has decent size for the position (6’4” 310 LBS), his technique fits more of a guard personnel. Before playing for the Buffs, Sherman blocked for Arizona QB Kyler Murray in high school (recruited as a guard). During his college career, he transitioned to tackle after redshirting and was very efficient. He earned multiple PAC-12 honors and was a key part of Colorado’s offense. He is very athletic and agile, making him eligible to play both tackle and zone guard. He covers lots of area making Sherman great in pass protection. His attitude on the field is amazing as he enjoys hitting defenders as hard as he can. Although he has struggled going against larger opponents, Sherman could be another late round steal for Belichick due to his athleticism and physical stature. 

Final Grade: B-

Player Comparison: Martinas Rankin

Round 7, Pick 241: Tre Nixon

Wide Receiver, Central Florida

The last pick made by New England in 2021 was Tre Nixon who was hand picked by long time Patriots scout Ernie Adams. It was actually the last pick ever made by Adams since he is retiring after the season. To me, this means this kid is something special. When you are selected by THE Ernie Adams, you are something special. At 6’2” and 180 pounds, he brings some size to the table for NE. Nixon is somewhat speedy and can stretch the field, but other than the long ball, he struggles. He has a very small route tree and we can clearly see by his stats that he is a strict deep ball receiver (17 yards per catch in 2019). Even though we usually see the Patriots go for polished route runners, there is a new era in Foxborough without Brady. I don’t think Nixon is the answer to the struggles at WR for the Pats but if he has a good training camp, maybe Nixon can make his way up the depth chart in future years. Not my favorite pick but worth a 7th rounder.

Final Grade: C-

Player Comparison: Brashad Perriman

Overall, I really like what the Patriots did in the 2021 Draft. They got what they wanted from the start which was a future franchise QB, young defensive players, and depth at aging positions. They arguably got the best true defensive tackle in the class along with lots of value in other rounds. I really believe that the 2021 New England rookie class is going to be the one that turns this franchise back onto the winning side for the foreseeable future.