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New England Patriots full 2018 NFL mock draft

By John Buhler

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Marcus Davenport No. 93 of the South team rushes during the Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Marcus Davenport No. 93 of the South team rushes during the Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 1: Offensive lineman James Daniels No. 78 of the Iowa Hawkeyes before the match-up against the Northwestern Wildcats on October 1, 2016 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 1: Offensive lineman James Daniels No. 78 of the Iowa Hawkeyes before the match-up against the Northwestern Wildcats on October 1, 2016 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

Third Round

Wait, don’t the Patriots already have David Andrews at center? Yes, but the Patriots should continue to look for players to help keep quarterback Tom Brady upright along the offensive interior. Should Brady retire before his 45th birthday, one would think that the Patriots would like to have experience and continuity along the offensive line.

One center prospect that scouts and general managers are raving about is James Daniels of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa has long been a pro factory for elite offensive line talent. It had been so during the Hayden Fry era in Iowa City and has absolutely been the case under Kirk Ferentz. Daniels looks to be the next offensive lineman from Iowa ready to make an impact at the NFL level.

He is 6-foot-3, 306 pounds. Though Daniels only played two years of college ball, he was certainly ready to leave the Big Ten after three years. Iowa proved to be a giant killer in 2017. During his freshman season in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten West before falling to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.

Overall, Daniels has the necessary size to have great leverage in the league as an interior offensive linemen. Getting him at center right away could be difficult, but keeping him off the field could be even more difficult. The guy is a football player and getting him in the third round would be a huge pickup for the Patriots at No. 95.

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