The New England Patriots will pick twice in the first round, with the No. 31 pick being the second of their two selections. While it is possible they combine their two first round picks to move up in round one, we will assume they stay put for this mock draft. With their 31st overall pick, the Patriots should look to add a wide receiver, and Christian Kirk should be a first round selection at the end of the month.
By trading away Brandin Cooks, the Patriots find themselves with a bit of a hole in the wide receiver group. The team also lost Danny Amendola to the Miami Dolphins this offseason, so Kirk makes a lot of sense at No. 31. Kirk has the ability to be a dominant receiver at the next level, and has the size and speed to make him an immediate weapon in Tom Brady’s arsenal in year one.
Brady can make any wide receiver look good, and Kirk would be a nice compliment alongside Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan next season. The Patriots lost a lot of their firepower on offense this offseason, so expect at least one of their first round picks to be on that side of the ball. Kirk has that big play ability that Brady craves, and since he is still at the top of his game, the Patriots will once again be the favorite in the AFC in 2018.