New England Patriots full 2019 NFL mock draft

CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 17: Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Noah Fant (87) runs up the field after making a catch during the Big Ten Conference college football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 17, 2018, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3 of 5

ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 17: Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Chase Winovich (15) rushes during a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan Wolverines (4) on November 17, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

With the departure of Trey Flowers in free agency all but a foregone conclusion, New England will undoubtedly invest one, if not more, picks to help bolster their pass rush.

Michigan’s Chase Winovich may get lost in the shuffle of EDGE prospects with freakish testing numbers (see: Montez Sweat) but is plenty athletic in his own right and should be an excellent value pick for whichever team he ends up with.

Winovich has a motor that constantly runs hot and always seems to be around the football. His lack of length could hurt him when matched up with offensive tackles but overall, he has the speed and size to bend the edge effectively. Grabbing a versatile player like Winovich in the third round would be a steal for the Pats.

In my previous Patriots mock, I noted the connection between Bill Belichick and former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham. I still believe this makes a player like Rennell Wren a fit from both a need and scheme perspective for the Patriots.

Wren (6-foot-5, 318 pounds) checks all of the physical boxes you would want in an interior defensive line prospect and has helped himself a ton during the draft process at both the Combine and Senior Bowl.

Wren wasn’t the most productive player in college but has tons of upside, which could entice New England to get great value for him in the third round.

It’s no secret that the Patriots love speed on the outside and Auburn’s Darius Slayton has plenty of it.

Slayton (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) posted some remarkable numbers at the Combine, including an 11-foot-3-inch broad jump to go along with a 4.39-second time in the forty-yard dash.

Slayton’s speed and explosiveness is evident from the moment you watch him on film, as he quickly can get to top speed and eat up the cushion of opposing defensive backs before you can blink an eye. He has struggled in the past with catching the ball and didn’t post as big of production as you might expect, but some of that can be attributed to the sluggish nature of the Auburn offense.

With most of the top receivers off the board at this point, Slayton could be an excellent addition to the Patriots offense next season.

Home/New England Patriots