New England Patriots full 2020 mock draft

Rounds 5-7

The Patriots will enter the final stages of the draft with more selections in the last three rounds (7) than any other team. While most of these picks end up being lottery tickets for most franchises, Bill Belicheck has been the best in the league at finding contributors in the later rounds.

With the departure of Ben Watson, expect New England to double up on the tight end position in this draft in order to ensure they get quality contributions from the rookies. Breeland is a more prototypical tight end in terms of size than their earlier selection, standing 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, Breeland is a better fit stacked up on the end of the offensive line than Bryant. He has good hands and natural talent and will contribute as a rookie for the Patriots.

The Patriots always reach for one prospect that leaves the draft’s talking heads wondering what Belicheck is thinking. But, newsflash, The Hoodie is normally correct. Another staple of the dynasty has been to always take a late-round quarterback to compete and develop (and usually flip for a better draft pick in the years to come). Nate Stanley is that prospect this year. At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds – Stanley is a prototypical quarterback with above-average talent who will take time to develop into an NFL quarterback. He ends up on the practice squad this year, but he’ll be the back up within a year or two when the Patriots trade Stidham.

With the departures of Collins and Van Noy, the Patriots must fill some depth in the linebacking corps. Divinity has a championship pedigree and a great motor, both of which will pay dividends in the Patriots’ defensive scheme. This is a pure flyer on size and motor – he lacks awareness and instincts, and may ultimately be best suited as a backup inside linebacker at the next level. But Belicheck always gets the most out of these types of guys, so it’s a worthwhile risk here.

A small school prospect with ridiculous measurables and a championship pedigree – sounds right in line with the Patriot Way. Tuszka stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 251 pounds, a perfect size for a rusher at the NFL level. He couples sub 4.8 speed with 24 bench reps strength to form a combination that will translate into significant success at the next level. If you’re looking for a land round defensive player who could make an impact as a rookie – look no further.

It would be difficult to expect the Patriots to replace Danny Shelton with a late-round draft pick. But, if anyone can do it, its Belichick. Josiah Coatney started for three years at Ole Miss playing week in and week out against NFL talent along SEC offensive lines and excelled. Coatney has above average awareness, motor and hand skills which make him an ideal fit along the defensive middle. The technique will improve with NFL coaching and make him an effective contributor in the middle of the defense.

Look for the team to double up at wideout too, as the receiving corps was one of the primary weaknesses of the team last season. Omar Bayless is a 6-foot-1, 212-pound prospect who starred against lesser competition in college. He managed to earn Third-Team All-American honors despite playing in the Sun Belt Conference. With 93 catches, 1653 yards and 17 touchdowns, it’s easy to see why. The 2019 Sun Belt player of the year ran circles around the conference en route to establishing himself as a legitimate NFL talent. He’ll be a nice vertical threat for whoever is taking snaps in New England this season.

No. 241 – Darrynton Evans, running back, Appalachian State

Expect New England to always take a shot at a gadget weapon somewhere in the draft. This year, that’s their final selection with 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back Darrynton Evans. Evans has great hands and excellent speed (4.41/40) that kind find a place to contribute at the NFL level. He also has incredible athleticism, as demonstrated by his 125″ broad jump. NFL.com’s draft profile says Evans is a “slashing outside-zone runner with glide in his stride and ability to run with elusiveness and creativity. Evans is a little undersized and might be viewed as a change-of-pace option, but he appears to have the three-down skill set to handle committee carries.”

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