New England Patriots full 2021 NFL mock draft

5th Round

Darius Stills could be one of the biggest steals of this draft. He was a monster up front for the West Virginia defense. He was constantly disrupting the play by easily beating interior linemen. He’s going late likely because of his size. He’s under 300 lbs. and only 6’1. As a defensive tackle, that isn’t NFL size. However, he’s able to overcome that by being a threat with his agility. He can beat linemen off the snap, and he can tackle with the best of them. He was a first-team All-American who is going to make one team very happy late in the draft. The Patriots have a need on the defensive line, and Stills could theoretically be part of a rotation from the start.

6th Round

The Patriots have plenty of depth at running back, but later in the draft they will look for gems at the position. Chuba Hubbard is intriguing if he falls to the fourth round, but there are others who might be better with a little help. Pooka Williams Jr. is an amazing talent that was on a terrible team. He was able to show a dynamic portfolio of talents despite playing behind a bad offensive line. He’s someone who desperately needs good offensive coaching. His pass blocking leaves a lot to be desired and his vision is below average. However, his ability to break free is something not usually seen in the sixth round. He was a four-star recruit who chose to be the big fish in a little pond. It was a mistake, but now he can go to a Patriots team that can turn him into a late-round gem.

DJ Daniel played behind fellow draft eligible cornerback Eric Stokes. He had a really good week at the Senior Bowl which might make him unavailable at this pick, but his lack of production during the season could see him fall. Daniel would be a great value pick, contributing at the next level on special teams right away while developing his skills at cornerback. He might only ever be a nickel or dime option at the next level, but if he can do that at a high level, then it will be worth the pick.

7th Round

Tuf Borland is a complete reach, but at least the Patriots would be doing it in the seventh round. He’s someone who projects to be a special teams player after a decent career at Ohio State. He did show an ability to step up against the biggest opponents, putting up 14 tackles against Alabama this past season. If Ohio State’s season wasn’t shortened like it was, maybe Borland would have been able to show more. He’s fine as a tackler, but that’s probably it.