2024 NFL Mock Draft: Patriots 7-round midseason projection to replace Mac Jones

Back-to-back edge defenders for the Pats, because New England simply cannot afford to wait around any longer to address this all-important position in the modern NFL. Tyler Baron hails from Tennessee and is another guy having a phenomenal season at the collegiate level. Like Eliss, Baron is another edge defender who could get more buzz as the draft draws nearer and fans start paying closer attention to the players not getting as much hype.

Baron is a fan favorite in Tennessee who consistently disrupts opposing passing games with pressure, proving to be too much for offensive linemen to handle as an athlete. He is frequently held on plays, which is why his five sacks don't tell the whole story regarding his pass-rushing production.

Clemson's Tyler Davis could be a great value pick for the New England Patriots in the sixth round, so while adding an off-ball linebacker or cornerback depth could be seen as a bigger need at this point in the draft, there is nothing wrong with doubling up on defensive tackles, especially if the team feels that a specific DT is the best player available at that point.

Again, defensive tackle is a key area in the team that the Pats must address in 2024. Davis is a consistent force for the Tiger and one of the best defensive tackles in the ACC. He could legitimately play a role for the Patriots in 2024 despite being a late Day 3 pick, which would represent tremendous value here. Davis is a good anchoring point at the position as opposed to being a pass rusher, but that could make him a nifty role player with upside to become more present on all three downs.

Finally back to the Michigan Wolverines with some cornerback help. With the way CB depth can get stretched in the NFL these days, you can never have too many corners on draft day. The Patriots have to wait until their last pick in the draft to snag one, but Sainistril does have a shot at making the roster, which is honestly all teams want from their seventh-round pick to start with.

Sainistril is an intelligent player at the catch point who can go toe-to-toe with top collegiate receivers in man coverage. His athletic profile makes it questionable if he can be even a CB2 at the NFL level, but he has a fighting chance because of how great he is at reading receivers and anticipating that last move at the top of the stem, which is the real key at the next level. Sainristil would therefore be a very strong pick-up for New England in round seven. He's probably so good at understanding how to cover receivers because he was one. Don't underestimate that added value because, for example, that helped Richard Sherman greatly in translating to an NFL CB.