Mel Kiper NFL Mock Draft: Patriots Targeting CB?
In keeping up with (Jonathan) Jones' impending free agency, experts seem to have found a slight consensus for the New England Patriots' fate at the 14th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Like Pro Football Focus before him, Mel Kiper is getting defensive when it comes to New England's status at the draft, sending Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon east with the selection.
While New England's defense was one of its more consistent units in a futile quest to restart a playoff streak, they have several potential departures on the road ahead, including Jones, Devin McCourty, and Jabrill Peppers, that could have them looking toward the college ranks for reinforcement.
Kiper, the long-tenured ESPN draft analyst, claims that Witherspoon's Foxboro entry will likely depend upon what they do before the draft, but he's pairing the Patriots with his "top-ranked corner."
"(Witherspoon is) a long and physical player who shut down an entire side of the field for the Fighting Illini," Kiper writes. "He also is not afraid to stick his head in and make a tackle.
Witherspoon was a consensus All-American during his final season in Champaign, ranking second in the Big Ten with 14 pass breakups. He is the reigning victor of the Tatum–Woodson Defensive Back of the Year earned by the conference's top secondary defender (divisional rival Micah Hyde of Buffalo is a previous victor).
Kiper acknowledges some other possibilities for the Patriots if they indeed address the secondary and the departures of Jones and others, hinting they could opt to find further weaponry for the unrelated quarterback Mac Jones and newly reminted offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
"Outside of corner, New England could target (the) offensive line or wide receiver with this pick," Kiper says. "(That could) support quarterback Mac Jones, who struggled in year two."
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held on April 27-29 at Union Station in Kansas City.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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