New England Patriots 2024 NFL Mock Draft

The New England Patriots finished 2023 with a 4-13 record and will enter the 2024 season with a new head coach for the first time in 24 seasons. Jerod Mayo takes over for the legend, Bill Belichick and will have his hands full trying to improve a team who is weak at most positions. The Patriots have 8 picks to try and improve their squad for the 2024 season, including the 3rd overall pick.

Round 1- Pick (3)

The Patriots traded starting quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 6th round pick this off-season, opening up a huge hole at the most important position. New England is looking to possibly move down from the 3rd overall pick to gather a boatload of draft capital, but Draft Nation thinks if they stay put at #3, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye will fall to them. Drake Maye may not have the upside of Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels, but he could be the perfect fit for a Patriots offense that is rebuilding.

Round 2- Pick (34)

New England lacks depth at the wide receiver position. Free agent acquisitions Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborne are not true #1 receivers, so New England needs to bring in some young talent. Georgia’s Ladd McConkey was a star at the Senior Bowl and his route running will make him a handful to cover. Drake Maye to Ladd McConkey could be a connection that the Patriot fans will appreciate.

Round 3- Pick (68)

Left tackle Trent Brown left in free agency and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, opening up a huge void on the line. The Patriots will select tackle Roger Rosengarten out of Washington. Rosengarten is a hard worker with a nasty side that fits the New England personna. He may be better suited for right tackle, so New England may still need to sign or draft a left tackle still. 

Round 4- Pick (103)

The Patriots have always been a team built around a short passing game and strong tight end presence. They have veteran Hunter Henry and signed journeyman Austin Hooper in free agency, but will look to add some youth at the position. They will select tight end Cade Stover out of Ohio State. Stover is an excellent blocker with strong hands. Stover and Ladd McConkey will help with Drake Maye’s transition to the league and the Pats offensive facelift. 

Round 5- Pick (137)

New England stays on the offensive side of the ball and adds more depth to their offensive line. They have Sidy Sow and Cole Strange starting at guard, but lack depth after that. Zac Zinter could have gone higher in this draft if he didn’t suffer a gruesome injury at the end of last season. The Patriots select Michigan guard Zac ZInter in round 5, a possible steal in early day three.

Round 6- Pick (180)

The Patriots finally turn to defense in round 6 and add some depth to their interior defensive line. New England selects defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson out of LSU. He is a very athletic player who is a little on the raw side, but has a high ceiling for a 6th round prospect.

Round 6- Pick (193)

The Patriots obtained this pick in the Mac Jones trade with Jacksonville. 

This off-season the Patriots hired Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receivers coach. Underwood spent the past 2 seasons at the University of Pittsburgh and is the reason the Patriots will select a big and fast wide receiver in Bub Means out of Pitt. Means had a disappointing season in 2023, but many attribute it to the poor quarterback play. He adds depth and is another late pick with some ceiling.

Round 7- Pick (231)

With their last pick of the draft the Patriots look for some versatility. They select safety Trey Taylor out of Air Force who will add much needed depth to the safety position and a player who can be a demon on special teams. 

Overall

The Patriots get their future field general in Drake Maye, who is a safe bet to be a consistent performer for a decade or more. They added some much needed weapons in Ladd McConkey, Cade Stover and Bub Means to try and jump start the very bland offense from a year ago. Roger Rosengarten and Zac Zinter have the potential to both become future starters on the offensive line. This draft give the Patriots a lot to work with and some hope for the beleaguered Pats fans.