Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Ultimate Strategy: New England Patriots’ Draft Plan Unveiled!

Starting point is 00:00:00 The NFL draft is upon us, and we have the ultimate strategy that would make Thursday night a success. This is Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked-on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcasts Network, your team every day. What's happening? I am your host of Nick Cattles on today's show, five draft predictions for the Pats, including some trade action. In our second segment, the idea of drafting a tight end early is making more sense now than it has over the last couple of months. But first, a five-point plan for the Pats to follow in the first round. I want to remind all of you, we are going to go live on YouTube right after round one of the draft on Thursday night.

Starting point is 00:00:55 So make sure you check us out. Again, going live on Thursday night following the draft, following round one on YouTube. It is time for my ultimate draft plan. And I want to let all of you know that I have been thinking about this literally since the end of the Super Bowl. What would I do during this draft? What would I do in this draft after going through free agency and addressing some needs that I thought that I had, right? How would I handle this draft? What is my thinking process as I head into night one of this draft?

Starting point is 00:01:32 And I'm thinking, I'm thinking first and foremost, this is going to be a very unpredictable draft. So you have to be ready for every single scenario. This is not like 2024 when you knew Drake May or Jaden Daniels would be sitting there at number three when you decided not to trade. This is not like last year when pretty much everybody felt like Will Campbell was going to be the pick at number four. This is a different type of draft and you're sitting at 31st overall towards the last. the tail end of the first round. We won't see the Patriots take anybody, probably until about 1030 or so on Thursday night. So let me start here.

Starting point is 00:02:13 Number one, my first point is this. If a top seven offensive tackle is at number 31, then you take one of those top seven tackles. That is point number one. Caleb Lomu might be the one guy that you'll look at and say, oh, I don't know. but we've talked about the seven offensive tackles that are likely going to go in the first round. And if I'm the Patriots, if I'm sitting there and one of those guys is at 31, I am taking, I am taking that tackle. And most likely the scenario how this unfolds is that the Patriots will get the final offensive tackle of the seven,

Starting point is 00:02:51 whether that's Blake Miller, the aforementioned Caleb Lomu, maybe it's Max Ehenichore, whichever one of those three guys falls to you, because I don't think it's going to be Caden, Proctor or the others, whichever one falls to you. If that guy falls to you, you take them. You take them at number 31. Dame Bruegler of the athletic said something very smart over the past couple of weeks, as I've been watching and listening to podcasts constantly reading as much as I can. Dame Bruegler said something, and it was almost as if a light went off in my head.

Starting point is 00:03:23 You need seven offensive linemen that you trust. When you go into a season, you need seven, maybe even. Eight trusted offensive linemen. You need a backup interior guy at guard. You need a backup center. And you need that swing tackle. And right now I can't tell you the Patriots have seven dependable offensive linemen. I can't sit here and tell you that the Patriots have seven offensive linemen that I trust.

Starting point is 00:03:51 They have their front five, which I feel is a good unit, if they're healthy, et cetera. And they have Ben Brown. Aside from that, it's a bunch of unknowns. So I'm taking a tackle if a tackle. If one of those top seven guys falls to 31, I am taking one of them. I am not going to trust that I'm going to find a diamond in the rough in round three, four, five, six, whatever. Point number two, if the top seven offensive tackles are gone, if there are no tackles that I have a first round grade on, what do I do? Well, I'm hoping one of three edges fall to me.

Starting point is 00:04:26 If I can't get that tackle at 31, I am hoping that first. and foremost, Malachi Lawrence falls to me. If not Malachi Lawrence, Cassius Howell. If not Cassius Howell, T.J. Parker. If one of those three edges fall to me at 31 and the tackles are off the board, I am taking one of those three edges. In that order, Malachi Lawrence, Cassius Howell, T.J. Parker. Those are my three edges that I think have a shot to be there at 31. So if the top seven tackle, are off the board. I'm looking at edge, and I'm looking at those three specific guys. If the Patriots end up drafting Malachi Lawrence at 31, I will be a very, very happy man. Now, as far as a trade, because if you say, Nick, why don't you trade? Why don't you trade and

Starting point is 00:05:17 try to land one of those tackles? I am willing to move up. I am willing to move up for one of those seven tackles as long as it doesn't cost me my second round pick. I don't want to give up 63. to move up a few spots to draft a tackle. As much as I think it is a need, and it is certainly a top three need, now as you think about the whole AJ Brown conversation, to give up the second round pick,

Starting point is 00:05:45 to move up and draft a guy who might not play for you in 2026, that's tough. That is tough for me. So I'm looking to move up. If I could move up from 31 to 25 and deal my third round pick, I would do it.

Starting point is 00:05:59 But to give up, 63 to move up in like the 20 neighborhood. I'm not going to do that. I am just not going to do that. The reason why I'm willing to give up the 95th pick is I have two fourth round picks, which could theoretically help me get back into the third round if I wanted to get into the third round. So I think that 95th pick is something I'm willing to give up, to move up, to find one

Starting point is 00:06:24 of those final tackles that are still on the board, but I'm not giving up 63. Fourth point. Again, first point, top seven tackle is at 31. I'm taking them. If second point, the tackles are all off the board, I'm hoping that Malachi Lawrence, Cassius Howell, or T.J. Parker are sitting there for me at 31 in that order. Third point, I'm willing to move up for a tackle as long as it does not cost me 63. And no, I'm not looking to trade picks from 2027's draft to move up a few slots. I'm not, that's too much to give up for me. Point four. I am very interested.

Starting point is 00:07:02 I am very interested in moving out of the 31st pick. If there's nobody there that I love, if there's nobody there that I love, I'm fine with moving a few spots down. And one of the top reasons is because when you look at this draft, and I've heard several experts talk about this, when you look at this draft really picks from 20 to 50, arguably, are really the same player. So the player that you get at 31, if you're not in love or obsessed with that guy, is going to be really the same player that you could get at 50. So if you drop, now I don't want to go from 31 to 50.

Starting point is 00:07:41 Don't get it twisted. But if you could drop a few slots, let's say, hmm, Arizona, if you could drop from 31 to 34 and pick up an asset, I'm in on that. if there's nobody there at 31 that I love. And depending on the offer, I might be willing to do a trade like that, even if there's somebody that I love sitting there at 31, because maybe that guy drops to 34.

Starting point is 00:08:06 But just you're looking at this and you're giving the scenario. If there's nobody that I love at 31, I want to trade down. I want to trade down. I want to pick up an extra asset. And we go back to my final mock draft of this draft season, when that's exactly what I did in my mock draft. I went from 31 to 34, pulled the trigger on that trade with Arizona. I picked up another fourth round pick, and I ended up moving that fourth round pick to move up.

Starting point is 00:08:36 I moved that fourth round pick in 63 to move up just outside the top 50 in the second round. I would love that type of scenario. Fifth and final point. If Cassius Howell, Malachi Lawrence, T.J. Parker, in those seven offensive of tackles are all gone. If all 10 of those guys are off the board and I can't make a trade, that's when we talk about just drafting the best player available at a spot that you might not necessarily feel like the urgency is there. You've got to pick somebody. If all 10 of those cats are not an option and I'm sitting there, quote unquote, stuck at 31, if I got a stick and pick,

Starting point is 00:09:18 that's when we talk about safety, Emmanuel McNeill Warren. That's when we talk about interior offensive line, maybe a Chase Basantis. That's when we talk about defensive tackle, maybe a Caden McDonald. That's when we talk about maybe even if stuff gets a little crazy,

Starting point is 00:09:34 wide receiver, if Casey Concepciona is sitting there. That's when we talk about those types of players at those positions. So again, the ultimate five-point draft plan for the Patriots. Number one, top seven tackle there at 31, you take the guy. Number two, if there is no top seven tackle, then I'm looking at edge. And I'm hoping that Malachi Lawrence, Cassius Howell, or T.J. Parker are there in that order. Number three, I'm willing to move up for an offensive tackle as long as it doesn't cost me my second round pick.

Starting point is 00:10:06 Number four, yes, I am very interested in moving out of 31 if there's nobody there that I love. And number five, if all 10 of those guys we've talked about are gone and I can't make a trade, you got to pick somebody. And you could even throw in linebacker, Jacob Rodriguez. Somebody asked me a few weeks ago, right, on the mailbag, one of those episodes. Who's your sleeper pick at 31? I would absolutely unequivocally entertain Jacob Rodriguez at 31. So that's the five-point plan.

Starting point is 00:10:43 That's what we got for you. All right. Drafting a tight end in the second round makes a lot of sense after what we've heard over the last week. That's next. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. The NFL draft is this week. That's right.

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Starting point is 00:12:02 Use code lockdown. Get $10 when you trade 10. K-A-L-S-H-I-K-S-H-E-C. Trade on anything. Thank you for making us your first listen for being an everydayer. Speaking of, don't forget to check out the Everydair Club. Add-free episodes. access to a group chat with other listeners of this show.

Starting point is 00:12:22 Just tap the link in the show notes to find out more. Or go to lockdown patriots.com. And don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe at the YouTube channel as you watch this episode. And also don't forget, we are going live. We're going live on YouTube Thursday night after the first round of the draft. Like, give us that thumbs up, throw a comment in, your thoughts on my five point plan for the Patriots.

Starting point is 00:12:46 And don't forget to subscribe all of those things. help us build out this community. I appreciate every single one of you. There's a lot of smoke regarding Vanderbilt tight end, Eli Stowers for the Patriots. There's been talked to the Patriots sent Thomas Brown down to Vanderbilt's Pro Day to work with Stowers, specifically to work with Stowers.

Starting point is 00:13:11 John Lyons of WEEEI, New England Football Journal. He also reported last week that the Patriots are interested in Eli Stowers. So there is some smoke around Eli Stowers right now as a Patriot target. With that said, Stowers is very likely going to be a top 50 pick in this draft. He is going to be the second tight end off the board after Kenyan Sadiq. So if you are interested in Eli Stowers, I don't think you're going to get him at 63. Now, of course, that means you'd have to move up, which is a possibility in the second.

Starting point is 00:13:48 second round. But just the idea, just the idea of Eli Stowers to me means that if the right tight end is there, the Patriots are just fine drafting that tight end in the second round and not waiting until the third, fourth or fifth round, even though this draft is pretty deep at the position. And I've been thinking about this over the past couple of days and drafting a tight end in the second round is making more and more sense to me. A lot of this is adding up. Let's say that the offensive tackles are gone. The seven guys that everybody's talking about,

Starting point is 00:14:30 let's say the seven offensive tackles are gone by the time you get to 31. I think one of the three guys that I outlined in the last segment, I think one of those three guys is going to be there at 31. And if the Patriots don't trade out of that spot, I think they end up with Malachi Lawrence or Cassius Howell or T.J. Parker. I think the Patriots end up with one of those three edges at 31 if those tackles are off the board. So let's stick a pin in that. Secondly, we've got the report from Adam Schefter on Monday that the A.J. Brown trade is likely going to happen.

Starting point is 00:15:10 He's likely going to be a Patriot. And as I said, after that report came out, I do lend credence to that type of report from Adam Schaefter. He is arguably the best in the business. He is the most plugged in guy. And when somebody like him says that A.J. Brown is likely a patriot. I believe that A.J. Brown is likely a patriot by June, if not very likely a patriot. Now, if you have that in the back pocket, you have less urgency at wide receiver. you're more likely going to draft a wide receiver if you draft one, which I still think, as I've said,

Starting point is 00:15:47 I'm consistent on this. I still think the Patriots could draft a wide receiver in this draft. And I actually expect them to draft a receiver because I expect Kishon Bouty to be gone. So it's more likely you draft a wide receiver if you have this brown thing in the back of your mind. It's more likely you're going to use a third round pick or one of your two fourth round picks or the fifth round pick. that's where you're going to draft the receiver. Not in the first round, not in the second round. Again, there are, there are some caveats.

Starting point is 00:16:19 Maybe you love Casey Concepcioni falls at 31 and you pick them. But I'm just talking about under this big umbrella of choices and options and all of that, right? The cheesecake factory menu we're working with. It's more likely that you're drafting a wide receiver with a late day two or day three pick, given the AJ Brown stuff. So if you want to hedge your bets, if you're the Patriots and you want to hedge your bets about AJ Brown being likely,

Starting point is 00:16:52 drafting a tight end in the second round makes sense, doesn't it? Because if you want to hedge your bets, you're going to say you are surpassing, not surpassing, you're passing up, you're passing up the idea of a receiver in the first round. You're passing up the idea of a receiver. of a receiver in the second round because you are hoping to land. You feel pretty good about landing AJ Brown.

Starting point is 00:17:15 Well, if the AJ Brown trade falls apart for whatever reason, guess what? If you draft a tight end in the second round, then you added a pass catching weapon to your offense. You did not pass up that option. You did not ignore helping Drake May by getting him another target on this office. offense that could do some explosive things and help your passing game. Drafting a tight end in the second round is hedging the bet. Because if that deal doesn't happen, you still got a weapon for your offense.

Starting point is 00:17:52 And by the way, if the deal for A.J. Brown does happen. Doesn't matter, right? A.J. Brown's not playing tight end. The tight end will not get in the way, quote, unquote, of A.J. Brown. So drafting a tight end makes so much sense. when you think about that. Drafting a tight end gives you a weapon and leaves the door wide open

Starting point is 00:18:15 to acquire A.J. Brown without messing up anything regarding the targets on this football team. It really is the perfect hedge. The Patriots draft Eli Stowers. Let's say they draft a receiver in the fourth round or fifth round. Then they trade for A.J. Brown in June, all of it makes sense.

Starting point is 00:18:36 All of it falls together almost perfectly. I mean, just imagine. I don't want to get too excited here. I don't want to get you too excited here. But just imagine. Drake May walks onto the football field in September. And on that field with Drake May

Starting point is 00:18:59 is A.J. Brown, Romeo Dobbs, Hunter Henry, and Eli Stowers. Oh, baby. Oh, baby. Oh, by the way, with a better run game and Kyle Williams waiting in the wings when you decide to deploy three receivers. Now that is supporting your young quarterback. Now, the toughest scenario that would likely kill this idea is if you don't land an edge at 31.

Starting point is 00:19:33 Because then you probably have to take an edge at 63 or move up to get one of those guys in that. second round. So if you don't land an edge at 31, the idea of picking a tight end in the second round is not necessarily eliminated. It just makes that type of scenario tougher because now you're looking at round three for the edge, which is pretty difficult. We've gone through that with the mock drafts. But if you go edge first round and then you go tight end and then you acquire A.J. Brown and June, that just makes so much sense to me. Now, of course, if you pick a tackle at 31, that could also hurt your chances of drafting a tight end in the second round.

Starting point is 00:20:19 You get it. You get the idea. But I'm taking this seriously. I do think the Patriots are interested in drafting a tight end earlier than we might have thought going back a couple of months ago, especially with the AJ Brown stuff. Coming up, our five draft predictions for the past. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. You know that feeling around dinner time when you're starving, maybe a little hangary,

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Starting point is 00:22:54 Thursday night. We're going live on YouTube right after the first round of the draft. Let's have some fun with some draft predictions. Number one, number one,

Starting point is 00:23:03 we're going to tie this all together and go back to segment number one. My expectation is that all seven offensive tackles that could go in the first round will be gone by number 31. I'm talking Francis Maunaoa.

Starting point is 00:23:21 I'm talking Caden Proctor. I'm talking about Monroe Freeling. I'm talking about Blake Miller. I'm talking about Maxi Henachor. And I'm talking about Caleb Lomu. And I probably forgot one more name. But all seven, that's off the top of my head. I think all seven tackles are gone by pick 31.

Starting point is 00:23:40 And why do I think that? Well, we've talked about it a number of times on this podcast. I've talked about it on other podcasts. There are offensive line issues in the NFL. In the NFL, there are not a lot of good offensive lines. There are not a lot of good tackles in the league. Lots of teams are looking at offensive tackle in this specific draft from pick 11 to 30. I mean, if you're looking at all of these, you know, different teams that could draft

Starting point is 00:24:11 to tackle, there's just a bunch of them. There really is. So I think because of the amount of teams before you get to 31 that will have interest in a tackle, and because of the offensive line issues at the NFL level, because now the tackle position is much more a developmental position than it was five, 10 years ago, I think all seven of those offensive tackles are gone. Let me see if I can name them. Lomu, do it again, Freeling, Proctor.

Starting point is 00:24:43 Ehanachor, Maui Noah, Blake Miller, I keep missing one. I keep missing one. Oh, well, seven offensive tackles, I think we'll go before pick 31, which again, for the Patriots, I think, is unfortunate. Because I do think if you shot Elliot Wolf and Mike Vrable

Starting point is 00:25:10 with Truthserum, if you shot them with Truth Serum and you said, what position, what position would you want there at number 31? I think they would say tackle. I think they would look at it and say, oh, offensive tackle. Spencer Fano, by the way, is the seventh guy. Keep forgetting about Fano. Sorry, Spencer.

Starting point is 00:25:32 I apologize. So prediction number one, all seven tackles gone by the Patriots pick. prediction number two, the Patriots will make at least two trades this week. I think Kashan Bouti, possibly, if not most likely, gone by Saturday afternoon. I do think Kishan Bouti gets traded at some point this weekend. I also look at the fact that the Patriots have 11 picks, 11 picks in this draft. It's a ton of picks, man. I think they'd be interested in adding a pick in next year's draft,

Starting point is 00:26:14 even if it's like a fifth or a sixth. I think when you have, you know, two fourth round picks, you can maneuver. I would not be shocked if they trade one of those fourths to move up in the second, for example, but they have two fourths, and we've talked about it a number of times. They have four sixths. So I think the Patriots will make at least two trades this weekend. I think Kishan Booty will be one of those trades, and I think they will move within the draft at least once.

Starting point is 00:26:45 In saying at least two trades, again, I would not be surprised if they made three trades, four trades, would not be surprised whatsoever, even if it's just stacking a couple of those sixth rounders to try to move up a little bit in the fifth. I think you'll see at least two trades from the Patriots brain trust this week. prediction number three, the Patriots will take an interior offensive lineman no later than the fourth round.

Starting point is 00:27:13 I think they will take a guard at 31 or 63 or 95. And if they don't do that, I do think they will take a swing at a guard with one of those two fourth round picks. The Elijah Verit Tucker injury history, Michael Wenoo walking into a contract year, And again, the fact, we talked about this about a week and a half ago, I think, I don't know, it all blends together, quite frankly. But we discussed the idea of how much homework the Patriots have been doing on these guards that are likely top 40 picks, if not going in the first round. Emmanuel Pregnan is one of those guys. Chase Bessontas is another one of those guys. I mean, they've been looking. They've been looking at that position.

Starting point is 00:28:04 So I think the Patriots take a guard at least by the end of the fourth round. Prediction number four, the top six wide receivers in this draft will be gone by the 29th pick, the Kansas City Chiefs. And I'll give you the order. I think it'll be Cornell Tate. I think it'll then be Jordan Tyson, then McCoy Lemon. then KC Concepcion, then Amar Cooper, and then you got Denzel Boston. So again, I think all six of those receivers will be gone by the 29th pick, and the order will be Carnell Tate, Jordan Tyson, Mackay Lemon, KCC, Omar Cooper,

Starting point is 00:28:55 and Denzel Boston. And my fifth, my fifth in final prediction for the Patriots, they will pick a safety earlier than we expect. Now, I don't know when it'll be. It could be 31 if Emmanuel McNeil Warren falls, for example. And the latest I've read about him is he could fall to round two. The Emmanuel McNeil Warren visit stands out to me. Then we find out, very late in this process, last minute,

Starting point is 00:29:25 the Patriots have a Zoom call with Bud Clark, who is also a safety. I would not be surprised if the Patriots draft the safety before you get to the sixth round. I would not be surprised if you get a safety before the fifth round. So those are my five Patriots predictions. Let's see how many I get right.

Starting point is 00:29:45 All seven tackles gone by 31. All of those six receivers gone by 29. The Patriots will make at least two trades during the draft. The Patriots will take a guard no later than the fourth round. And they will also take a safety earlier than we expect. I'll say before the fifth round to really hone in on that prediction. All right, that wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots.

Starting point is 00:30:13 Thank you for making us your first listen and for being an everydayer. Reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C. Radio. And don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel. Hit that like button. Give us a thumbs up and subscribe. The 10,000 subscriber goal is still there. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is built for you. Get Lockdown Patriots ad free plus members only Discord access and more.

Starting point is 00:30:34 Head to lockdown patriots.supercast.com or check the link in the show notes to learn more. Have a fantastic, fantastic day, and we will see you on Thursday night after the draft.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Ultimate Strategy: New England Patriots’ Draft Plan Unveiled!

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