The 2023 NFL Draft is officially less than a month away now that free agency has slowed down and the NFL Annual Meeting has come and gone.

So, it's time to take a closer look at the New England Patriots' draft needs. There are still plenty of ways to improve New England's roster, and they have one glaringly obvious position to fill at the top of this list.

Here are the Patriots' top draft needs less than a month out from the event:

1. CORNERBACK

The Patriots re-loaded at this position in the draft last year and seemed to come away with two hits in Marcus Jones and Jack Jones. The third Jones, Jonathan Jones, was also re-signed to a two-year deal in free agency this offseason. New England also tendered restricted free agent Myles Bryant and have Shaun Wade, Quandre Mosely and Rodney Randle on the roster. Jalen Mills was retained but reportedly will be switching back to safety.

So, there’s a few issues here. You could pencil in the three Joneses as the starters, but Jonathan is only 5-foot-10 and does his best work in the slot, Marcus is 5-foot-8, 175 and is best suited for the slot, and Jack is only 5-foot-11, 175 pounds. It has to be the smallest cornerback group in the NFL in both height and stature. So, New England ideally would bring on a big, tall cornerback who can handle the 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receivers they’ll inevitably face. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Gabriel Davis, A.J. Brown, Michael PIttman, Michael Thomas, CeeDee Lamb, Courtland Sutton and Davante Adams are all on the 2023 schedule.

The Patriots also can’t necessarily depend on Jack Jones and Marcus Jones to take the next steps required to become full-time starters in 2023. I like their chances, but neither player was on the field for more than 40% of defensive snaps next season. Marcus Jones could have a part-time role on offense again, and Jack Jones was suspended to finish out the season.

Another problem is depth. Bryant is a good backup slot cornerback who ideally wouldn’t play 61 percent of snaps next season. And Wade, Mosely and Randle can’t be counted on. If one of the Patriots’ cornerbacks — whether that’s Jonathan Jones or Bryant — moves to safety to help fill the void left by retired free safety Devin McCourty, then it creates other issues.

If the right cornerback is there for the Patriots in the first round at No. 14 overall or in the second round, that player would be a valuable addition as a big, physical, starting-caliber player to plug in with the Joneses. Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, Penn State’s Jerry Porter Jr. and Mayrland’s Deonte Banks appear to be good fits in the first round. Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes, Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, South Carolina’s Cam Smith and Kansas State’s Julius Brents might be better Day 2 options. But it’s a loaded draft at the position, and it seems key to come away with a cornerback within the first two rounds.

2. OFFENSIVE TACKLE

The Patriots do have starters set at offensive tackle in Trent Brown and Riley Reiff, plus they brought on Calvin Anderson as a swing tackle and brought back Conor McDermott and Andrew Stueber. The Patriots could kick this can down the road one more year after signing Anderson and Reiff. But Brown and Reiff are only signed for the 2023 season, and New England should be looking for one or two starting tackles of the future.

Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Tennessee’s Darnell Wright, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. and Georgia’s Brockerick Jones are first-round options at No. 14 overall.

3. WIDE RECEIVER

The Patriots replaced Jakobi Meyers with JuJu Smith-Schuster but never added another receiver after letting Nelson Agholor go in free agency. The Patriots have Kendrick Bourne, Lynn Bowden, Tre Nixon, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and Raleigh Webb at the position. Taking a wide receiver in the first round might be considered a luxury, but if Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is available, it seems to make a lot of sense to get a potentially elite pass-catcher into the offense. USC’s Jordan Addison, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and TCU’s Quinton Johnston are the other top players in this class. Smith-Njigba seems like the best fit in New England, however.

4. TIGHT END

Jonnu Smith was traded and Mike Gesicki replaced him in free agency, but New England really doesn’t have a blocking specialist at this position. Gesicki and Hunter Henry are free agents after the season, and tight end is loaded in this year’s draft. Taking a player in the third or fourth round who can block and develop as a receiver behind Henry and Gesicki makes loads of sense.

5. SAFETY

With McCourty retired, Mills, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, Joshuah Bledsoe, Cody Davis, Brenden Schooler and Brad Hawkins fill out this position. The Patriots are in good shape as long as they have a plan in place to fill the void left by McCourty, whether that’s Mills, Dugger, Phillips or Peppers or moving another cornerback back to free safety. But if they like a potential center fielder in the draft, then that would allow the Patriots’ current safeties to play roles they might fill better near the line of scrimmage.

6. EDGE DEFENDER

New England hosted edge defenders Andrew Van Ginkel and Trey Flowers after free agency began, didn’t sign either player and didn’t bring on any other players at the position. The Patriots have Matt Judon, Deatrich Wise, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Ronnie Perkins and DaMarcus Mitchell here. It would be useful to get one more developmental rotational player in the mix in case Perkins can’t ascend in Year 3.

7. SPECIAL TEAMS

The Patriots have players under contract now at kicker, punter and long snapper, but it wouldn't be shocking to see New England draft a kicker or punter. Kicker Nick Folk is 38 years old, and the Patriots could find an upgrade over punter and recent signing Corliss Waitman.

8. LINEBACKER

The Patriots don’t need to make a move here with Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson, Raekwon McMillan, Chris Board, Olakunle Fatukasi, Terez Hall and Calvin Munson, but there does seem to be some room for improvement in starting roles next to Bentley.

9. GUARD

This is actually kind of a sneaky need unless New England feels like some of their tackles can move to guard in case of injuries. It’s currently just James Ferentz, Chasen Hines and Bill Murray behind Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu. The Patriots don’t need starters, but they do need better depth.

10. DEFENSIVE TACKLE

The Patriots could certainly get a little bit younger at defensive tackle. Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale are all veteran players. Christian Barmore didn’t take a leap as expected in Year 2 but still has top-tier potential. The Patriots recently met with a mid-round prospect in LSU’s Jaquelin Roy.

11. QUARTERBACK

A third quarterback will be needed for OTAs, minicamp, training camp and preseason. If the Patriots don’t sign a veteran quarterback before the draft, then look for a developmental option here.

12. CENTER

Like the need at guard, the Patriots don’t have solid depth behind starter David Andrews. It’s just Ferentz and Kody Russey. Andrews is signed through the 2024 season.

13. RUNNING BACK

The Patriots still have Rhamondre Stevenson and signed James Robinson this offseason. They drafted Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris last season and still have J.J. Taylor and Ty Montgomery on the roster. Some NFL draft analysts have mocked Texas’ Bijan Robinson to the Patriots in the first round. He’s a great player, but the positional value and need is just not there after finding Stevenson in the fourth round in 2021.

Featured image via Kris Craig / USA TODAY NETWORK