If the New England Patriots are to figure out if Mac Jones is the guy or not, they should be planning to surround him with better players. Whether or not that's doable in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft remains to be seen.

This year's wide receiver class isn't nearly as strong as last year's. And taking a tight end with the 14th overall pick might mean passing on better defensive players or even offensive linemen. 

And yet, the Patriots are showing clear signs of interest in pass catchers for their young quarterback.

According to ESPN's Jordan Reid, the Patriots are showing interest in the top wideouts of the class and are "taking a closer look" at wide receivers Jordan Addison and Jonathan Mingo. 

The insider wrote this in a recent "latest draft buzz" article:

New England has shown interest in the top wideouts in this class, though it might not take one in Round 1. That includes Zay Flowers (Boston College), whom the team hosted on a top-30 visit and coached at the East-West Shrine Bowl. I've heard the Patriots are also taking a closer look at Jordan Addison (USC) and Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss). 

While Reid suggests the Patriots might wait until after Round 1 to take some of these players, both Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison are expected to have their names called on Thursday.

Addison has been widely controversial among draft analysts. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has him as his 13th-best prospect overall while The Athletic's Dane Brugler has him at 25th.

It's highly unlikely the Patriots find him or Flowers in the second round with the 46th overall pick. The bigger question seems to be, would they take either of the two at 14th or would they aggressively seek a trade-down opportunity? 

We'll find out soon enough. 

Ole Miss product Jonathan Mingo is a way more realistic second-round target. He's rapidly risen through the boards and he appears to be drawing interest from many teams around the NFL.

Here's what A to Z Sports' draft analyst Tyler Browning writes about Mingo:

"Jonathan Mingo tested quite well at the combine, getting a 9.86 RAS score. He doesn't go down easy with the ball in his hands, and he has the frame to win at the catch point. Has shown deep-threat ability, despite his mid 4.4 forty-yard dash. He shows willingness and tenacity as a run blocker. His release package will need refinement as he has some struggles gaining separation at the line of scrimmage. He suffers from some concentration drops and he is just middle of the road in his route running ability. Has the ability to consistently find open windows for the QB to throw to, especially when facing zone coverage."