The NFL Scouting Combine is over and free agency doesn’t begin for another week. Do you know what that means? It’s mock draft season.

In our first New England Patriots mock of the offseason, we’re only going three rounds for two reasons. First, we still don’t know where exactly the Patriots will be picking in Rounds 4 through 7 since the full draft order is not set. Second, it’s still early. We’re still getting a read on all of these prospects, and there’s plenty of time to fill out seven-round mock drafts until we’re blue in the face before the 2023 NFL Draft takes place in late April.

Without further ado, our first Patriots mock of the year:

Round 1, Pick 14: Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

I’ve personally been so high and gung-ho on the Patriots taking Smith-Njigba at No. 14 overall that it would seem disingenuous to have anyone else here in the first round.

There’s a lot of time before the draft, but this selection doesn’t seem like the best spot to fill major needs at cornerback or offensive tackle. The other players ranked around the 14th pick on consensus big boards are other wide receivers, running back Bijan Robinson, slot/safety Brian Branch and Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness. It’s possible that New England values running back and slot corner higher than me, but I don’t love picking those positions at No. 14 overall. And I’ve been bit too many times by mocking an Iowa defender to the Patriots, and while edge is a need for New England and Van Ness seems like he could be an updated version of Trey Flowers in the defense, Belichick still hasn’t taken one since he took over the team in 2000.

So, Smith-Njigba is the pick. He’s a crafty slot coached by the best in Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. He has elite agility scores and was incredibly productive in 2021 before a hamstring injury knocked him out for most of the 2022 season. Smith-Njigba could be a souped-up version of Amon-Ra St. Brown in New England’s offense, and that is seemingly what quarterback Mac Jones and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien need especially if Jakobi Meyers leaves in free agency. If Meyers returns, he and Smith-Njigba have the size to split the slot and Z roles in New England’s offense.

Smith-Njigba was better than Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2021. If he can regain that skill level in the NFL, he could wind up being an incredible value midway through the first round.

Round 2, Pick 46: Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes

Forbes is extremely talented and athletic, and he’s also very, very, very skinny.

Forbes measured in at 6-foot-1, 166 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He also ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash with a twitchy 1.48-second 10-yard split, 37.5-inch vertical leap and 10-feet, 11-inch broad jump.

I almost like Forbes as a first-round pick because he has such impressive ball skills. He intercepted 14 passes in college and has the college football record with six pick-sixes. Last season, Forbes allowed just 31 catches on 58 targets for 284 yards with three touchdowns, six interceptions and seven pass breakups, per PFF.

The Patriots didn’t mind taking a lean cornerback in Jack Jones last year. They could go two ways with Forbes. Maybe they avoid another lean cornerback or don’t think bulk matters and add another one in this year’s draft. Forbes is not Sauce Gardner. But he could be a poor man’s version for the Patriots in the AFC East.

New England could use a top-tier elite cornerback. Those types of players very well could come off the board before No. 14 overall. Forbes has that upside, but his weight will be an issue for some teams.

Round 3, Pick 76: BYU OT Blake Freeland

It feels like there’s an incredibly athletic BYU offensive tackle coming out of the draft every year, but Freeland is a little bit different. First of all, at 22 years old, he’s not on the older side like many BYU prospects. He was also the second-highest-graded offensive tackle by PFF last season with a 91.0 mark. He didn’t allow a sack in 2022 and let up just seven total pressures.

Combine all of that with this these combine results, and it doesn’t seem like a sure thing that he’ll be there in the third round, but there’s where he’s falling in consensus draft boards.

4.98-second 40-yard dash
1.68-second 10-yard split
37-inch vertical leap
10 foot broad jump
7.46-second 3-cone drill
4.71-second short shuttle

The Patriots would likely still need to add a starting-caliber offensive tackle in free agency to give themselves insurance, but Freeland very well could be the starting left tackle of the future.

Featured image via Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports