The New England Patriots need help on the defensive side of the ball heading into the 2018 season, and there’s no better place to start stockpiling talent than the NFL Draft.
New England will have the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2018 draft. While they could elect to spend the pick on a quarterback to develop in the final years of Tom Brady’s career, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Patriots adding some secondary help with their first pick instead.
Kiper posted his second mock draft on Feb. 21, and while he noted he wouldn’t be surprised if Bill Belichick trades the pick to move down, he currently projects New England selecting LSU cornerback Donte Jackson with the pick.
Jackson is a borderline first-round pick, but is expected to wow at the NFL Combine with his ridiculous athleticism. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound corner has elite speed and might be the fastest player in the draft. He can play outside or in the slot and has been known to bait quarterbacks into interceptions.
While his elite speed gives him the ability to close quickly when he is beat, Jackson doesn’t have great hands or instincts. He tallied only one interception in 2017 and just four in 37 career games. Jackson probably will be a third corner initially, but can develop into a top-two corner with improvement on route recognition and tackling.
The Patriots likely will lose Malcolm Butler in the offseason following his Super Bowl benching. Jackson would give them an athletic player who could provide an immediate impact alongside Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe.
