Recent NFL Re-Draft Gives Patriots New QB, And Disrespects Star CB
We are in the dead of the NFL offseason, which means we get plenty of nonsensical content to fill our football-hungry bellies until training camp starts.
One of those content snacks we recently got was a league-wide "win now" re-draft with every player able to be selected. NFL's Chad Reuter made all 224 picks and made some obvious choices (Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen went first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders).
When it came to some other players, including some current New England Patriots stars, the choices were a bit more bizarre.
Here are all the Patriots picks that Reuter made, along with his analysis and my opinions on each selection.
Round 1: QBs Changing Hands
The draft order was based on last April's draft order, so the Patriots were picking at 31st overall. Because their current quarterback Drake Maye was taken, as was plenty of other star players at the position, the Patriots decided to grab San Francisco's Brock Purdy.
Reuter's Brock Purdy Analysis: "Purdy's been on a downward trend over the past two years, but Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels presumably would have interest in rebuilding the quarterback's game."
Purdy has become a really solid quarterback for the 49ers since being drafted with the final pick in the 2022 Draft. He won't wow you with his play, but is smart enough to command a tricky San Francisco offense, and athletic enough to run it his own way. He'd be a perfect player in a typical McDaniels/Patriots offense.
Round 2: Familiar Pass Catcher
The Patriots now need their star wideout to catch passes from Purdy. After trading a first rounder in real life for A.J. Brown, the team took their own WR1 with the 34th overall selection.
Reuter's Brown Analysis: "This is an easy projection, as Mike Vrabel thought enough of his former Titans receiver to flip a first-round pick for his services this offseason."
You could make an argument that this was the right pick. Brown's skillset makes him a great match in New England's system, which is why the team spent two draft picks to get him. But when you look at Reuter's board -- and see that cornerback Pat Surtain II was still available -- you might second guess this choice.
Round 3: Terrorizing Edge Rusher Added
In the real world, the Patriots might be lacking at edge rusher. Not in this draft, as the defending AFC champs spent the 95th overall pick to bring in DeMarcus Lawrence, who completely wrecked their gameplan in Super Bowl LX.
Reuter's Lawrence Analysis: "Lawrence was effective playing multiple spots last season while helping the Seahawks win a title."
New England had no answers for Lawrence in their winner-take-all battle last February. The veteran edge rusher was part of an elite Seattle defense a year ago and would certainly lead the Patriots in sacks and pressures in this re-draft.
Round 4: Protection, Protection, Protection
We need someone to protect Purdy in the pocket, right? The Patriots used the second pick in the fourth round on offensive tackle Joe Alt. The right tackle has become a really solid player for the Chargers -- when he can stay on the field.
Reuter's Alt Analysis: "Alt is following in his father John's footsteps to become a top-rated NFL blocker, though he'll need to prove his right ankle is healthy enough to stay on the field this season."
Alt can be a game changer along the offensive line, but an ankle injury held him out of Los Angeles' Wild Card matchup against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. He's talented enough to play on the left side too.
Round 5: Another Defensive Seahawks Star
Why don't we add some more insult to injury, and bring in another star from Seattle's Super Bowl win? After he racked up two sacks and a fumble recovery, the Patriots spent the 159th overall pick to bring in defensive tackle Byron Murphy II.
Reuter's Murphy II Analysis: "The Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning defense would not have been the same without Murphy making regular visits into the backfield (seven sacks)."
Right now, the Patriots have Milton Williams and Christian Barmore anchoring their defensive line. In this re-draft, Barmore wasn't taken and the Patriots needed to add in the second punch alongside Lawrence. They chose Murphy II, who has continued to get better each season of his career.
Round 6: Offensive Weapon For Purdy
With Purdy and Brown on offense, the Patriots need a running back to round out the trio. Reuter had them picking Dallas Cowboys' Javonte Williams with the 162th overall pick, who is coming off the top season of his career.
Reuter's Williams Analysis: "Williams enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2025, rushing for 1,201 yards and 11 scores for the Cowboys."
The Patriots passed on both Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson in this slot, instead opting for a player who turned his career around. After an injury in 2022, Williams became a really productive piece in Dallas's offense. This pick gives New England some dual-threat abilities out of the backfield.
Round 7: Versatile Fan Favorite
With the penultimate pick in the seventh round, the Patriots went for another current star. Reuter had them taken Marcus Jones with the 223rd overall selection, giving them a star on both defense and the return game.
Reuter's Jones Analysis: "Jones stays in New England as a cornerstone of the Patriots' defense (three interceptions, eight tackles for loss, two sacks in 2025) and special teams (two punts returned for touchdowns)."
Good value for the Patriots here. Jones, who was named a captain for the first time in 2025, has become a true star in two phases of the game. The smaller cornerback continues to play larger than his size and has worked really well in the slot. Reuter has him as the team's CB1, though he fits a lot better in the slot.
Patriots Picked Elsewhere: Maye Taken High, Gonzalez Slips
Several Patriots were drafted to other teams in Reuter's draft. Maye was the first one taken off the board, heading to the Cleveland Browns at the sixth overall selection. He was one of 12 quarterbacks taken to kick off the first round.
After Maye's pick, the Patriots got on a bit of a dry spell. Christian Gonzalez, arguably the top cornerback in the league, fell all the way into the fourth round (what?! how?!), going to the Los Angeles Rams with the 100th overall pick. Absurd. He was worthy of a top-50 pick in this make believe experiment.
The other Patriots that got taken were defensive tackle Milton Williams (132nd overall to the Tennessee Titans), tight end Hunter Henry (135th overall to the Washington Commanders), offensive guard Mike Onwenu (147th overall to the Carolina Panthers), safety Kevin Byard (192nd overall to the Las Vegas Raiders) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (206th overall to the Indianapolis Colts).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Recent NFL Re-Draft Gives Patriots New QB, And Disrespects Star CB.
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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 9:14 AM.