2018 New England Patriots Mock Draft: Extending the Dynasty

The New England Patriots are well on their way to another first-round bye in the playoffs and are one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LII. The biggest competition in the AFC appears to be the Pittsburgh Steelers, however the Patriots are 3-0 against Pittsburgh in the postseason, including a 19-point win in last season’s AFC Championship Game, since Tom Brady became the starting quarterback in 2001.

While Bill Belichick certainly won’t look that far ahead, or even past the next game, it’s never too early to look even further into the future. With the majority of the starting lineup under contract past this season, the Patriots won’t be making any Stephon Gilmore-type splashes in free agency. Any future stars are more likely to come to New England through the 2018 NFL Draft.

After making a flurry of deals over the past couple years, the Patriots only have four of their original picks remaining. Add in a second rounder from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Jimmy Garoppolo and a projected compensatory pick in round four for losing Jabaal Sheard and New England currently has six picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. How can the team add depth to the roster and find key contributors for the future? Here’s one way the Patriots can improve not only in the immediate future, but in the long term as well.