New England Patriots seven-round 2020 NFL mock draft

I simply did not like the options available for the New England Patriots at No. 23. I love safety Xavier McKinney for the Pats at the spot, but he was already taken, as were linebackers Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray.

Jordan Love was available, but I just don’t see Belichick taking a quarterback who has such significant decision-making issues like Love. I considered pulling the trigger on interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz but decided to look at trade-down options instead. Let’s be honest, the Pats are probably going to trade out of the first round anyway.

After trading back, the New England Patriots find themselves a versatile defensive back who is a bonafide playmaker all over the field. Antoine Winfield Jr. is a tough and aggressive in-the-box defender who works through traffic well and is a reliable tackler in space. He is certainly a bit on the small side (5-foot-9, 203 pounds), but Winfield is an extremely physical player who is not afraid to make plays in the middle of the field.

Winfield also shows great range on the back-end, fantastic instincts in zone coverage and tremendous natural ball skills. He should be able to play in-the-box, in deep coverage and even some slot cornerback at the next level. The New England Patriots would undoubtedly value his versatility and toughness, making him a logical fit with the team in this range.