New England Patriots: Final 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft

The New England Patriots may be one of the most interesting teams to watch on Thursday night. Despite their typically conservative nature, the Patriots have been ultra-aggressive this offseason, making many key additions to the roster. Will their aggressiveness continue in the 2021 NFL Draft? It is certainly something to keep an eye on.

With the draft nearly here, let’s take one last look at a potential haul for the New England Patriots. In this seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft, Bill Belichick and company look to improve their chances to compete for championships both now and in the future.

Note: This 2021 NFL mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.

New England Patriots 2021 NFL mock draft: Round 1, 8th overall

The bizarro Patriots’ offseason continues in this 2021 NFL mock draft. After years of pinching pennies in free agency, the New England Patriots aggressively pursued top-tier free agents this offseason. They added multiple players who can come in and immediately help them compete. We are used to seeing the Patriots trade down in the draft, but could we see that aggressiveness continue on Thursday night?

This team has an obvious need at the quarterback position and if they are going to secure the position in the 2021 NFL Draft, they will likely have to trade up from No. 15. In this mock draft, four quarterbacks go in the first seven picks, forcing the Patriots to get aggressive if they want their guy.

With Justin Fields still on the board at No. 8, the Patriots attack, sending No. 15 overall along with a second- and fourth-round pick this year to the Carolina Panthers. After coming up to No. 8, the New England Patriots select Fields and he immediately becomes the most important player on their roster.

The lack of hype surrounding Fields is absolutely baffling. He is a big, strong and athletic quarterback prospect who stands tall and tough in the pocket. He is a precise passer to all levels of the field, shows fantastic natural arm talent and is one of the best running quarterbacks in the entire draft class.

Fields displays the ability to work within the structure of the offense and make plays in the pocket, but can also improvise and make plays on the run when needed. Simply put, he is an elite-level talent who undoubtedly has massive upside at the next level. The Patriots need to make a significant investment into the quarterback position and Fields is the kind of player who can help take them to the next level. Trading up for Fields would get the Pats back on track.