The Patriots came away from the NFL Draft's first two days with a quarterback, wide receiver and tackle, and stayed on the offensive side of the ball with their first two picks of Day 3, selecting guard Layden Robinson and wide receiver Javon Baker.
Baker was a popular Patriots target in mock drafts and landed both on my Big Board and my final mock draft. He's a smooth athlete that is dangerous with the ball in his hands. He put up 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns in his final season at UCF, but also had 14 drops over his last two seasons illustrating some of the inconsistencies that he'll have to improve upon.
He now joins Polk as two rookies who will put the Patriots wide receiver at a whopping 12 players. Eliot Wolf said the team needed to "weaponize" the offense this offseason and the two new players should be a major part of that evolution.
Both are solidly built and could be seen as tough football players who can overcome their deficiencies by making plays. Neither are speed burners but both have the in-game savvy that allowed them both to be highly productive.
Robinson is a more nuanced pick after the team took three interior offensive linemen last season. With Cole Strange and Sidy Sow penciled in as the current starters, the selection of Robinson indicates there could be significant competition for those jobs as the offseason progresses.
The Texas A&M product fits the mold of a gap-based running attack, somewhat different from what's expected from Alex Van Pelt's usual zone scheme. Either way, Robinson adds another level of competition as New England looks to rebuild their offensive line. There figures to be major competition at multiple spots.
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