One WR for Patriots in every round of 2023 NFL Draft

Henry McKenna

AFC East Reporter

The New England Patriots have started to push the pace on drafting receivers in high rounds. Bill Belichick went away from the position when he took zero wideouts in the top three rounds from 2014 through 2018. But in the past four years, Belichick has taken a receiver in the first round (N’Keal Harry, 2019) and the second round (Tyquan Thornton, 2022).

New England’s decision to take Harry was a messy one. He was a clear bust. With Thornton, it remains unclear. He started the season on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone last preseason. He finished the year with 22 catches for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

For the sake of giving Thornton a real shot at developing and playing in 2023, I have explored two types of receivers the Patriots could add this year: slot receivers and big-framed perimeter players. Thornton is a slim but speedy outside player — I’ve steered cleared of similar players with that profile.

So let’s take a look at some options for New England in every round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Round 1: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

He’s widely considered the top receiver in this year’s draft and, in some front offices, Smith-Njigba is the only wideout with a first-round grade, per Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy. So it’s possible he might not last until 14th overall when the Patriots pick. But Smith-Njigba is also a slot receiver, which begs whether a team might reach on the potential of TCU‘s Quentin Johnston or USC‘s Jordan Addison.

Smith-Njigba lacks in speed but has hands and agility to compensate. He is an outstanding slot threat who excels in the red area, where he finished with nine touchdowns in his career-best 2021 season. He also had 95 catches for 1,606 yards. His production cratered in 2022 when he dealt with a nagging hamstring injury, though he is now healthy.

Round 2: Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Mingo to Anquan Boldin, a large slot receiver who once racked up catches for the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens, among other teams. Mingo is one of the heftier prospects, in part because this year’s class is particularly skinny. But Mingo isn’t just prototypically sized at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. He also has prototypical speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash) and his production was solid with 51 catches for 861 yards and five touchdowns in 2022. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his athleticism or production. But he is a fairly safe prospect, given his solid résumé.

Round 3: A.T. Perry, Wake Forest

You want production? Perry put up more than 1,000 yards in each of his final two seasons. He also had 26 touchdowns over those two years. He is one of the featherweight wideouts I referenced, with a tall frame (6-foot-4) but a slender build (195 pounds). He would be a great prospect to develop behind DeVante Parker. Perry could eventually be the perfect replacement. Of course, he’ll have to overcome his issues with drops and the typical problems for slim-but-tall receivers: agility and physical press coverage.

Round 4: Michael Wilson, Stanford

While Perry might struggle with physicality, Wilson does not. His feistiness is what makes him an intriguing prospect. In a deep Cardinal receiving corps, he put up 26 catches for 418 yards and four touchdowns. So you have to project what the 6-foot-2, 215-pound prospect can produce in the passing game. His motor is intense. He clearly plays hard on every snap, even if he lacks polish. But it’s much easier to imagine what he can do for a rushing attack. Wilson is a willing and capable run-blocker.

Round 5: Andrei Iosivas, Princeton

If he did a better job of reaching out and snatching the ball, he might be a much more serious prospect. But Iosivas loses all the length in his frame (6-foot-3) when he catches the ball because he pins passes to his body almost every time. So while he absolutely dominated smaller players in the Ivy League, he will need a lot of catching technique work to make an impact in the NFL. But man, if a team can get his hands to a good place, he would be one heck of a wideout. He runs a 4.43 40 and can jump 39 inches with a 6.85-second 3-cone drill. That puts him in rare company as an athlete.

Round 6: Justin Shorter, Florida

He’s not a great athlete. He hasn’t put up the most amazing film. And that’s sort of what you expect for a guy in the sixth round. He almost looks like he could end up playing tight end at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds. But there are a few qualities to like about Shorter, who was a consistent pass-catcher despite Anthony Richardson‘s up-and-down season. Shorter’s seven-catch, 155-yard performance against Tennessee was particularly impressive. There’s talent there and, perhaps, a future as a possession receiver.

Round 7: Thayer Thomas, NC State

Thomas has some Jakobi Meyers in him, so the NC State slot receiver is worth a flier in Round 7. Thomas has caught a touchdown and he’s thrown for one on a trick play — so you know he has Belichick’s attention. (The Patriots coach is, of course, the king of trick plays.) In his senior season, Thomas put up 57 catches for 642 yards and four touchdowns. What I like most about his pass-catching abilities is the way he catches balls outside his frame.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.

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