The New England Patriots have a host of options available with the number-four pick in the NFL Draft.
If either edge-rusher Abdul Carter or wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter falls to four, the consensus is that New England should take that player. But if both are gone, many more scenarios come into play.
The Patriots need a receiver, and they may be able to trade back a few spots in the draft and still land a good one. That would enable them to take advantage of a team that may want to trade up for quarterback Shedeur Sanders, such as the New Orleans Saints.
On Friday, Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire predicted that the Patriots would trade pick four to New Orleans for picks nine and 40, drafting Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan to give quarterback Drake Maye a potential number-one receiver of the future.
“The Patriots didn’t need to stay at No. 4 to get the top projected receiver on the draft board. With Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter both gone, the Patriots decide to trade down with the New Orleans Saints,” McElroy wrote.
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“They get an extra second-round pick for their efforts and the true X-receiver they’ve been waiting for. McMillan is a human highlight reel capable of helping Drake Maye take the top off defenses.”
McMillan, 22, racked up 1,319 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this past season despite dealing with a lingering lower leg injury that carried over from the spring. If fully healthy, there’s a chance he could be even more explosive during his rookie season.
Though the Patriots signed four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs in March, it’s unsafe to assume their receiver room has enough high-end potential to get through a season. McMillan and Diggs together, though, could form something special.
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