New England Patriots: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft in early April
No matter what happens the rest of the off season, the offense for the New England Patriots is going to look a lot different next season. For the last nine years, the Pats have had the luxury of having arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history on their roster. Now that Gronk has officially stepped away from the game, the Patriots have a massive hole at the tight end position.
Brady and the Patriots will undoubtedly adapt to life without Rob Gronkowski, likely by not showcasing the tight end position as much as they did before. However, they will need somebody to line up at tight end, and guys like Jacob Hollister and Matt LaCosse simply are not going to get it done. With that in mind, tight end is among the most obvious needs on the Patriots’ roster.
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With their second selection in the second round of this mock draft, the New England Patriots fill that need at tight end by taking Dawson Knox out of Ole Miss. Knox did not put up much production in college, but he is an exciting tight end prospect who has solid upside at the next level.
Knox is a good run blocker who shows impressive power at the point of attack and the movement skills to make blocks in space. He can physically overpower linebackers and smaller edge defenders, consistently opening up holes for his running backs.
While his receiving production in college was limited, Knox did shows some upside in that department. He is a quick and efficient route runner who shows an impressive ability to stretch the middle of the field deep. Knox catches everything thrown his way, adjusting to the ball in the air extremely well and showing the ability to consistently make contested catches. He has great hands and impressive overall ability to create after the catch.
Simply put, Dawson Knox is an extremely talented tight end prospect who can really thrive at the next level with proper coaching. He is a big-time athlete whose combination of power and speed will play at the next level. Nobody is going to come in and replace Gronk’s overall production, but Knox is the kind of guy who can grow into an adequate replacement.