New England Patriots: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft in early April

It was a surprise to many when Alabama cornerback Saivion Smith decided to enter the 2019 NFL Draft. He is a talented prospect, but he is extremely raw and unproven. Simply put, he is not ready to be a big-time contributor at the next level.

That being said, the upside in Smith’s game is painfully obvious. He has ideal size at the cornerback position and good athleticism as well. He shows strong man-to-man skills at times, but is far too inconsistent to feel strong about anything other than his raw upside translating well to the next level.

To be honest, this is a complete swing for the fences for the New England Patriots, but it is one worth taking this late in the draft. Smith could grown into a strong player with proper coaching and could be an asset for New England on special teams in the meantime.

Lack of speed at the linebacker has been an issue for the New England Patriots in recent years. Obviously, they have been able to survive, but it is still something that I would like to see them improve.

Dre Greenlaw is an impressive space linebacker who can range from sideline-to-sideline against the run and hold his own in coverage. He is most likely primarily a special teams player at the next level, but he can certainly be an asset in that area.