2019 NFL Mock Draft: Redskins, Patriots trade up in at-the-buzzer projection

21. Seattle Seahawks: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State

After electing to trade Frank Clark and not getting a long-term deal worked out with the pass-rusher, the Seattle Seahawks now have a blatant need at defensive end moving forward. There is a possibility that, now that they have two first-round picks, they could move up in the first round to try and get a top-tier player. With such little capital overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, though, they hang on to the 21st pick and take the polarizing Montez Sweat.

Sweat was considered a fringe first-round prospect entering the NFL Combine after dominating at the Senior Bowl, and a virtuoso workout in Indianapolis made him a highly-coveted commodity as he proved to be an explosive athlete. However, a heart condition revealed at the combine has made him a bit of a risk, with reports that some teams have him off their boards entirely. The Seahawks aren’t one of those teams here and they nab the Mississippi State product to beef up a now lacking defensive end spot.

Trade! New England Patriots trade No. 32 and No. 64 to Baltimore Ravens for No. 22 and No. 123

22. New England Patriots (via Ravens): Noah Fant, TE, Iowa

We’ve become quite accustomed to Bill Belichick’s apparent NFL Draft credo at this point: Trade down, acquire picks, rinse, repeat. However, this isn’t a typical offseason for the New England Patriots after the retirement of Rob Gronkowski. Losing one of the biggest matchup weapons in NFL history is not something that they can ignore, so Belichick gets aggressive here and trades up with the Baltimore Ravens to take a slipping Noah Fant.

While Fant may not be the blocker that Hockenson or Gronk are, his receiving prowess and athletic profile rival that of Gronkowski. Guys that big and with as much skill as Fant aren’t supposed to be able to move in the way that he does. He can be an immediate weapon in the passing attack run by Tom Brady in New England as he develops into a blocker simply by learning how to use his size and athleticism to succeed in that regard.