26. New England Patriots (trade): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The New England Patriots traded down into this slot, and perhaps with all of the rumors surrounding them and wide receivers, a trade down the board this far could be a precursor to a wide receiver trade. Not to keep bringing up Jerry Jeudy in this NFL mock draft, but hey — he’s the name that’s been consistently thrown out there.
The Patriots would have the extra capital to make that kind of a trade work here, but if they don’t trade the pick, how about saying goodbye to one former Georgia first-round tackle and hello to another?
Broderick Jones has gotten a decent amount of hype in recent weeks and for good reason. He’s an athletic tackle prospect who looks like he will be a long-term starter in the NFL with the right seasoning.
27. Buffalo Bills: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
The Patriots upgrade in the trenches, and so do their division rivals in Buffalo. Actually, all of the AFC East teams in this NFL mock draft situation took themselves offensive linemen.
How about that?
At this stage of NFL Draft preparation, Torrence is the type of player who really needs no further introduction…
With @GatorsFB pro-day today, here’s quick reminder you want your team to draft OG O’Cyrus Torrence.
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 30, 2023
Mind-blowing stat that makes @78_KingBo different from most people-movers:
In 1,501 career pass sets, he allowed 0 sacks and only 1 QBH (per @PFF).🤯#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/Km8jNfLIMg
The guard position is not the sexiest position to draft in round one. But these are the investments you’re glad you made when a player like Josh Allen has all the time he needs to make plays in the pocket, or when your running game is taking over late in close ballgames.