One of the clearest signs of the impending NFL offseason has arrived: Mel Kiper Jr. has published his first official mock draft.
The veteran ESPN draft analyst dropped his initial predictions for the 2022 NFL Draft, including who he thinks the Patriots will select with the 21st overall pick.
For New England, Kiper sees a glaring need.
“What stuck out to me as I watched the Patriots, though, was their lack of playmakers in the passing game,” he wrote.
It’s become a familiar refrain for those assessing the Patriots’ offseason priorities. Multiple NFL analysts have already forecasted that Bill Belichick will try to add more talent in the offense around quarterback Mac Jones.