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3 Players the Patriots Need to Avoid With Their First-Round Pick

By michael obermuller
A.J. Epenesa is among the players the New England Patriots should avoid in the first round of the 2020 draft.
A.J. Epenesa is among the players the New England Patriots should avoid in the first round of the 2020 draft. / Matthew Holst/Getty Images
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Right now Bill Belichick's plan for the New England Patriots' future is a mystery. Tom Brady has finally moved on and now the pressure is on for the legendary coach to prove that he was the straw that stirred the drink all along, not the quarterback.

If the Patriots are going to pick up right where they left off the past two decades, a successful 2020 NFL Draft will be absolutely vital being that New England is currently last in available cap space. Who Belichick will select with the No. 23 overall pick may be uncertain, but here is who he should avoid.

3. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

McCourty's return nixes the McKinney to New England mocks.
McCourty's return nixes the McKinney to New England mocks. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

I hate to rag on Xavier McKinney, who is a tremendous talent, but his previous ties to the Pats don't make sense after the free agency period. New England spent a solid chunk of cap to bring back Devin McCourty and bring in Adrian Phillips, a safety from the Los Angeles Chargers. With Patrick Chung still on the roster along with a loaded crop of cornerbacks, McKinney no longer fits the needs of the cap-starved Patriots.

2. Josh Jones, OT, Houston

The Pats should wait till later on in the draft to look at offensive line depth.
The Pats should wait till later on in the draft to look at offensive line depth. / Tim Warner/Getty Images

Rarely do I regard offensive line as something to avoid, but the Patriots have actually managed to stabilize their unit. The problem last season was injury, so drafting depth is not the worst idea, but Belichick has greater first-round needs than an extra tackle who might be worse than Isaiah Wynn, a former 23rd overall pick out of Georgia. Josh Jones will likely go to one of the many other franchises desperate for a tackle, while the Pats focus on either adding some skill-position talent, a replacement inside linebacker, or a new franchise quarterback.

1. A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

Epenesa sacking the quarterback in a game against Minnesota.
Epenesa sacking the quarterback in a game against Minnesota. / Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Originally touted as possibly the top edge rusher in the draft, A.J. Epenesa has fallen fast, and the Patriots should avoid him too. With 2019 rookie Chase Winovich looking like a sleeper in year one (26 total tackles, 5.5 sacks), plus Deatrich Wise Jr. and Derek Rivers as excess depth behind veterans like John Simon and Brandon Copeland (signed from New York Jets), the Patriots seem well-stocked on the edge. Epenesa now feels like more of a risk than a gem this high in the draft, perhaps, the Pats should focus on a more serious deficiency.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael Obermuller also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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