New England Patriots Will Get the Steal of the First Round if NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund is Right

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There are still a few hours left in the first round of the NFL Draft, and New England Patriots fans have reason to be excited. It’s looking like their team could get one of its top targets of this draft if things shake out right…

Cynthia Frelund is one of the NFL Network’s most popular analysts and she has predicted that New England Patriots will get the steal of the first round if they draft a quarterback.

New England Patriots Will Get the Steal of the First Round if NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund is Right

Things just seem to work out for the New England Patriots on draft day ever since they took a quarterback out of Michigan with the No. 199 selection in the 2000 NFL Draft. If NFL Network analyst Cynthia Frelund’s mock draft is correct, the year 2022 will be no different. She believes the Patriots can sit at No. 21 and satisfy one of their major needs with one of the top football players in this year’s selection without having to move up.

Needs for the New England Patriots in the NFL Draft of 2022

Nakobe Dean of the Georgia Bulldogs could be an NFL draft target of the New England Patriots.

Nakobe Dean of the Georgia Bulldogs could be an NFL draft target of the New England Patriots. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images/Nakobe Dean

In 2020, the New England Patriots had a one-year post-Tom Brady slump, finishing 7-9. It was the team’s poorest result since 2000, the year before Brady took over as the starter. Bill Belichick then selected QB Mac Jones in the 2021 offseason, spent a then-record amount of money in free agency, and prepared to return to the top of the NFL in 2021.

New England finished 10-7 in 2021, despite the fact that Belichick and the Patriots didn’t look nearly like the 2007 club. The team finished second in the AFC East by one game and advanced to the playoffs.

The focus now shifts to the 2022 draft in order to build on last year’s achievements. Yes, 2021 was a great success, whatever what Robert Kraft and spoilt Boston fans would claim. The organization will now try to fill up the gaps in order to improve the team.

In 2022, the club will need a wide receiver to aid Jones, but a trade for DeVante Parker would likely prevent Belichick from having to choose one early, which is wonderful news given his track record at the position. They also need a guard on the offensive side of the ball.

Despite finishing as the league’s second-best scoring defense last season, the Patriots have a lot of holes to address on defense. Upgrades at cornerback, edge rusher, and linebacker are all needed.

D’onta Hightower, the slow-footed linebacker who has anchored the heart of the New England defense for nine years, is a free agent. As a result, he may decide to quit or maybe retire. If the Patriots can improve their speed and agility at that position, they might have one of the top defenses in the league by 2022.

According to Cynthia Frelund’s mock draft, the Patriots will choose Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean at No. 21.

Following the DeVante Parker deal, wide receiver is likely off the table in Round 1, and No. 21 is a bit of a no-land man’s for cornerbacks. As a result, the best position to play for the New England Patriots is guard or linebacker.

In NFL Network analytics analyst Cynthia Frelund’s latest mock draft, the team would have a few options at these positions. Both of the top guards in the 2022 NFL Draft — Boston College’s Zion Johnson and Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green — are available in this scenario. And while Frelund has Utah LB Devin Lloyd going No. 19 to the Philadelphia Eagles, Georgia LB Nakobe Dean is still around at the Patriots’ spot.

This is where the Patriots and Bill Belichick get their bargain.

Nakobe Dean is a Georgia linebacker who is 5-foot-11 and weighs 229 pounds. The team captain was a key member of one of the most frightening defensive groups in recent college football history, which helped Georgia win its first national title since 1980.

Dean is a natural leader, a fantastic linebacker, and one of the most Week 1 ready prospects in the NFL Draft in 2022. However, because to his stature and the NFL’s undervaluing of his position in the draft, he’ll end up in New England, where he’ll enjoy the benefits.

Why Nakobe Dean may be the 2022 Micah Parsons

You don’t have to go far in the NFL draft archives to locate the last club to profit from a quality linebacker falling down the board on selection day. That’s because the Dallas Cowboys drafted Penn State LB Micah Parsons at No. 12 only last year.

Due to his participation in a hazing issue in college, Parsons had some character problems, although it was many years before he was draft eligible. He also plays LB, which isn’t as popular on defense these days. Pass rusher and cornerback are the hottest positions right now.  

Parsons’ domination made the 11 teams that passed on him in 2021 regret their decision. He was selected Rookie of the Year, reached the Pro Bowl, and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting behind T.J. Watt.

While Dean may not be as dominating as Parsons, he should be a reliable LB in the NFL for many years to come. Any club in need of a linebacker who does not sign Dean will be regretful.

Dean has 168 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 7.5 sacks, 10 passes defended, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 39 games with the Bulldogs. Although he lacks top NFL size, Dean’s performance in the SEC demonstrates that size isn’t important in his game.

Dean is most often compared to Roquan Smith of the Chicago Bears, another relatively undersized Georgia LB who is making waves in the NFL these days.

If Dean can be the next Roquan Smith, whomever gets him in the middle of the first round will be getting a steal. If that club is the New England Patriots, NFL fans will one again smack their foreheads over Bill Belichick’s selection.

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Cynthia Frelund is a NFL Network’s analyst who has predicted the New England Patriots will get the steal of the first round if they are right. The Patriots have been in talks with many prospects and it seems like they may be able to sneak into the first round. Reference: cynthia frelund 2021 week 1 predictions.

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