Well, you’ve done it, New England. You’ve found the next Tom Brady. All sarcasm aside, Mac Jones has gotten off to a good start as an NFL quarterback — and he’s hit the ground running faster than all other rookie QBs. That was to be expected, however. To sustain Jones’ growth, the New England Patriots need to maintain a stable of weapons — and the 2022 NFL Draft wide receivers group gives them a chance to do that.
New England Patriots in need of young receiver talent
The Patriots primarily added weapons through free agency this year. So far, it’s been working. Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers have been very solid starting options, and Nelson Agholor has provided value in a secondary role. There’s also the tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith — another dependable facet of the passing offense.
Jones has had a decent amount of firepower to work with this year. But the New England Patriots can’t get comfortable with what they have.
Meyers is a free agent in 2022, along with several other depth receivers. Agholor is a free agent in 2023. The same goes for underwhelming first-round WR N’Keal Harry if his fifth-year option isn’t exercised.
The Patriots likely have more turnover coming in the receiving room. But while that breeds uncertainty, it also provides an opportunity to match Jones with some of the bright talent in the 2022 NFL Draft wide receivers group.
What kind of receivers fit the Patriots’ offense?
Historically, the Patriots have sampled a wide variety of wide receivers in the Bill Belichick era. Physical freaks, route-running technicians, and smaller slot weapons — the Patriots don’t discriminate at the receiver position.
If there is a preference the Patriots tend to show, it’s slightly larger receivers. The 200-pound mark is a somewhat reliable figure, especially in recent years. Both Meyers and Bourne are 200 pounds or more. So was Harry when he was picked by the Patriots in Round 1, as well as Malcolm Mitchell a few years back.
In this 200+ range, there are different molds. Players like Meyers and Bourne are tough and reliable but can separate. Meanwhile, Harry was drafted as more of a weapon — a larger, athletic receiver with strong contested-catch ability and YAC potential. It hasn’t worked out with Harry, but with players like Harry and Aaron Dobson, the Patriots have shown they’re more than willing to take chances on elite athletes with plus size.
Having said all this, with a new, young QB in Jones, it may be best for the Patriots to target receivers whose skill sets best support that of a young quarterback. New England’s wide net at receiver allows for some flexibility. But to keep Jones’ job easy, getting pass catchers who can separate in the short and intermediate ranges and get RAC yards is key.
2022 NFL Draft wide receivers for the New England Patriots
Now that we’ve gone over the Patriots’ future outlook and their general fits at wide receiver, let’s run through some options that might fit Jones’ style in the 2022 NFL Draft. We’ll provide options in two ranges — early-round and later-round.
Early-round receivers that might fit
If the Patriots keep following their current trajectory, they’ll likely be picking toward the back third of Round 1. That likely puts them out of reach for a player like Garrett Wilson, who was WR1 on PFN’s most recent Top 50 big board. Jameson Williams and Chris Olave might also go before that range.
Still, the 2022 WR group is deep up top. While there may not be elite options like Jaylen Waddle or Ja’Marr Chase, there is a lot of talent to sift through. Continuing with the theme of 200+ receivers, a few options stand out in the early portion of the draft — notably Treylon Burks, David Bell, and Romeo Doubs.
Burks is more of a long-term investment, but he’s a weapon the Patriots can use. Burks is an imposing specimen at 6’3″, 225 pounds, and he has great athleticism for his size. He doesn’t have a vast route tree yet, but Burks has the physicality and RAC ability to be dangerous in the short-range. His explosiveness, meanwhile, allows him to stretch the field and earn chunk plays as well.
Bell isn’t quite the weapon that Burks is, but he’d be a high-floor addition to New England’s WR rotation. At 6’2″, 205, Bell has good size. While he’s not as crisp of an athlete as Jones has worked with in the past, he has the technical refinement to separate. He can make tough catches and has some elusiveness after the catch.
Doubs might be more of a Day 2 player, but he’s a fun match. He also brings good size at 6’2″, 200, but is a more explosive and twitchy athlete than Bell. His hands are a slight concern. But he’s a great fit for the Patriots’ preferences.
Late-round receivers that might fit
There’s a chance that some of these guys make their way into the Day 2 conversation. But the idea here is that New England might be able to get a better value in this range and save their early picks for other needs.
In this range, there’s one receiver who blends together the preferred molds of Patriots receivers nicely — and that’s Texas Tech WR Erik Ezukanma. Ezukanma is an absolute weapon with the ball in his hands. At 6’3″, 220 pounds, he has great size, density, and contact balance. But he’s also an abrupt lateral athlete with great explosiveness. He has the tools to become a separator, and he’s also money in contested situations.
Ezukanma has the size profile that the Patriots have considered in years past. But he also has the separation potential and near-elite RAC ability to be a safety blanket for Jones early on.
Ezukanma is one of the more exciting value deals in this class, but there are other options. Alec Pierce is another larger-framed receiver with underrated athleticism. There’s also Jaivon Heiligh — an explosive receiver with a complete skill set at 6’2″, 200 pounds. Bo Melton is another denser receiver with great RAC ability, and he’ll get a chance to win teams like New England over at the Senior Bowl.
Farther down the board, players like Jerreth Sterns, Jacob Copeland, and Chris Autman-Bell also make sense as potential sleepers for the Patriots to target. Sterns, in particular, was dominant for Western Kentucky this year. He’s not quite 200 pounds but close at 5’9″, 195. He knows how to get open but can also fight at the catch point with vertical athleticism.
Patriots have options among 2022 NFL Draft wide receivers
The Patriots undoubtedly have a looming need at wide receiver. However, that need comes at an opportune time. The 2022 NFL Draft is very deep at the position. It’s the perfect chance for a team like New England to capitalize on that depth and come away with value.
If the Patriots like someone like Burks, Bell, or Doubs — or if Olave falls to them — they could pounce early on. But if they don’t, there are still several options to choose from in the middle-to-late rounds. Whether it’s Ezukanma, Heiligh, Sterns, Copeland, or someone off the map, the Patriots have shown they can identify and develop a number of successful styles at WR. For Jones and Josh McDaniels, variety is ultimately key. This class can help with that.