On April 26, the NFL Draft will take place and usually, I don't have much-invested interest in it since for the Patriots, there never was always a glaring need I feel or any big-time storyline going into it. However, this year is a totally different story. Between Tom Brady not entirely sure what he is going to be doing, Gronkowski contemplating retirement, and a gaping hole on the offensive line, this draft will be different. In this article, I take a look at three possible positions of interest for the team, quarterback, tight end, and offensive line (importance not in any order).

Quarterback:

First, let's start with the big name the team has been linked to recently and that is Josh Rosen. The Rosen One has plenty work with to make him the most NFL-ready QB in this group. At UCLA he ran a largely pro-style offense. Scouts say he's got the best footwork/base/release to get the ball out fast and on target and one of the best back-shoulder thrower on the board. In his junior year, he had 460+ yards and 3+ TDs in each of his first four games. In between, he had three different offensive coordinators which can show he is coachable. The downside is old-time football guys question his passion for the game. An even bigger downside is he had two concussions and might be one more nasty one away from walking away with a hundred or so million in injury settlements and leave a team swimming for the bottom to get their franchise QB yet again. Based on some mocks, we should see him in the 2-9 range. Which may have you thinking, how could we get him? The Patriots have assets this draft being the 23rd and 31st picks in the first round so if the 49ers are feeling generous after we gave them Jimmy G for nothing, the teams could work on a trade. By having these two picks, it could be their ticket to trade up in the draft along with combining with other late round picks to get their next guy like Rosen or other high-end quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson.

The next quarterback the team has been linked to is Lamar Jackson who even Brady praises too saying "He's a beast!". Jackson is one who can run and throw well enough to be the only FBS player to ever top 1,500 and 3,500 yards, and he did it twice. And only he, Colin Kaepernick and Tim Tebow cracked 50 and 50 in touchdowns in a career. As a passer, he’s got a freakishly effortless quick-flip throwing motion that still gets distance on the ball. But running is his greatest skillset with 10 rushing touchdowns of over 40 yards. When you see him play, he's just an electrifying player because of all the moves he can make once he's off and he is actually a pretty solid passer too (57% completion percentage). However, like Rosen, he too is a higher end draft pick so the Patriots would need to send off their 23rd pick most likely along with a package of later round picks. I don't see Jackson as a player you package both of your first for but either way, you're going to have to create a package that entices teams in the low to high teens in the draft to get a chance at this kid.

Finally, let's look at someone who the Patriots could snag without having to give up their first round picks since he is a later round guy so they can use those picks on players on positions they feel are more of a need. The guy I personally like is Washington State's Luke Falk not only because he likes Brady, but he seems like a solid quarterback who's got a nice all-around game. His carer includes 20 passing performances of 300-plus yards (one of those days was a 601-yard performance in his freshman year). Falk was able to build a very impressive resume at Washington State, as he nearly started for four seasons in the Pac-12. Overall, Falk totalled 14,481 passing yards, 119 touchdown passes, and just 38 interceptions and had a completion percentage of 68.3. Even though he had injured his wrist senior year he still managed to throw 30 touchdown passes so if his wrist is fine, Falk could potentially be a solid quarterback since that is what scouts had him as before the injury.

Tightend:

First, let's take a look at who people see as the best tight end and that is Dallas Goedert from South Dakota State. He could still stand to add some mass (6'5 256 lbs) but has the frame for it as well as the work ethic. Even with that, he led all tight end's at the Draft Combine in the bench press with an impressive 23 reps. He’s primarily an in-line, y-type tight end, but had experience sliding outside. As a receiver, his production speaks for itself, with an NCAA-best 72 receptions last year, 2 11-catch games and six with over 100 yards. One concern is his junior year was better than his senior, as he had 92 catches for 1,293 yards. But overall though the kid has solid production and when you watch him make catches, he has incredibly soft hands so he can make tons of catches which is why you shouldn't be surprised that his production over the last two years is 2400+ yards with 18 touchdowns. He is also a later in the draft guy too so the Patriots could afford to gamble and wait for him if they would like too however, I personally do not see tight end as a first round need and have seen this kid fall into the second round in some mock drafts and could use a pick then on him.

Next is Mike Gesicki from Penn State at 6'6 252 lbs who some view as the best route runner in the draft based on his combine and throughout school too. In his junior and senior seasons, Gesicki caught a combined 105 passes for 1,242 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Nittany Lions used Gesicki as a downfield option in the offense, and they actually used him as the wheel-route option of a few play designs. Although he’s proven to be great at making big plays downfield and in the red zone, Penn State used him in a lot of misdirection passes around the line of scrimmage last year, hence the 9.9 yards-per-reception average. Being able to pair him with Gronk would be such a huge asset for Brady because it gives him another weapon to play with since his skillset is similar to Gronk's so while teams focus on him, Brady can take advantage of Gesicki's skillset. Gesicki is viewed as an end of the first-second round pick so he is another guy the Patriots could target with their later picks if they choose to.

Finally, we'll look at Dalton Schultz who stands at 6'5 and 244 lbs. Head coach David Shaw has produced serviceable tight ends such as Coby Fleener, Ertz, Levine Toilolo and Austin Hooper. While Schultz lacks the top end speed of some of these others, Shaw has called him the “most complete” of them all. He’s a fundamentally sound prototype of a Y-tight end and the Stanford running game often relied on him. He operated a lot as a lead blocker through the hole. Schultz isn’t an overly powerful player but is committed to using his hands and proper angles. He also has the awareness to work off blocks and climb to the next level. Schultz also has experience as a pass protector where he again does a good job using his hands. He also keeps a wide base and can anchor after contact. However, his overall blocking would be more effective if he looked to deliver a powerful initial punch. Schultz definitely is lower down on the chart of tight ends in the draft but he has great tools that some tight ends lack and that is blocking. The Patriots could use one of their later picks on him as he is expected to slide in the draft and if you get him, he could be a Dwayne Allen replacement since his skill set is more similar to his.

Offensive Line:

First, we'll take a look at Mike McGlinchey from Notre Dame standing at 6-8 309 lbs. McGlinchey is generally regarded as solid but not elite, very good but unspecial pro prospect. He is more of an athletic, finesse blocker as opposed to a drive-blocking snowplow kind of guy. But I don’t mean that as a bad thing by any means because to some mocks, he’s regarded as the best run blocker in the bunch. He’s one of the more durable offensive linemen, having started his last 39 games for the Irish. Like a lot of taller guys though (think Nate Solder), he can be a victim to small, quick-twitch rushers getting underneath his pads. But he has a pedigree, starting three years for the same O-line factory that produced Zack Martin and Ronnie Stanley which is pretty good company. McGlinchey is seen as a late teen early 20's guy, so the Patriots could, in fact, use their 23rd pick on him if they would like or swap the 23rd pick and get him as well which won't be that steep of a price to get your Nate Solder replacement.

Next, we'll take a look at Kolton Miller standing at 6-9, 310 lbs from UCLA. The mocks are all over the map on this guy. I have seen some having him going as high as the teens of Round 1, but others drop him as far as the 3rd. He was in and out of the lineup as an underclassman but was installed as Josh Rosen’s left tackle as a junior and never lost the job since. He’s not the most refined technician though. The critiques on him include that he plays a little upright and needs better footwork. However, no one questions his effort or his knack for recovering when he gets beaten on the initial rush. It’s hard not to look at his size/speed and not immediately think of the guy the Patriots just lost. One major difference is his 24 reps on the weight bench is way more than Solder did. The Pats like their tackles, and their tight ends for that matter, or anyone blocking on the edge with some height. Which is why they drafted towers like Solder and Sebastian Vollmer. From all the various mocks, he is someone that could be available when they pick 23 or 31 if he does drop but luckily the Patriots have draft picks to move so they could create a package if they need to. However, with all the movement of Miller, I think the team could choose him by using the 23rd or 31st pick.

Finally, let's take a look at Tyrell Crosby standing at 6-5, 325 lbs from Oregon. Crosby is interesting in that he’s one of the best (if not the best) pure drive blocker in the class. He was voted the best O-lineman in the Pac-12. He’s played both tackle spots as well as both power and zone schemes. It’s possible his pass blocking efficiency is a little skewed by the Ducks’ athletic quarterbacks and opponents playing contain rather than pure pass rushing. But still, anyone who serves up as many pancake blocks as him merits consideration. He’s also another player who has done it on both the left and right side in the college ranks. Crosby’s not going to win any awards for his athleticism, and could ultimately end up at guard, but he’s an easy projection as a run-blocker. He is projected as a 2nd-3rd round pick so he is someone that can fall to the Patriots on the second day of the draft so he is a name to keep an eye on if the Patriots choose to use their first round picks on a different player.