Tag: fifth round results

Twitter had varying reactions to Patriots’ Day 3 draft picks

There were mixed reactions from Patriots fans on Day 3 of the NFL draft.

The New England Patriots had a busy start to Day 3 of the 2023 NFL draft, selecting center Jake Andrews, kicker Chad Ryland and interior offensive lineman Sidy Sow with their first three picks in the fourth round.

There were mixed opinions on the heavy focus on the interior offensive line, rather than selecting a tackle or receiver.

But things started to take a turn in the sixth round with the Patriots selecting Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas. That’s when the excitement level started to jump again.

The Patriots addressed defense on the first couple of days and then turned to the offensive line, special teams and receivers on Day 3. Here’s what people were saying on Twitter after the final day of the NFL draft.

Patriots select UCLA G Atonio Mafi in fifth round

The Patriots continue to load up on interior offensive linemen on Day 3.

After trading the 135th pick to the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots were back on the clock at No. 144 in the fifth round to select UCLA guard Atonio Mafi.

This is the third interior offensive linemen the Patriots have taken on Day 3 in a clear effort to get stronger up front.

Injuries were an issue for the Patriots in the 2022 season, and it compromised the health of quarterback Mac Jones, who was consistently getting knocked around in the pocket by opposing defensive players.

Mafi joining the offensive front solidifies the interior depth for the team. It also gives New England another high-motor player capable of working up to the second level.

For the Patriots, the big offensive plays will start up front with Mafi and company.

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Patriots move down on draft board in fourth-round trade with Raiders

The Patriots now have a fifth-round pick, thanks to a fourth-round trade with the Raiders.

Coming into the 2023 NFL draft, the New England Patriots didn’t have a fifth-round draft pick. But that changed on Saturday with the team striking up a late fourth-round trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Patriots traded the No. 135 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-rounder (No. 144) and sixth-rounder (No. 214).

This is the team’s second trade on Day 3 with coach Bill Belichick clearly looking to move around the board, while also stockpiling more draft picks. What else is new?

So far, the Patriots have come away with center Jake Andrews, kicker Chad Ryland and offensive guard Sidy Sow.

The Patriots are still loaded with draft picks and the ability to do whatever they want heading into the fifth round of the event. Will they strike up more trades or continue to load their roster?

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Bengals receive ‘A’ grade for Khalid Kareem pick

Here’s the NFL draft grade on the Cincinnati Bengals taking Khalid Kareem.

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Khalid Kareem heard his name called in the top 150 thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals at the top of Round 5.

Those Bengals were always going to keep adding to the rebuilding front seven and with Kareem get a nice value via his blend of character and ability.

Kareem put up 13 sacks and 108 total tackles over three seasons at Notre Dame, including four forced fumbles and eight passes defensed for good measure.

A high-effort player, the only big knock on the pick itself is he’s coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum, per ESPN’s Ben Baby. Otherwise, he always seemed like a Day 3 guy ready to get in camp and go to work.

And work is what Kareem should put in as part of the rotation up front. The Bengals are going more multiple with their defense but still need versatile guys up front who can fill gaps and potentially collapse pockets.

Kareem just fits in that regard and brings some dependability and consistency along with him. He’s also the sort of character fit the Bengals have heavily emphasized in free agency and this draft.

Maybe this pick is different if the Cowboys don’t take offensive lineman Tyler Biadasz to close the fourth round. And while four offensive linemen came off the board over the next 10 picks after the Bengals here, it’s becoming pretty apparent the team is comfortable with what it has.

It’s not worth a major knock in grade here. A high-effort and character player with lots of power and an 84-inch wingspan is quite the get in the fifth.

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Instant analysis of Bengals’ picking Khalid Kareem in fifth round

Here’s a quick reaction to the Cincinnati Bengals taking Notre Dame edge Khalid Kareem.

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It was only a matter of time before the Cincinnati Bengals went out and added some pass-rushing depth in the 2020 NFL draft.

Zac Taylor and Co. did so at the top of Round 5 with Notre Dame’s Khalid Kareem. He’s a 6’4″, 268-pound presence with good length and character marks as a team captain Bengals coaches surely love.

The writeup from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein is hard not to like:

“Power-based edge defender who uses technique and force to make up for a lack of explosiveness. He does an adequate job of bracing up and defending his turf when the run comes his way, but he lacks the athletic gifts to make many plays outside of his area. He’s able to muscle up and create some pocket pressure against college tackles, but that approach is unlikely to yield results against most NFL starters. Kareem has size and toughness but may not have enough athletic ability to ever be more than a backup 4-3 base end.”

It’s important to keep such a writeup in context — this is the fifth round. The Bengals aren’t asking Kareem to come in and be an every-down player who can do it all on his own.

Realistically, Kareem is an instant rotational presence who tandems with what’s already on the roster to make the pass rush even more lethal. The team can also merely use some more depth because names all over the front seven like Ryan Glasgow and Carl Lawson just haven’t been able to stay healthy.

Viewed within this context, it’s hard to complain about another high-character guy to fuel the defensive makeover. Offensive line seems like an issue too, but it’s just clear the Bengals don’t agree and/or the board just isn’t falling in a manner they like.

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Bengals select Notre Dame edge Khalid Kareem in fifth round

The Bengals made a notable pick to start the 2020 NFL draft’s fifth round.

The Cincinnati Bengals kicked off the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft by making Notre Dame edge Khalid Kareem the No. 147 overall pick.

An edge defender who can create pressure was always a target for the Bengals in this draft given the injury history to Carl Lawson and otherwise.

Kareem is a good value in the fifth round with big power off the edge to dictate running lanes and get after the quarterback.

For the Bengals, call this pick a rotational edge bonus with good value who joins and already-deep rotation and potentially makes an early impact.

This pick comes after the Bengals started Round 4 and Day 3 overall by doubling up on linebacker with Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither, who joins third-round linebacker Logan Wilson on a revamped defensive side of the football.

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