The New England Patriots once again traded out of the first round of the NFL draft when they dealt the 23rd overall pick to the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday in exchange for picks No. 37 and 71. As Bill Belichick gets set to make the fifth overall selection of the second round Friday, April 24, we look at BetMGM‘s odds for which position the Patriots will be looking to draft.
2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Patriots draft first? Odds
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
| POSITION | ODDS |
| Defensive lineman | +400 |
| Tight end | +400 |
| Linebacker | +500 |
| Quarterback | +500 |
| Wide receiver | +500 |
| Safety | +600 |
| Offensive lineman | +700 |
| Cornerback | +1000 |
| Running back | +5000 |
| Kicker/punter/long snapper | +25000 |
2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Patriots draft first? Best bets
Tight end (+400)
Future Hall of Fame TE Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement this week only to be traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a reunion with QB Tom Brady. It was blatantly evident how much Gronk’s absence hurt the 2019 Patriots. Veteran TE Ben Watson led the team’s positional group with 173 yards on 17 receptions without a touchdown.
While Brady has moved on, Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels‘ system has hinged on having elite tight end play. Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet had emerged as a first-round hopeful in the days leading up to the first round, but he remains on the board. Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant and Dayton‘s Adam Trautman round out the top remaining options at the position as Day 2 picks.
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Quarterback (+500)
The Patriots’ offseason quarterback competition is set be staged between veteran journeyman and former Patriots QB Brian Hoyer and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham. Stidham attempted just four passes with two completions for 14 yards and an interception.
It still seems odd for the Pats to be caught flat-footed with Brady’s departure after the days of grooming Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett, among others. It’s tough to envision the Patriots ever going into full-on tank mode with Belichick still at the helm, so they’re apt to do what they can to address the most important position as they reset for years to come.
Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm and Jalen Hurts represent three viable options who could be brought in to learn from Hoyer (and to a lesser extent, Stidham) before taking over either late in 2020 or in 2021.
Wide receiver (+500)
Veteran Julian Edelman remains the Patriots’ top option in the passing game. N’Keal Harry, the Patriots’ 2019 first-round pick, was unimpressive as a rookie last season, finishing with just 105 yards and two touchdowns over seven games. Veteran Mohamed Sanu accomplished little following a mid-season trade with the Atlanta Falcons.
Targeting a top remaining rookie such as Michael Pittman, Tee Higgins or Laviska Shenault Jr. could go a long way in luring one of the top remaining free-agent QBs in Cam Newton or Jameis Winston to town on a one-year deal.
If the Pats are serious about riding with Hoyer and Stidham, then a true No. 1 option may be all the more important.
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