Rob Rang of NFLDraftscout.com has put together a two-round mock draft, and he's spent some time with us to share insight on his four selections for the Patriots.
The Patriots have picks 22, 44, 47 and 53, and Rang's thoughts will be split into four updates over the course of the day, starting with pick 22.
Rang projects the Patriots taking Penn State defensive lineman Jared Odrick. One of the big questions with Odrick is whether he is a good fit as an end in the 3-4 alignment. Rang was asked why he believes Odrick, who played defensive tackle in the 4-3 throughout his college career, will be able to make that switch.
“The biggest part is that he uses his hands well and understands how to get off blocks. Also, he has enough speed off the edge to provide some pass rush. But maybe the most important aspect of it is that he's simply a good team defender. Watching him maturing the last couple years, it was clear that individual plays became less important to him than the goal of the defense as a whole. He holds up well at the point of attack, and frees up other defenders to make plays. That's one reason why Penn State's linebackers made so many plays. That ties in nicely to what any 3-4 team is attempting to do, certainly one like the Patriots and the holes they have."