Why the 1st Round of the 2016 NFL Draft Still Matters to New England Patriots

Good news: If you’re a fan of the New England Patriots and were looking for something to do on Thursday night during the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, I’ve found something for you to do.

Watch the first round of the draft. 

Wait, what? Why bother? The Patriots don’t have their first-round pick due to the league’s punishment for Deflategate. What could possibly happen that will affect the Patriots?

A lot. 

If for only one reason, other than keeping tabs on the rest of the AFC East and the NFL at large, the first round bears watching because it will set the tone for the rest of the draft, where the Patriots hold 11 of the remaining 222 picks. 

#Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio isn’t worried about not having a first round draft pick #WBZ pic.twitter.com/GdT2B0JGTN

— Joe Giza (@JoeGiza) April 19, 2016

By now, we’re all familiar with the Patriots’ top needs: offensive tackle, defensive line, running back, cornerback and wide receiver. They also have long-term needs on the edge of the defense (either defensive end in a 4-3 or outside linebacker in a 3-4) and at linebacker as well. 

There are also a number of players who could fall into the team’s lap. The draft can be unpredictable in that sense. One team’s “reach” can lead to a domino effect that causes a player to fall further than anyone …

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