2020 NFL Mock Draft: New England Patriots Select LB Patrick Queen at No. 23

With the 23rd pick of the 2020 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft, the New England Patriots select...

Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

The selection and write-up were made by Swagnasty:

Losing Van Noy and Collins this offseason, New England could use a new infusion of royalty in the center of the defense. He’s athletic. He’s versatile. He’s smart and instinctive. He’s relentless, and will hunt down his prey from sideline to sideline on every down. He’s a born leader - his success with LSU making him hungry to show what he can do at the next level. His best assets are his speed and expertise in diagnosing plays, which will serve him well going to battle in the name of his legendarily cerebral head coach. His flaws are primarily down to experience, having started for just one year. Thankfully, said coach will be able to compensate for that rawness, putting Queen in a place to succeed. He’s also on the small side. In all other respects, Queen is absolutely ready to start in the NFL. At worst, he’ll be a competent day 1 starter. Sign me up!

As for the Brady-sized elephant in the room, this team is facing more uncertainty than they’ve had since... well, honestly since I’ve been watching football. There are many players that would help them here on both sides, and obviously QB is a huge question no matter how much public confidence they have in presumptive starter Stidham. Love, Hurts, Fromm, and others might be attractive, and I’d be stunned if Belichick doesn’t draft one of them at some point. But the Dark Lord of Foxboro doesn’t know the meaning of panic, so if he doesn’t trade down he’s more likely to sign up for obvious BPA at a critical defensive position than reach for an incomplete quarterback.

Pokorny: “I kind of had to chuckle reading Mel Kiper say, ‘Since it appears New England is happy with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer at quarterback, I’ll stay away from that position.’ It’s both the truth and a question mark at the same time. I can’t imagine that being the Patriots end-game in 2020 post-Brady. But I also don’t see Belichick picking a quarterback just for the sake of picking one here.”

The New Orleans Saints are up next, led by carrettbagel88.