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NFL Mock Draft 9.0: Quarterbacks push defensive prospects down board

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: UCLA offensive lineman Kolton Miller speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: UCLA offensive lineman Kolton Miller speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

47. . Offensive Tackle. UCLA. Kolton Miller. 23. player

The Patriots had three offensive tackles going into free agency during the 2018 offseason. They were Nate Solder, Cameron Fleming, and LaAdrian Waddle. Considering that the team had Marcus Cannon set to start at right tackle, the team could afford to let one player, likely Solder, walk. However, they elected to let too much talent go.

Of the trio, the Patriots only retained Waddle. While Waddle has been a great swing tackle of the team, trusting him as the starter at left tackle seems like a risky proposition. Tom Brady is going to be 41 during the 2018 season, and if Waddle flounders at the difficult position, that could cause problems.

For that reason, the Patriots should look into acquiring a potential replacement. Kolton Miller’s stock has been on the rise over the course of the past few months, and it’s easy to see why. The 6-foot-9 UCLA tackle has a big, athletic frame and he could end up being a high-quality blindside protector.

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Miller is a very similar prospect to Solder when he was coming out of Colorado. In fact, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein actually compared Miller to Solder in his draft profile on Miller. Considering how well Solder worked out for the Patriots, they may consider taking Miller and allowing Dante Scarnecchia develop him into a starting left tackle. That would be a smart move, and it would probably end up being successful.

Though this pick was acquired in the Brandin Cooks trade, I don’t think that the Patriots will take a receiver here. They may try to take a player at the position with the No. 31 pick, but grabbing an offensive tackle has to be the most important thing right now. They can’t afford to let Tom Brady get hit too much, and Miller would be a logical replacement for Solder and would push Waddle into the backup role. That would be better for the Patriots line as a whole.

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