New England Patriots

New England Patriots Select Haason Reddick in Recent 2017 NFL Mock Draft

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:51 p.m. ET

Fansided, Nick Ziegler/FanSided via Musket Fire

Todd McShay recently released his second NFL Mock Draft. Who did he have the New England Patriots taking with the 32nd pick?

It was a great end to the 2016 season for the New England Patriots. They were able to have the best comeback in Super Bowl history, and won their fifth Super Bowl.

Due to the Patriots having an extended postseason run, their offseason preparation has been cut short. NFL free agency is right around the corner, and the 2017 NFL Draft isn’t far behind. Due to the Patriots having a lot of important free agents this offseason, they will likely be needing to replace some in the NFL Draft.

In Todd McShay’s most recent NFL Mock Draft, he has the Patriots selecting linebacker Haason Reddick in the first round. Here’s what McShay had to say about Reddick.

Look for the Patriots to add a tight end early, perhaps Michigan’s Jake Butt or Ole Miss’ Evan Engram on Day 2. But given how the board fell, they could get better value by targeting Reddick here. He opened eyes at the Senior Bowl, proving he can thrive as an off-the-line LB. Reddick has a little Tedy Bruschi in him.

As McShay mentioned, Reddick had a very good Senior Bowl. With the Temple Owls in college, he was playing on the defensive line. However, he showed the ability to play at linebacker in the Senior Bowl, and that was crucial for his draft stock.

At Temple, Reddick improved as a pass-rusher every year. In his sophomore season, he totaled two sacks, then he totaled five in his junior season, followed by 9.5 sacks as a senior. The improvement from Reddick over the course of his college career shows that he is not only talented but hard working.

A lot will depend on who the Patriots lose in free agency, but adding a linebacker in the first round could make a lot of sense for the Patriots. After a solid career at Temple, Reddick is an interesting prospect to watch.