Patriots Draft 9 Players, Make 3 Trades At 2016 NFL Draft
BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots were a busy bunch over draft weekend.
While they didn't have a first-round pick, the Patriots added nine new players to their roster via the draft while also picking up a mid-round selection in the 2017 draft.
Here's a quick look at the Patriots' picks and trades from the 2016 NFL Draft:
Second round, 60th overall: CB Cyrus Jones, Alabama
Nick Saban's favorite player on the Crimson Tide last season, Jones is a promising corner who could replace Logan Ryan if he leaves via free agency after next season.
Jones was recruited as a receiver but switched to defensive back his sophomore season, and pulled down five interceptions in his two seasons in the Alabama secondary.
He is also an extremely talented returner, leading NCAA football last season with four touchdowns on punt returns.
View: Cyrus Jones' Draft Profile via NFL.com | Jones On Being Drafted By Patriots
Third round, 78th overall: OL Joe Thuney, NC State
A smart and versatile lineman who has experience at all five positions along the line. He should become a favorite of Bill Belichick and offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.
Thuney was drafted with the pick the Patriots acquired (along with the 112th pick) from their Friday night trade with the New Orleans Saints for the 61st overall pick. He'll provide some solid depth along the offensive line, and could find himself protecting Tom Brady sooner rather than later.
View: Joe Thuney's Draft Profile
Third round, 91st overall: QB Jacoby Brissett, NC State
The Patriots wanted to find a third-string QB this offseason and they filled the hole by drafting Brissett in the third round. He'll be a project pick and insurance on the depth chart when (if?) Tom Brady serves his four-game suspension, as well as some competition for backup Jimmy Garoppolo.
Brissett completed 60 percent of his passes for 5,268 yards while tossing 43 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in his two seasons at NC State. He was known as a leader on the Wolfpack, delivering hand written notes to his teammates before each game. He also baked treats for his offensive lineman, a tradition his new teammates would probably like to see follow him to New England.
View: Jacoby Brissett's Draft Profile | Brissett On Being Drafted By Pats
Third round, 96th overall: NT Vincent Valentine, Nebraska
A big body (6-foot-4, 330 pounds) drafted to add depth on the defensive line, he won't see much action as a rookie. But that will give him time to learn the Patriots' system and the NFL game, while the team gauges the pre-draft concerns about his weight and conditioning.
Valentine was drafted with the pick the Patriots received as compensation for losing Darrelle Revis to free agency.
View: Vincent Valentine's Draft Profile
Fourth round, 112th overall: WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia
In 45 games for the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-1 Mitchell caught 174 passes for 2,405 yards and 16 touchdowns, with 58 of those receptions and five of the touchdowns coming in his senior season.
There's an interesting story about Mitchell, who said he was reading at a junior-high level when he started at Georgia. He became an avid reader and even joined a book club for women (yes, a book club for women) when an ACL injury ended his 2013 season.
He's now a published author of a kid's book titled "The Magician's Hat," a story about a magician named David who promotes the power of reading.
View: Malcolm Mitchell's Draft Profile | Mitchell On Being Drafted By Patriots
Sixth round, 208th overall: DB/LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, Eastern Illinois
A 6-foot-2, 210-pound safety/linebacker hybrid, the Honolulu native will likely find a home on New England's special teams unit if he makes the club. It sounds like he fits the Nate Ebner mold, minus the rugby background.
View: Kamu Grugier-Hill's Draft Profile
Sixth round, 214th overall: LB Elandon Roberts, Houston
A smart player described as a "coach's dream" by the staff at Houston, he had 142 tackles, two forced fumbles and six sacks for the Cougars last season.
He certainly has a nose for the football, with his 88 solo tackles leading college football. He appears to be much better against the run than the pass, so he'll have to show what he can do on special teams if he wants to make the roster out of training camp.
View: Elandon Roberts' Draft Profile
Sixth round, 221 overall: G Ted Karras, Illinois
Another project for Dante Scarnecchia, Karras sounds like an intense competitor on the field.
To calm himself down before games, Karras would pour two bottles of water over his head and yell like a Viking.
He is also the fifth member of his family to join the NFL. Karras is the great-nephew of the late Alex Karras, a Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions and accomplished actor, known for his role as Mongo in "Blazing Saddles" and one of the stars in the sitcom "Webster."
View: Ted Karras' Draft Profile
Seventh round, 225th overall: WR Devin Lucien, Arizona State
Said to have some of the best hands in the draft, the six-foot Lucien dropped just five passes the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lucien caught eight touchdowns in 2015, with 124 receptions for 1,826 yards and 12 touchdowns in his four-year college career split between UCLA and Arizona State.
He also went to high school with Patriots receiver Chris Harper, who he calls "like a brother."
View: Devin Lucien's Draft Profile
The Trades
New England pulled off three trades during the draft, swapping some of their sixth-round picks for a higher pick, only to turn that into a fourth-round selection next year (remember, the Pats lose a 2017 fourth rounder as part of their DeflateGate punishment.
Trade 1: The Patriots sent their second pick in the second round (No. 61 overall) to the New Orleans Saints for a third-round selection (No. 78 overall, used on Thuney) and a fourth-round pick (No. 112 overall, used on Mitchell).
The 61st overall pick was acquired by New England from the Arizona Cardinals as part of the Chandler Jones swap.
Trade 2: With an abundance of late-round picks and not much desire to use them all, the Patriots turned a trio of those selections (No. 196 overall, No. 204 overall and No. 250 overall) to the Miami Dolphins for the 147th overall pick. While it looked like they had moved up in this year's draft, the Pats didn't hold on to that pick for long.
Trade 3: The Pats quickly swapped that fifth rounder they got from the Dolphins along with their seventh-round selection (No. 243 overall) to the Seahawks for their seventh rounder (No. 225 overall used to take Lucien) and a 2017 fourth-round pick.
