Bill Belichick has been known to make the NFL Draft really boring for Patriots fans, trading down left and right until his team doesn't have any picks left in that year's draft.
Alas, some excitement for Pats fans (at least according to SB Nation)! The mothership has projected that New England will trade up to No. 13 overall and will draft Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones in the latest 2011 NFL Mock Draft.
13. New England Patriots (f/DET): Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. The Patriots aren't the type of team that looks to move up in Round 1, but for Jones, Bill Belichick might make a (cheap) exception. Jones is a plug-and-play receiver that would give the Pats a true No. 1 target on the edge, pairing with the likes of Deion Branch and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to make the Pats a true matchup nightmare. The Lions, meanwhile, slide down a few slots and pick up an extra third-round pick.
SB Nation predicts that the trade would send the No. 13 pick from the Detroit Lions to the Pats, while the Lions would get the No. 17 overall pick and the No. 74 overall pick in the third round.
Jones played three seasons in Alabama, totaling 2,653 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 179 receptions. In 2010, Jones racked up 1,133 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 78 catches.
In addition, SB Nation has the Patriots trading their No. 28 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings.
Projected Trade
NE gets: No. 43 overall (second round), 2012 second-round pick
MIN gets: No. 28 overall
As for Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, he is projected to the New York Giants with the No. 19 overall pick by SB Nation. Considering the tied between Coughlin and BC, this shouldn't surprise anyone.
19. New York Giants: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College. Tackle was a big problem last year. Tom Coughlin is a BC guy. Castonzo offers some guard versatility, and can play on either side. He's an excellent fit for the Giants.
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28th and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - NFL mock drafts, draft