Who Will Be The Patriots Most Impactful Rookie In 2022?

The Patriots drafted a lot of players in the 2022 NFL draft. Overall they selected ten players. And it's easy to say that Cole Strange will have an impact. After all Strange is a first round selection and if he doesn't perform well the Patriots are screwed as they really don't have another starting quality interior lineman to replace him. However, he's not the rookie that will have the best impact on the team, so what rookie will it be?

Jack Jones will be the most impactful rookie.

The Patriots are without Gilmore and Jackson. The Patriots signed Malcolm Butler whom everyone is hoping can still perform at near elite number two levels but they had nobody across from him going into the draft. Jalen Mills and Myles Bryant tried to fill that role in 2021 but were adequate at best. That's where Jack Jones comes in. As a fourth round pick, Jones was a high risk High reward selection. He is maybe half an inch under six foot tall and can play both man and zone coverage. Jones was a five star product coming out of high school but had issues off the field that derailed his college production. 

What did they say about him pre draft? 

Steelers Depot did a really good scouting report on Jones that is recommend. Link here. 

Erik Schlitt wrote, "He uses his instincts and above-average agility to mirror wide receivers, often stacking them and running the route for them. He can play in multiple defensive schemes and is capable of playing both on the outside and in the slot. His skill set, experience, and positional flexibility will appeal to teams."

What has Patriots Media said about him post draft?

Bernd Buchmasser wrote, "Jones projects primarily on the outside of the defensive formation. His short-area quickness — he ran a 6.9-second three-cone drill at his pro day — helps in case he moves into the slot on select downs, but his overall versatility is limited compared to other players in the Patriots’ secondary."

Overall thoughts

Jones will be a top 64 corner in 2022. The Patriots know how to develop corners, the question is can they develop Jack Jones. Jones had former New York Jets head coach Herm Edwards as a coach in 2021. And Edwards believes Jones fell in to the best possible fit for his skill set and ability. While Edwards wasn't the best NFL coach, he knows football. The Patriots do not need Jones to be Gilmore or J.C. Jackson. They just need him to be better than Chris Harris was for the Chargers or the tandem of Mills and Bryant did for the Patriots in 2021 on the perimeter. Jones can deliver that much.