New England Patriots' 21st pick doesn't look like a top spot for a cornerback - New England Patriots Blog- ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Backed into a corner? If the Patriots were preparing to play a game this week, their starting cornerbacks would be Jalen Mills and ...

It's a major question, arguably the team's most significant.

Malcolm Butler, Terrance Mitchell and Shaun Wade are top in-house candidates (Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant are slots), which is why an ideal scenario would be for the 2022 NFL draft to provide them more decisive answers.

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However, unlike last year in the first round, when the Patriots badly needed a quarterback and were fortunate Mac Jones was available at No. 15, multiple analysts don't see a similar scenario unfolding for the Patriots this year with a cornerback at 21.

Cincinnati's Ahmad «Sauce» Gardner is a projected top-10 pick, and LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. and Washington's Trent McDuffie are expected to be off the board by the 20s as well.

«Then there is a drop-off,» ESPN senior analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr. as the next option, but in more of the 25-32 range, which wouldn't represent the «value» coach Bill Belichick often seeks. Also, the Patriots would have to be comfortable with Booth's limited starting experience (15 games).

Kiper had considered slotting Booth to the Patriots in his latest mock draft before giving them Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd, with Booth ultimately landing at 29 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Overall, Kiper said: «The depth at cornerback this year is not