Guard, receiver, cornerback and quarterback highlight Patriots draft picks on Saturday

Providence Journal

Patriots draft Joe Milton III in Round 6

The New England Patriots looked to add more depth to their quarterback room on Saturday, taking Tennessee QB Joe Milton III with the No. 193 pick (Round 6). Milton spent three seasons at Michigan and three seasons at Tennessee, starting a combined 21 games in his career.

In 43 college games, Milton, 24, threw for 2,813 yards and 20 TDs with five interceptions. He also rushed for 299 yards and seven touchdowns. He becomes the second QB taken by New England in this draft — after selecting UNC's Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick on Thursday.

More: How QB Joe Milton reacted to Pro Day performance at Tennessee

Quarterback Joe Milton III of Tennessee, shown during the 2024 Senior Bowl in February, was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round on Saturday.
Quarterback Joe Milton III of Tennessee, shown during the 2024 Senior Bowl in February, was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round on Saturday.

New England has one final pick today — the overall No. 231 pick in the seventh round.

Patriots draft Marcellas Dial in Round 6

For the first time in this draft, the New England Patriots opted to add to the defensive side of the ball, selecting cornerback Marcellas Dial out of South Carolina with the 180th pick (Round 6).

Dial, 23, could be seen as more of a developmental corner, who excels mostly in man coverage. Getting onto the field won’t be easy considering the talent already on the Patriots’ defense — 10th ranked unit in the NFL last season.

South Carolina defensive back Marcellas Dial was drafted Saturday by New England.
South Carolina defensive back Marcellas Dial was drafted Saturday by New England.

Patriots draft Javon Baker with their second pick in Round 4

The Patriots on Saturday selected wide receiver Javon Baker from the University of Central Florida with the 110th overall pick, New England's second in the round.

Javon Baker was taken Saturday by the Patriots in fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Javon Baker was taken Saturday by the Patriots in fourth round of the NFL Draft.

Baker, 22, transferred to UCF from Alabama and developed into one of the best route runners in this year’s class, getting in and out of breaks with ease. He also has versatility, showcasing an ability to win both in the slot and out wide. Baker has long arms and a wide catch radius and excels in traffic, making tough contested catches. For the Knights in 2023, Baker made 52 receptions for 1,139 yards, with seven touchdowns.

The Patriots have now made five straight selections on the offensive side of the ball, and still posses three picks in Rounds 6 and 7.

Patriots draft Layden Robinson in Round 4

The Patriots on Saturday selected guard Layden Robinson from Texas A&M with the 103rd overall pick.

Robinson's draft profile credits him for good size and compact build — 6-foot-4, 315 pounds — for an interior lineman, with ample strength to hold his ground in pass protection, and has shown to be an athletic run blocker. At 22, Robinson has spent five years as an Aggie, three years as a starter. Awards include second-team All-SEC honors in 2021 and 2023.

Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Layden Robinson was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Layden Robinson was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

NFL Draft ends Saturday

The NFL Draft concludes today in Detroit with Rounds 4-7. The New England Patriots currently hold five picks in the final four rounds — overall picks Nos. 103, 110, 180, 193 and 231.

With their first-round pick on Thursday, the Patriots took Drake Maye, 21, quarterback out of North Carolina as first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf look to rebuild a struggling Patriots team that finished with a 4-13 record last season. On Friday, the Pats kept the focus on the offense, addressing their biggest areas of need by selecting wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (Washington) in Round 2 and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace (Penn State) in Round 3.

Penn State offensive lineman Caedan Wallace was drafted Friday night by the Patriots.
Penn State offensive lineman Caedan Wallace was drafted Friday night by the Patriots.

Although there are 100 picks of the 2024 draft already in the books, another 157 are left to be made Saturday when the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds unfold.

More: Here's our full, seven-round Patriots mock draft

What channel is the 2024 NFL draft on today? Time, TV schedule for Patriots picks

The final rounds of the 2024 NFL draft kick off Saturday at noon and will be broadcast on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network. NFL+ and WatchESPN will also stream the event online.

More: NFL draft grades: Every pick from 2024 second and third round

North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the New England Patriots as the No. 3 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the New England Patriots as the No. 3 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Patriots picks in 2024 NFL draft

The Patriots entered the draft, beginning Thursday night, with eight picks. They are:

Round 1, Pick 3: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Round 2,Pick 37: (from Los Angeles Chargers): Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Round 3,Pick 68: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State

TODAY'S PICKS

Round 4,Picks 103, 110 (from Los Angeles Chargers): Layden Robinson, G, Texas A&M Javon Baker, WR, University of Central Florida

Round 6, Pick 180, Pick 193 (from Jacksonville Jaguars); Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina; Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee

Round 7, Pick 231

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Guard, receiver, cornerback and quarterback highlight Patriots picks

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