The New England Patriots own the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft, and there is some speculation that the Patriots could ultimately trade down.
In theory, it sounds great. Move down a few spots, collect more draft capital and fill out the rest of the roster, which is still rampant with holes. Right? Well, it isn't that simple, and trading down would actually require New England to find a partner.
Here's the rub: the teams interested in trading up to No. 4 seem to have interest in Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, and there is an outside chance someone will want to move up to take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Pats aren't taking either of those players.
That brings us to the one scenario in which the Patriots may be able to swing a blockbuster trade: if someone feels the Jacksonville Jaguars will be taking Jeanty at No. 5.
It has become widely accepted that the Las Vegas Raiders really want Jeanty with the sixth pick. There has even been some speculation that teams like the New York Jets (No. 7) and Chicago Bears (No. 10) may attempt to trade up for the superstar halfback.
Jeanty probably isn't making it out of the top 10 at this point, so it stands to reason that a rival club could try and strike a deal with New England to snatch Jeanty at No. 4.
But again, it largely depends on the type of intel other interested teams receive about the Jaguars, who are currently employing a backfield of Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr.
How much does Jacksonville — which seems like a prime destination for Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham or maybe even Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan — truly value Jeanty? Would the Jaguars really use their first-round pick on a running back?
If not, then there is really no reason for any team to move up to No. 4 to take the 21-year-old. If someone wants to jump ahead of the Raiders, they could merely call the Jaguars at No. 5.
Realistically speaking, the chances of the Pats actually being able to complete a colossal NFL Draft trade that involves moving the fourth overall pick seems pretty slim.
