NFL Draft 2023 rumors: Patriots showing interest in adding blue-chip RB, one mentioned in particular

Could New England soon add one of the best backs of this class?

The New England Patriots have taken the offseason to revamp their offense almost from top to bottom. The team reversed course at the offensive play-caller post, ridding themselves of Matt Patricia and replacing him with offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. In free agency, they swapped Jakobi Meyers for JuJu Smith-Schuster and traded away Jonnu Smith to make way for Mike Gesicki. While those pieces give the pass-catching unit a higher ceiling, it appears the team is looking towards the NFL Draft to bolster the backfield. 

New England has shown interest in adding a blue-chip running back at the NFL Draft, according to The Athletic. Specifically, the reporter, Jeff Howe, noted on social media that the Patriots are "absolutely intrigued" by Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

The Patriots own the No. 14 overall pick at this year's draft, which could be within the range of where Robinson is projected to come off the board. In his latest mock draft, CBS Sports Senior NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson has Robinson being selected No. 10 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles. The 21-year-old is CBS Sports' No. 1 ranked running back in this year's class and the No. 10 prospect overall. The former five-star recruit is coming off a stellar senior season for the Longhorns during which he averaged 6.1 yards per carry and tallied 1,894 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns. 

Given how talented Robinson is, however, he may not be there when the Patriots are on the clock, as Wilson projects in his latest mock. If that's the case, no other back in this class should be in the conversation at No. 14, so New England may have to deploy its second-round pick (No. 46 overall) to bring in that top-tier back it reportedly covets. That route puts the Patriots in the range of Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He may be someone who they'll need to trade up for to ultimately select, but the All-SEC back certainly fits the mold of a blue-chipper. Gibbs also has a rapport with O'Brien, as he was his offensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide last season when he totaled 1,370 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

New England saw Damien Harris leave for the Buffalo Bills in free agency, but does have a strong stable of backs already. Headlining that group is Rhamondre Stevenson, who nearly had 1,500 scrimmage yards during his second season in the league in 2022. Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. -- two selections from last year's draft -- also showed glimpses of being contributing pieces, and the team picked up James Robinson in free agency. 

With that in mind, adding a back may seem like a luxury piece to this Patriots offense. However, they admittedly need whatever weapons they can get to help bring this unit to a more competitive level in 2023, especially after a 2022 campaign where it ranked dead last in the NFL in red zone efficiency.