Sports Illustrated’s mock draft is posted, and they have the Patriots taking Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith with the 23rd pick in the 1st round. Smith lacks size at 5′9″ and 190 pounds, but he does have a lot of speed. The question remains whether that speed can make up for the size disadvantage. One thing he does have going for him is that he’s not afraid of contact. He’ll pick up the interceptions when they’re there, but if a wide receiver gets the ball he’s not hesitant to pop him. The Patriots selected 2 cornerbacks in last year’s draft, but they’ll probably be shopping for more.

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