2014 NN community mock draft: With the 29th pick, the New England Patriots select ...

We're back for the 29th pick of the 2014 Niners Nation Community Mock Draft. You can see previous picks below in the draft table. You can also follow the mock draft board through this story stream.

With the 29th pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, 49ersCusefan and the New England Patriots select Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State. He also considered Auburn defensive end Dee Ford, USC wide receiver Marqise Lee, and Minnesota defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman. Here are his thoughts on the pick:

In 2013, the Patriots had to overcome several significant losses to both sides of the ball to again win the AFC (l)East and reach the AFC title game. Tom Brady started the season with two rookie WR's, the perennially injured Danny Amendola, Gronk unavailable until week 7, Aaron Hernandez behind bars and off the team, and the only guy who caught a pass from Brady in 2012, Julien Edelman. On defense, they were forced to use band-aides to cover the losses of Wilfork, Mayo, Talib, and Tommy Kelly.

This off-season the Patriots engaged with the Broncos in a back and forth battle for players similar to what the 49ers and Seahawks did last year, with the Pats hitting a home-run by signing the best CB in football (ughh, ok, second-best), Darrelle Revis. While the Pats continue to be as close as a sure thing as there is to again winning their division in 2014, an infusion of rookie talent to bolster their roster can be the tipping point that will provide them a realistic opportunity of winning the elusive fourth SB ring - which Brady so desperately wants.

So where are their holes? If you look at the starting spots, not too many. It is not likely that a rookie will step in to a starting spot in week one. However, once you peel off that first layer, things become quite suspect. Critical offensive positions are reliant on injury-prone guys (Gronk, Amendola) remaining healthy so TE and WR are definitely need positions. They also could use a guy to bring competition to the inside line positions, though I assume they will address that in the mid-rounds. On the defensive side, there are question marks at DT with Wilfork coming back from a torn Achilles, at DE to spell Ninkovitch and Chandler Jones, at LB to support Mayo, and at S where McCourty and Harmon inspire fear in exactly no one.

If this was real draft, there are several players the Patriots could select with their pick and be happy, so it would be very likely that they trade down to secure an early second round pick and another later round pick (or they would have traded up to grab Nix). But if they did use the pick, they must shore up their rush defense which ranked 30th giving up 134.1 yards a game. By selecting Tommy Jernigan they get a guy with great strength that can play regularly bust through blockers and put pressure in the middle of the opposing teams' line, something the Patriots desperately need. While he can be a bit slow off the snap, his play improved during the year and ended up leading FSU in tackles for a loss.  He is also versatile (a requirement of any Patriot) and can play in multiple gap positions in the middle of the line. While he likely won't be starting in year one, he will be a reliable option to spell the 32 year-old Wilfork and/or the 33 year-old Tommy Kelly in 2014 and be in position to take over the job in 2015.

Trevor Woods: The Patriots are a team that are always on the verge of being in the Super Bowl, now they are facing stiff competition from a better Denver Broncos team to get to the big dance. Jernigan would be more a long term selection, as the pick doesn't fill an immediate need for the Patriots. He could be shifted along the line and provide breathers for starters, but I don't see him out there for a lot of snaps right out of the gate. This organization is always ready to surprise us and I'm going to be bold and guess they draft a tight end. Options at tight end are Jace Amaro, and my preferred choice in Washington's Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

Nick Chiamardas: The Pats were able to keep Vince Wilfork for at least another year but the 33 year old all-pro is coming off an Achilles tear and has understandably lost a step. While Jernigan doesn't profile as a true NT despite playing there at Florida State in 2013, he's strong enough to anchor any line while also being versatile enough to play multiple positions. Belichick likes to use multiple looks on defense and Jernigan give him a 'joker' style lineman capable of lining up just about anywhere. Jernigan, like Wilfork, is very disruptive along the line. He may not wow you with his numbers but he consistently wins in one on one situations and will be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators.

Round 1

1.		wiseguy545	Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina [Full Story]
2.		El Shorts	Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn [Full Story]
3.		9er4life22	Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville [Full Story]
4.		Boss Clifford	Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson [Full Story]
5.		Mark Balliet	Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M [Full Story]
6.		CheekeeMunkee	Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo [Full Story]
7.		TopFlightSecurity	Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M [Full Story]
8.		Hoopers Judge	Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida [Full Story]
9.		jmart7	Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina [Full Story]
10.		germinator	Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA [Full Story]
11.		49feelinfine	Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State [Full Story]
12.		superk0725	Taylor Lewan, OL, Michigan [Full Story]
13.		El Shorts	Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama [Full Story]
14.		BryKno	Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh [Full Story]
15.		SigepPT49er	C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama [Full Story]
16.		Mira Loma Maulers	Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M [Full Story]
17.		JMichael39	Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State [Full Story]
18.		Desert Dog Runner	Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State [Full Story]
19.		albert.55	Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame [Full Story]
20.		MidnightSpecial	Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville [Full Story]
21.		Rowingdave	Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State [Full Story]
22.		MisterEclectic	Jason Verrett, CB, TCU [Full Story]
23.		Rowingdave	Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU [Full Story]
24.		BearAKA	Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech [Full Story]
25.		CraigRED&GOLD	Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame [Full Story]
26.		Boss Clifford	Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State [Full Story]
27.		Roy_from_Israel	Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri [Full Story]
28.		dave.bocchino	Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State [Full Story]
29.		49ersCusefan	Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State [Full Story]
30.		Tre9er
31.		ak4niner
32.		timmyg24