FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Moment of truth: Patriots Hall of Famer and current ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi sometimes refers to the “moment of truth” when it comes to what will unfold Thursday night in Round 1 of the NFL draft (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). Every team, including his beloved Patriots with eight overall picks over the three-day event headlined by No. 21, will finally have to tip their hand after months of media-based speculation.
Best educated guess? Bill Belichick will work hard to trade down in the first round, as this is the type of draft where the strength and value is in the 30-90 range.