Patriots' projected 2021 draft picks includes Tom Brady compensatory selection

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We know: The dust is still settling on the 2020 NFL Draft.

But with the New England Patriots entering a potential rebuilding phase without Tom Brady, why not see what the future looks like?

In addition to taking 10 players in this year's draft, the Patriots also swung four trades, one of which involved sending their 2021 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets while moving up to take tight end Dalton Keene at No. 101 overall.

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So, where does that leave New England entering the 2021 NFL Draft? There's one more piece of the puzzle: compensatory draft picks.

The NFL's free agency compensation window closes Monday, meaning any free agent who signs after Monday no longer would net their former club a compensatory pick.

As it stands now, the Patriots are projected to receive three compensatory selections in 2021 after losing five players to free agency and only signing two, according to Over The Cap:

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Third-round pick (for Buccaneers QB Tom Brady)
Fourth-round pick (for Dolphins LB Kyle Van Noy)
Fourth-round pick (for Lions LB Jamie Collins)

Getting a third-round pick out of a former sixth-rounder in Brady? Now, that's value! (We're kidding -- but wouldn't be totally surprised if Bill Belichick felt this way.)

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Plenty will change over the next several months, but here's a full rundown of the Patriots' 2021 draft picks as of Monday:

First round
Second round
Third round
Third round (compensatory pick)
Fourth round
Fourth round (compensatory pick)
Fourth round (compensatory pick)
Fifth round
Seventh round

That's a solid nine-pick lineup, including four selections in the first three rounds.

As for where those picks will land in each round? That depends on how well the Patriots fare in the first season in two decades without Brady under center.

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