Buying or Selling Patriots' Top Training Camp Performances

The New England Patriots have one of the most fascinating rookie classes in the NFL.

Head coach Bill Belichick and his staff have had a week to work with the incoming first-year players at training camp before the team hit full practices. Veterans reported to camp on Tuesday.

A handful of the Patriots' 2022 NFL draft picks could see significant time on the field, starting with first-round selection Cole Strange.

The UT Chattanooga product, who will be 24 on Sunday, could be one of a few new starters on the offensive line in front of Mac Jones in Week 1.

Second-round pick Tyquan Thornton has a path to making the roster and the cornerback duo of Marcus Jones and Jack Jones should be competitive in the cornerback room. Marcus Jones should have an advantage over Jack Jones because of his versatility on special teams.

New England has a long way to go until finalizing its 53-man roster, but the early performance of its rookies should give it a glimpse into how the decision-making will go.

Cole Strange stock should be bought in bunches over the next month.

The first-round pick has a position lined up for him on the revamped Patriots offensive line.

Strange could be the team's new left guard in Week 1, but the Pats will have new faces at most of their O-line positions.

Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn are the starters at each tackle position, Michael Onwenu has the path to starting at right guard, and David Andrews is expected to be the center.

Strange still has to win the left guard job in training camp when the veteran players enter practices, but he appears to be in a good position to start in his first NFL games.

Strange comes to the league with a large amount of pressure that he did not expect going into the draft. He was a surprise first-round selection and that title will attach more pressure to him, whether he likes it or not.

As of now, the rookie appears to be in good standing with the Patriots coaching staff, but he needs to follow up on that with a strong training camp to affirm the decision to insert him into the starting lineup.

New England's wide receiver depth chart will be fascinating to watch in August because of the sheer number of players at the position that could make the roster.

Second-round pick Tyquan Thornton is one of the many players currently sitting behind DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor.

The four wide receivers mentioned above are expected to be on the roster, but there is always the chance the Patriots try to move on from Agholor's contract to open up space for Thornton if he impresses in the coming weeks.

The 21-year-old should hold an edge over Ty Montgomery and a few other wide receivers set to join the Patriots in camp.

While it is easy to become excited about the verticality Thornton brings to the offense, it is hard to find him consistent snaps with four veteran wide receivers ahead of him and the tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith fighting for targets from Mac Jones as well.

At this point, we should not buy any stock in Thornton purely because his role may be small in his rookie season, but he could develop throughout the year as a deep threat and one who earns more playing time because of it.

A compelling case could be made for Marcus Jones to finish the season as New England's most impactful rookie.

The 23-year-old, a multi-purpose player out of Houston, is projected to provide depth at cornerback and be a fixture in the return game.

Jones will get a full shot at earning roles in both spots during training camp. Bill Belichick confirmed he would be active when veterans arrive after dealing with some shoulder injuries, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.

The third-round pick's stock is low at the moment because he missed some action in the spring due to the lingering shoulder injuries from his collegiate career.

Now could be the time to buy into the Houston product because of the versatility he can bring to the Patriots.

Jones can separate himself from other cornerbacks if he excels in special teams. He could make the roster over fellow rookie Jack Jones and other veterans added for competition in training camp.

He could be one injury away from playing a significant role at his primary position, and in a division and conference with so many top-tier wideouts, he may get a chance to prove his worth in nickel situations.

Strange has the best path to a starting job of the rookies, but Jones could be an important piece in two facets of the game if he shines in full team practices.