North Andover Brooks School Alum Among Top NFL Draft Prospects

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The 2021 NFL Draft begins Thursday night in Cleveland, with a rooting interest opportunity for fans in North Andover. Pat Freiermuth, a former Brooks School star, is among the top prospects and could be selected by an NFL team as early as the first round Thursday night.

Freiermuth is among the top 50 prospects entering the draft, according to USA Today.

Freiermuth began his high school career more noted as a basketball player for Pentucket High School in West Newbury, before filling in as the team's quarterback when the starter got injured. After his sophomore year, he transferred to the Brooks School for a second sophomore year and played under his cousin, head coach Patrick Foley.

At the Brooks School, Freiermuth became a star tight end, ranking as one of the top local players. He was recruited to play college football at Penn State. In three years at Penn State, he has 92 receptions for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Freiermuth earned the nickname "Baby Gronk" after the former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. He wears 87, Gronkowski's number.

Now, Freiermuth awaits the next step in his career. He’s expected to be selected in the 2021 NFL draft, which includes 259 total selections beginning Thursday.

USA Today ranked Freiermuth the No. 2 tight end prospect, after No. 2 overall prospect Kyle Pitts of Florida.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have the No. 1 pick in the draft and are widely expected to select Trevor Lawrence, the Clemson University quarterback. The New York Jets have the second pick in the draft, as the order of selections is based on how the teams finished the year before.

The San Francisco 49ers have the No. 3 pick after acquiring it through trades, and the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals will round out the first five.

The Patriots have the No. 15 pick.

First-round picks will be made Thursday night, with the second and third rounds on Friday and rounds four through seven scheduled for Saturday.