FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots held on to coveted backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo through the first three rounds of the NFL draft, choosing instead to make a couple minor deals Friday night and pick up help on the offensive and defensive lines.

Spurning offers for Garoppolo, who won’t play in New England unless Tom Brady is injured or retires, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick waited out the first seven hours of the draft. Asked how close he came to trading Garoppolo – the Cleveland Browns were one suitor – Belichick declined to say.

“I’m not going to comment on anybody’s … ,” he said. “Everybody that’s on the team is here to compete, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

New England gave up its first-round pick to get receiver Brandin Cooks from New Orleans, and traded its second-round pick for Carolina pass-rusher Kony Ealy. The Patriots also gave up draft picks to land Colts tight end Dwayne Allen and Bills running back Mike Gillislee.

“We’ve been watching a lot of picks go by,” Belichick said. “The four players that we acquired already are also part of the draft.”

After waiting out the entire first day of the draft and another three-plus hours on Day 2, Belichick traded the No. 72 pick to Tennessee for a pick later in the third round (No. 83) and used it to select Youngstown State defensive end Derek Rivers. Belichick said he liked the fact that 6-foot-4, 248-pound edge rusher was well-coached in college, and also praised his performance in the all-star games. Rivers set a school record with 511/2 career sacks.

The Patriots then made a deal with Detroit to acquire the No. 85 pick and used it to select Antonio Garcia, a tackle from Troy. Garcia visited with the Patriots last week and Belichick was impressed.

“I think he’ll be competitive,” the coach said.

The Patriots have three picks remaining, in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.

After being spurned by the Patriots in their bid to acquire Garoppolo, the Browns found a quarterback right down the road, drafting Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, a native of Toledo, Ohio.

After ignoring their most pressing need in the first round and sidestepping other quarterbacks, including hometown hero Mitchell Trubisky, who was chosen second overall by Chicago, the Browns selected Kizer in the second round with the No. 52 overall pick. The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder struggled last season for the Fighting Irish, but the Browns are intrigued with his size, arm and upside.

“Obviously, he has the measureables,” said Coach Hue Jackson. “A big, physical quarterback who can make all the throws that anybody needs to make in the National Football League. He’s intelligent. So he has the characteristics that we’re looking for.”

Cincinnati raised some eyebrows with their second-round: Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, who was uninvited to the scouting combine because he was videotaped punching a woman in the face, breaking bones.

Fans in the draft theater booed lustily when Bengals Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz announced the choice. Cincinnati has a history of bringing players with off-field problems to the roster.

“For some of our fans, probably (they’ll) pause for a second,” Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis said. “But this thing’s got to move forward, and he’s got to move on. He’s lived with this since the day it’s occurred.”

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