Patriots Dominated Day 3 of Draft Over Last 10 Years

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t will likely come as a surprise to New England Patriots fans but New England has done well in the draft over the last 10 years according to ESPN.

While names such as Duke Dawson Jr., Aaron Dobson, and Cyrus Jones will stand out to fans, the Patriots have made some quality selections in the last decade. New England has their quarterback of the future in Mac Jones, but also don’t forget about Damien Harris, Chandler Jones, James White, Shaq Mason, and Deatrich Wise.

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New England is either hitting a home run with their draft selections or walking back to the bench after striking out on three pitches. The Patriots’ Career Approximate Value Over Expected (CAVOE) of draft picks from 2012 to 2021 is 72.3 according to ESPN. That places them at seventh in the NFL.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss ranked the 2021 draft class as the best in the last decade for New England. Besides Jones, the Patriots also got some help in the running game with Rhamondre Stevenson as well as on defense with Christian Barmore.

Where do the Patriots Really Shine?

While fans will be surprised to see that New England has done so well drafting compared to the rest of the NFL, they might not be as surprised at the team’s ability to find diamonds in the rough.

The Patriots are the second-best team in the entire league when it comes to CAVOE from Day 3 draft picks. One of the biggest steals for New England has to be Mason, but Mike Onwenu, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Elandon Roberts, and Wise were also drafted on Day 3 of the draft.

Even though Mason isn’t on the Patriots roster anymore, he was an anchor of the offensive line. Now on the Buccaneers, Mason is one of the best guards in the NFL today.

Part of the success could be due to Bill Belichick’s love for trading back in the draft. This means New England is able to rack up Day Two and Day Three selections allowing for more opportunities to hit on a player.

Get Excited About This Year’s Draft

With how well New England has done, there is reason for Patriots fans to be excited about the 2022 NFL Draft. While this draft class isn’t known for having the names such as Trevor Lawrence, it is known for its depth. This year seems like a perfect year for New England to find yet another diamond in the rough.

There are plenty of areas of need so there are multiple directions New England could go in. The organization could try and sure up the offensive line, continue to bring in talented pass catchers, or work on filling the holes on defense.

If New England is able to hit on some of these draft picks, the future of the team will be in a good spot. After the departures of key players such as Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots have been able to get younger and start on a path to once again becoming one of the top teams in the AFC.