The New England Patriots have a long way to go before they will be in the playoff conversation. Getting back to being a top dog in the AFC starts with the 2024 NFL Draft. There are plenty of different mock drafts and opinions this time of year, but all that matters is the Patriots nailing their top few draft picks.
The top priority in New England should be securing their quarterback of the future. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and, luckily for the Patriots, they hold the third overall pick in a great quarterback Draft class. But what else needs to happen for a successful draft in New England?
The biggest needs for the Patriots at the moment are quarterback, offensive tackle, and wide receiver, arguably the most important positions on the offense. However, New England is in luck because this draft is stacked with talent at receiver and tackle. There are three top-tier quarterbacks, and with the third overall pick, the Patriots need to select their future star in either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. Their next two picks are incredibly valuable as well, picking at the top of the second and third rounds. They will need to address tackle and receiver with these picks.
Patriots writer Evan Lazar does a great job analyzing prospects and always has mock drafts that get the Foxborough Faithful excited. In one of his mock drafts back in March, he had New England selecting Kingsley Suamataia, an offensive tackle from BYU, in the second round. This would be an incredibly valuable pick at thirty-four overall. Suamataia is an elite athlete and just as Lazar says, has the potential to become a great left tackle for the future of the organization.
At the top of the third round, it will be very interesting to see which talented players fall down draft boards. There will most likely still be some great receivers available, and one to keep an eye on is Ja’Lynn Polk from Washington. Polk is an incredibly hard worker and tough as nails. He will take any hit coming across the middle, make the catch, get up, and do it all over again the next play.
Just turn on his film, and his playmaking ability, along with his mentality, shows off an absolute stud that could drop all the way to round three. In an incredibly talented and deep receiver class, the Patriots may secure one of the better weapons in the AFC East at pick sixty-eight.
Would these three picks be enough to make the Patriots relevant again?
New England already had a pretty good defense in 2023, but with the return of Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon, they could be a top-five unit in the NFL. Pair the defense with a revamped offense, led by a new franchise quarterback, and it could be a huge change in the AFC East next season.
The Patriots could turn into a team that nobody saw coming and could shift an increasingly competitive division. This should get fans all over New England excited and could be incredibly fun to watch. By building the team through the draft, the NFL could see a sustainable and talented Patriots team coming for the throne.