The New England Patriots had a productive three days of the NFL draft, as they attacked some of their biggest needs and added a potential franchise quarterback in North Carolina's Drake Maye with their third overall pick.
However, after a 4-13 season that led them to that high selection and the departure of their head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback, not many are sold on the Patriots making a huge leap during their 2024 campaign.
Sports Illustrated's Connor Orr recently released his post-draft NFL power rankings, and New England falls near the bottom at 31 of 32. The only team behind them is the Carolina Panthers, who had the worst record in the league last season and didn't get the benefit of securing the first overall pick due to the Bryce Young trade the year prior.
Here's what Orr wrote about Jerod Mayo's team:
"I hope I’m wrong, but the Patriots will struggle this year. On draft night, I wondered if it wasn’t a better option to get the QB later and use the trade equity to build up the roster. Still, if you are in love with Drake Maye, you have to take him. Getting him a receiver (Ja’Lynn Polk) who stands out in 50-50 ball situations is a nice bonus as well."
Adding the quarterback, an offensive tackle and a pair of wide receivers should help the Patriots improve from last year, but just how big is that improvement? That remains to be seen.
