Jerod Mayo era looks even uglier as another Patriots draft miss explodes

"Over the last five years, and arguably even before that, the Patriots have dealt with far more misses in the draft than home runs, and their roster continues to deal with the consequences. Most of the blame can be placed on Bill Belichick's shoulders, primarily due to his stubbornness and apparent value of how well a player does in an interview, and it has led to several busts coming to the Patriots, while superstars go to teams that didn't pass on them."

"The most infamous in recent memory is N'Keal Harry, whom the legendary head coach chose to take in the first round of the 2019 draft rather than A.J. Brown or Deebo Samuel. Even more recent is his questionable choice of Cole Strange in Round 1, despite the player being widely considered a fourth-round prospect."

"Neither player is on the team anymore, and now the same can be said about some questionable players that the Jerod Mayo regime selected in the 2024 Draft, as wide receiver and second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk was traded to the Saints last week. It was another brutal reminder of what the Patriots did in order to acquire Polk, who now joins fourth-rounder Javon Baker on another team this season. Making it even worse is seeing who the Chargers picked with the picks they received in the trade, especially since cornerback Tarheeb Still is now making a name for himself, too."

The Patriots have accumulated numerous draft misses over the past five years and earlier, leaving the roster weakened by unsuccessful selections. Bill Belichick's evaluative priorities and stubbornness have been cited as major factors driving busts and missed opportunities. High-profile examples include first-round picks N'Keal Harry and Cole Strange, both no longer with the team. The Jerod Mayo regime also made questionable choices, such as second-round receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, who was traded to the Saints. Trades that exchanged picks have yielded productive players elsewhere, including Ladd McConkey and cornerback Tarheeb Still, who are now making impacts for other teams.

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