New England Patriots 2020 NFL Draft: Best pick this year

The New England Patriots best 2020 draft pick is someone you wouldn’t expect.

The New England Patriots 2020 draft was disappointing to this writer for any number of reasons. The most significant of these is their decision not to address offense in their two second-round picks. They chose a safety which is not an immediate need first and an outside linebacker which while a need was not a critically important one next.

Those first two picks should have been devoted first to an RPO quarterback to contend for the starting role against heir-apparent Jarrett Stidham and the second should have been devoted to bolster their poor wide receiver corps with a versatile offensive skill player. They failed to deliver either.

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The paramount draft strategy, therefore, has to be described as bolstering the already relatively strong defense (although it had admittedly suffered key losses in free agency). They did this rather than addressing the poor offensive skill positions which even Tom Brady couldn’t get to work.

This strategy was a mistake no matter what their “draft board” indicated. The picks were an untested safety, Kyle Dugger and a pretty good but smaller outside linebacker, Josh Uche.

I have some doubts about Dugger (hope I’m wrong) but fewer about Uche. They might both turn out to be good players or very good players, but the greatest need was on offense.

The Patriots did nothing on offense until the third round when they used the picks on tight ends, Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene. In my opinion, Asiasi was a reach and overrated and Keene was a huge reach and grossly overrated.

The only thing I like about those picks is that they were on an offensive position of need, tight end. Yet, better tight ends were available when they picked them. That’s the New England way. But there is some good news.

The New England Patriots’ best draft pick in 2020

The good news is that the Patriots drafted a player who I feel is a sure-fire starter, as soon as this season. If not, he’s a super backup at two positions on the offensive line, a Pro-Bowler in the future, and, he’s a sixth-round pick to boot.

The player is Michael Onwenu from Michigan drafted in the sixth round by New England. I’m sold. He’s the best player the Patriots drafted this year. Oh, you say. a sixth-round pick can’t possibly be the best pick …? Think 2000.

Here’s why I’m so sure. First, the guy is massive, about 6’3″ and 344 pounds, or so. As the late great Joel Buchsbaum would say, “He’s a $20 dollar (my note: now probably $50) cab ride to get around”. He’s huge. Really big.