New England Patriots: 3 comments on 2021 compensatory draft picks

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Chase Winovich #50 of the New England Patriots (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images) /

Second, the New England Patriots and recent third-round picks.

But, the Patriots now have a third-round pick in return for Brady and that should make all Patriots’ fans just go giddy at the prospect of another third-rounder bounding into Foxborough and making a splash.

Yet, sometimes they just do, like Chase Winovich, a personal favorite. Sometimes, well, they don’t. Let’s take a gander at last year’s two-third-round picks both of whom were traded up for since the Patriots couldn’t find anyone else worthy enough to draft anyway.

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Both of these third-round picks were tight ends and indeed, this was a position of need. Good. They drafted for need. That’s a good thing, is it not?

They were Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene. Asiasi had some comps in being a reasonably high selection (probably not a third-rounder though). Keene, well, let’s just say he wasn’t that highly rated.

So, how’d that work out for them? Not so good. Combined, those third-round picks amassed a total of five catches between them last season. Two third-round picks, five catches.

That wasn’t exactly what New England needed from such a sizable draft investment in not one, but two third-round tight ends at a position at which they were, let’s just say really poor. And that’s putting it mildly.

So it didn’t work out too well with those two third-rounders, again, for which they traded up and gave away additional picks to secure. Good draft strategy? Not very. For certain.

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