The New England Patriots made several controversial picks in their 2022 draft one of which was literally laughable for one NFL team. That was the Super Bowl Champion LA Rams who were televised laughing at the Patriots first-round pick.
The Patriots went off-the-grid, meaning reaching for players generally considered to be at a certain round level, and drafting them significantly higher than most predicted.
This is not an unusual occurrence for the Patriots with their, “we know better than anyone else” attitude in personnel matters but it bears a look, especially at their top two picks and how they have performed to date.
They would be first-round guard Cole Strange and second-round wide receiver, Tyquan Thornton. Both were considered significant reaches (taken higher than projected) by the NFL and draft cognoscente. At the midpoint of the season, how have these top two guys performed?
New England Patriots top two picks have been nothing special
Contrary to some opinions elsewhere, this space feels that a team’s top two picks should be solid performers in year one. In the Patriots case, this was especially true since they are not a rebuilding team, having made the playoffs in 2021.
Interestingly, one fourth-round pick has far exceeded expectations. That would be cornerback Jack Jones, one of the team’s three fourth-round picks though slight in build and stature has proven to be a nice pick in the fourth. He was also considered a reach of sorts not necessarily for on-field performance but for off.
Bailey Zappe also proved to be well worth his selection in the fourth round, doing a nice job spelling staring quarterback Mac Jones while he was injured.
The New England Patriots first-round pick in the first half of the season
Euphoria reigned supreme in Patriots Nation early in the season when first-round pick Strange earned the starting left guard spot from the get-go and started the Patriots first seven games. Unfortunately, the wheels then fell off his first half.
Patriotswire quotes Head Coach Bill Belichick,
"“I think Cole’s a good player, and he’s going to be a better player as he gains experience and learns how to play in the league,” said Belichick."
Strange was summarily benched by Coach Belichick for the eighth and ninth games. For a team that is depth-challenged on the offensive line, this was a drastic measure especially after having lost two starting interior linemen, Shaq Mason to trade and Ted Karras to free agency in the offseason.
The critics of critics who had panned the Strange pick at that point in the draft (an important aspect to center upon) have gone completely silent now in light of the recent benching of Strange.
Picking Strange, considered a solid player was never the issue. It was always where in the draft he was selected and/or even in selecting a guard in the first round when a tackle was and should have been a much higher priority, as the season’s unfolding has clearly borne out.
So after a nice start to the season, his play has fallen off to the point of his not playing. This would certainly bring his overall grade to date down from a nice B+ to a C.
New England Patriots reached for wideout Tyquan Thornton
The other top questionable pick (again at that point in the draft) was for Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, a blazing fast, but rail-thin wideout. Thornton also was rated lower than a second-round pick by most, a round or two lower as Strange had been by those in the know.
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Thornton’s speed is obvious but his production, not so much. After being injured early, he has returned to play in five games. In those games, he has a not-so-earth-shattering nine catches for a meager 81 yards and a receiving TD (and one rushing).
Due to his early injury and his limited sample of games, it is far too early to say Thornton’s reach status has resulted in a bust draft pick. But conversely, he certainly hasn’t done much to justify being picked in the second round.
An average of fewer than 2 catches per game played isn’t going to move the needle much even for a dull Patriots offense and its barely average receiving corps. Thornton has had every opportunity to seize a starting position and has frankly flopped to date. His grade would be a gift C-.
So those are some mid-term grades of the Patriots top two picks thus far. How do you think those picks have worked out? We’d like to hear.