Re-Grading the Patriots' 2023 Draft Class After Rookie Seasons

OL Atonio Mafi (5, Pick 144): D-

The Patriots were hungry for offensive line talent last year as Atonio Mafi's fifth-round selection marked the third blocker in seven picks for the franchise. Unfortunately, Mafi didn't have nearly as much success as Sow.

Defenders didn't have any issues getting by Mafi during his rookie season. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder struggled to stand his ground, allowing 24 hurries, five sacks, and a trio of QB hits while only playing 296 passing snaps. His 27.7 pass-block and 39.9 run-block marks were the fourth and second-worst grades, respectively, among OGs in 2023.

Mafi is still young enough (23) to turn his career around, but it's clear that he has a long way to go. If he doesn't learn from last year's mistakes it will be tough to justify his spot in the lineup going forward.

WR Kayshon Boutte (6, Pick 187): F

Despite wide receiver being one of the Patriots' top priorities last year, Belichick & Co. thought it'd be a brilliant idea to wait until Round 6 to address the WR room. They decided to do so by taking Kayshon Boutte following his final year at LSU which could be described as "decent" at best.

Boutte did show some promise in three preseason contests, hauling in four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Much to the New England fanbase's dismay, though, he didn't have nearly as much success in the regular season, only registering two catches for 19 yards in five games. A collection of bone-headed plays led to him being a healthy scratch more often than not.

Boutte's future with the franchise is now unclear. The second-year wideout was arrested in January after allegedly gambling while being underage during his time at LSU. Although Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is willing to help Boutte get back on track, a turnaround isn't guaranteed until the ramifications of his legal case are revealed.