The New England Patriots only made four 2017 NFL Draft selections, but they still found a way to add some impact talent.
Only Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots can get high remarks after having a four-player draft. The Patriots added some high upside talent at positions of need with their 2017 NFL Draft selections.
When evaluating this draft class it’s important to factor in the additions of Brandin Cooks and Kony Ealy. Both players were acquired via trade offering the Patriots a combination of youth and experience.
These are the types of trades you expect to see from a team in win-now mode. However, the Patriots didn’t operate with that mindset completely. Their decision no to trade backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was with the long-term future in mind.
New England could’ve gotten a major haul of draft picks if they moved Garoppolo. Instead, they appear committed to him as their replacement for Tom Brady. The issue here is that Brady doesn’t appear close to hanging it up.
Below is a list of the New England Patriots 2017 NFL Draft picks:
3rd Round- Derek Rivers, Edge, Youngstown State
3rd Round- Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy
4th Round- Deatrich Wise Jr., Edge, Arkansas
6th Round- Conor McDermott, OT, UCLA