Rookie Review: Injuries, Whiffs Lead to Disappointing New England Patriots' 2023 Draft Class
Deservedly so, Tom Brady's departure continues to get most of the blame for the New England Patriots' sad spiral from six-time Super Bowl champions to 2-9 laughingstock barreling toward a Top 3 pick in next year's NFL Draft. But a big assist for the team going 27-35 and without a playoff win the last four seasons goes to a roster cupboard that has remained bare in Foxboro, due to consistent whiffs in talent evaluation.
We've previously dissected - i.e., denigrated - the Pats' dreadful drafts of 2019, 2020 and 2022. Of the 38 players drafted from 2019-22, only 13 remain in the organization and just 10 suited up for last week's loss to the New York Giants. In that game, the Patriots lost to an undrafted quarterback (Tommy Devito) in part because of a kicker they drafted (Chad Ryland).
In assessing this year's crop, it's only going from bad to worse.
Due to injuries and woeful underachievement, only two of New England's "dirty dozen" draft picks from last April - both nabbed in the sixth round - are highly productive players on a team mired in the organization's worst season in 30 years. Cat-quick slot receiver Demario Douglas leads the team in yards, and fourth-round punter Bryce Baringer is among the league's best at pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line.
Obviously, first-round pick Christian Gonzalez is on his way to being a star. He was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month in September and his season-ending injury in Dallas in Week 4 - coupled with one to Matthew Judon - accelerated New England's disastrous trajectory.
But the rest of the draft class is ho-hum at best:
Christian Gonzalez' star season was cut short by a season-ending shoulder injury.
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1 - Christian Gonzalez: Home-run pick displayed the size and skill to be a star cornerback before season-ending shoulder injury.
2 - Keion White: After amping up the hype with a promising preseason, has underwhelmed by starting only three games and not recording his first sack until Week 12.
3 - Marte Mapu: Hailed as a playmaker at multiple positions, but yet to make an impactful play - interception, forced fumble, sack, etc. - in 292 combined snaps on defense and special teams.
4 - Jake Andrews: Not a single snap on the offensive line; just 32 on special teams.
4 - Chad Ryland: Missed six field goals, has the 31st-ranked percentage among qualified kickers and botched 35-yard attempts in the last two losses by four and three points.
4 - Sidy Sow: Mildly pleasant surprise on one of the NFL's worst offensive lines has started seven games and played all 68 snaps last week against the Giants.
5 - Atonio Mafi: Exposed during four emergency starts early, hasn't played a single offensive snap the last three games.
6 - Kayshon Boutte: Turns out his 48-yard run-and-catch touchdown in the preseason was just a tease, as - on an offense desperate for playmakers - he has only two catches all year and played just 11 snaps against the Giants.
6 - Bryce Baringer: Bad news, he has the third-most punts in the league. Good news, he has the second-most kicks downed inside the 20.
6 - Demario Douglas: Despite being briefly benched for an early-season fumble, leads the team in targets (55) and yards (410) and is second in receptions (36).
6 - Ameer Speed: Played 83 combined snaps on defense and special teams before being cut Oct. 19 and signing the next day with the Indianapolis Colts.
7 - Isaiah Bolden: Suffered a scary neck injury in preseason and was placed on injured reserve.
Add to this mediocre group the fact that two of the Pats' biggest free-agent signings have been busts, and it's easy to see how playoff hopes dissolved into the worst season since 1993.
Offensive lineman Reilly Reiff has played just six percent of the snaps on the offensive line. And while former Patriots' receiver Jakobi Myers has 591 yards and six touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders, JuJu Smith-Schuster has only 159 and one score in New England.
