New England Patriots: Could They Do a Bill Belichick First in Draft?
By Erik Lambert
The New England Patriots have always operated according to a system. One implemented by head coach Bill Belichick when he took over in 2000.
This system has certain guidelines on how things will be done, and that includes how the team approaches the NFL draft. Typically certain positions are favored above others. For example, eight of the picks made by the Patriots in the top 32 over the past 17 years were defensive front seven. Another two were offensive linemen and two more were safeties. One area they tend to avoid if possible is the offensive skill positions.
They’ve drafted two 1st round tight ends in their history and one running back. Amazing as it sounds, in all that times New England has never once taken a wide receiver. This seems rather shocking given they have Tom Brady at quarterback. Yet the results speak for themselves with five Super Bowl titles in eight appearances. The Patriots haven’t had a ton of success drafting receivers though. Deion Branch, Julian Edelman, and Matthew Slater are the best they’ve managed.
Still, with Brady turning 41 this year perhaps it’s time to take a calculated risk. New England has two 1st round picks and a need for more speed outside what with Edelman, Chris Hogan and Jordan Matthews being their primary options at this point. That would explain their interest in Calvin Ridley.
Here is one to keep an eye on: The #Patriots are hosting #Bama WR Calvin Ridley on a pre-draft visit today, source said. A rare first-round receiver for them? He was at the #Bears yesterday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2018
Interest in Ridley makes sense after the Brandin Cooks trade
One mustn’t forget the opening was made when the Patriots decided to deal Brandin Cooks earlier this off-season. That created the need for speed that as yet they haven’t replaced. Ridley seems like such a Patriots type of player. He’s considered one of if not the sharpest route runner in the entire draft class. Throw 4.4 speed on top of that and it’s little wonder he’s such a highly regarded prospect out of Alabama.
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New England also has no reason to worry about the fact he turns 24-years old this year. Unlike most teams, they’re in win-now mode. They can afford to take risks like this because they aren’t thinking too much about the future. They’re trying to get another Lombardi trophy before Brady retires. Ridley is ready for the pros and could become a nightmare under the supervision of Josh McDaniels. Strange as it sounds, he could be the one to finally break the streak.