New England Patriots NFL Draft Analysis for 2014 season and 2015 and Beyond

Feb 20, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick speaks during a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Grading an NFL Draft in the immediate aftermath of said draft is an exercise in futility; however, the modern NFL with its fan-base’s hunger for instant analysis demands knee-jerk reactions and grades before the draftee’s get their hands on a playbook.  Instead of grades, it makes sense to look at each pick as far as their anticipated role in contributing to the New England Patriots’ attempt to win a Super Bowl in 2014 and in assisting with the team’s success in the future as the Patriots attempt to continue their run of success.

As head coach Bill Belichick continues to build the Patriots not just for a run for the Super Bowl in 2014 but also for the future, the draft picks in 2014 confounded many NFL analysts as they anticipated a draft built around adding offensive weapons for quarterback Tom Brady. Instead New England balanced the present and the future as they shored up both sides of the football and addressed their needs in their typical manner.  As frustrating as the 2014 NFL Draft may have been to New England Patriots fans, there was–as always–a method to the madness of the Patriots front office.

The NFL Draft is a fascinating process as teams balance building for the future and looking for instant impact. Bill Belichick has seemingly had a plan in place during the NFL Draft–even if it is not obvious to analysts with their instant analysis.  Stepping back to let the dust settle it becomes clearer what New England’s plans were when taken in the historical perspective of past drafts. In that regard things begin to make more sense.

This piece will examine each of the 2014 NFL Draft picks made by the Patriots looking not just at the player and spot drafted, but their anticipated role in 2014, their role in 2015 and beyond, and seeing how they compare with previous draft picks. The past comparison is not simply a similar player in a similar spot, but rather the methodology and projection of the front-office in selected the player.