New England Patriots: Naming Best Move in 2017 NFL Draft
By Nick Ziegler
Now that the 2017 NFL Draft is officially over, what was the best move made by the New England Patriots in the process?
After winning their fifth Super Bowl just a few months ago, the New England Patriots didn’t have as much time to prepare for the NFL Draft as some teams.
In the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots have been one of the best teams in the NFL Draft, and that is the main reason why they have been so successful on the field. After a few years, you can look back and find players that were late-round draft picks making an impact on the Patriots. A lot of this credit has to go to their scouting department and their player development.
Despite being a great drafting team, the Patriots were rather quiet this season. However, they did make one move that stood out from the rest. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com recently named the best move for the Patriots in the NFL Draft, and it was a move that happened quite a while ago. Here’s what Reiss said about the Patriots’ best move.
"Best move: Trading the No. 32 overall pick to the Saints for receiver Brandin Cooks. The potential impact of Cooks easily trumps anything the Patriots could have done at that spot in the draft. With three receivers selected in the top nine picks of the draft, it was a reflection of how the cost for top receivers is rising."
Getting Cooks for the final pick in the first round was certainly a great move by the Patriots. While there were some talented prospects on the board, the Patriots got an All-Pro caliber wide receiver.
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With the Patriots trying to repeat as champions for their sixth ring, Cooks will help them achieve that more than any late-first-round pick would have. Adding Cooks to the Patriots’ offense will make them once again one of the best in the league in 2017.