New England Patriots: 2016 NFL Draft Do-Over
If you could re-draft New England’s 2016 class, who would you take?
Hopefully, for the New England Patriots, the full potential of their 2016 draft class hasn’t been unleashed. While the group has its bright spots, they’re accompanied by an equal portion of gray.
Top pick Cyrus Jones is fighting for a second season with the team. Jacoby Brissett is buried behind Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart. And hybrid defender Kamu Grugier-Hill was released ahead of last season.
With that being said, Joe Thuney has cemented a spot on the offensive line. Malcolm Mitchell showed good potential throughout last season. Linebacker Elandon Roberts is a breakout candidate in 2017. And Vincent Valentine, Ted Karras, and Devin Lucien will aim to make the jump from year one to two over the summer.
When it comes to hindsight, everyone thinks they can be a general manager. One season removed from the 2016 NFL Draft, it’s easy to critique some of the choices teams made.
Some players need a season to adjust before they can make highlight reel plays and post Pro Bowl numbers. Trey Flowers only played in one game as a rookie yet he led the Patriots in sacks in his second year.
With one season in the books, let’s see who New England left on the board during last year’s draft.