When it was clear the Patriots were going to have a high enough pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select their next quarterback, the focus shifted to the wide receivers they could take in a later round. There were a few names that fans began to pay attention to, like Ladd McConkey, Adonai Mitchell, and Xavier Worthy, all of whom were projected to be late first to early second-rounders.
That meant the Patriots, with the 34th overall selection, would have a good chance to snag one of the best prospects of the class with their second-round pick and immediately boost the offense around their rookie quarterback, who ended up being Drake Maye.
Some of the most exciting names remained on the board when the Patriots were on the clock. Most believed McConkey was the obvious choice since he seemed like the ultimate Patriot, but the new regime in Foxboro traded down and allowed the Chargers to take the Georgia receiver instead.
Eventually, New England drafted Washington's Ja'Lynn Polk, who has had far from the season anyone hoped for, while McConkey has been rising in the ranks each and every week. With the Chargers coming to town for a Week 17 matchup, the Patriots will have a firsthand look at the mistake they made in this year's draft, something Jerod Mayo almost explicitly admitted in the days before the game.
Ladd McConkey's success is a stain on the new regime's start in Foxboro
While speaking to the head coach on Thursday, reporters were quick to jump on the topic of McConkey and wanted more information about the Patriots' pre-draft process regarding the impressive rookie receiver.
Mayo shared that they had looked into McConkey before the draft and was very complimentary about the kind of player he is. When asked about the reason for not drafting him, he pulled a Bill Belichick and tried to pivot the conversation instead.
Jerod Mayo says the Patriots did some work on Ladd McConkey in the pre-draft process.
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) December 26, 2024
When it came to not drafting him, did him playing in the slot factor in?
"Look, we have the guys we have here and our focus is on the game."
Maybe it's reading between the lines too much, or it might just be that his lack of answer was an answer in itself. But it seems like Mayo's choice not to directly answer the question and try to change the subject implied he wasn't exactly thrilled with the questions or the Patriots' decision to pass on McConkey when he was available for the taking.
That feeling will only intensify as we watch him outperform Polk on Saturday, becoming a harsh reminder of what the offense could have been. Maye could have had an improved weapon to work with this year, but instead, that's the benefit Justin Herbert has in Los Angeles.
McConkey has already recorded 69/94 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 13.9 yards per catch. That would be a team-high for the Patriots by a mile, and his production could have helped Maye lead the team to more wins this year instead of struggling due to a lack of offensive help.
There's still time for Polk's career to improve, especially since rookie receivers have historically not fared well in New England. But it's difficult to be too optimistic about it, given how disappointing this year has been for most of the 2024 rookie class.