3 frontrunners to have a big year-two leap on the Patriots in 2023

As the Patriots continue to work on becoming a younger team overall, they have a lot of potential star power in their rookies and second-year players.

The 2023 draft class has gotten a lot of praise throughout the offseason, performing above and beyond any expectations that the fans and media had made. From Demario Douglas and Christian Gonzalez to Bryce Baringer and Keion White, the overanalyzed and criticized selections of Bill Belichick earlier this year appear to be far superior to the judgments made on draft night.

But what about the second-year players?

In contrast to the group taken earlier this year, the 2022 draft class has not panned out as well. Nearly half of them did not make the 53-man roster, either due to being traded, released, or signed to the practice squad, and it appears to be one of the weaker classes in recent Patriots history.

However, there are a few poised to have a sophomore jump this year, which will be much needed for the team overall.