2020 NFL Draft Grades: New England Patriots

The New England Patriots surprised some fans and experts with their early picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, but they filled a lot of needs as well.

The New England Patriots are the trade masters, that is evident in nearly every NFL Draft with Bill Belichick at the helm. That continued in 2020, as the Patriots traded down from their only first-round pick, No. 23 overall. They were then able to add a second round pick, which they didn’t have at all before.

The Patriots continued to make moves on day two, winding up with five overall selections in the second and third rounds.

New England reached for some prospects in the eyes of the experts, but there is no doubt that they actually filled some big holes that drastically needed filling after the departure of stars in free agency.

Interestingly, the Patriots did not take a quarterback in the first three rounds of the draft. That likely means second-year pro and Auburn product Jarrett Stidham is their guy in 2020, and maybe even beyond. Brian Hoyer is the presumed backup, but another quarterback was added to the mix as well.

Although New England usually holds just two on the roster, 2020 could be a season when three quarterbacks make the cut at 53 as Bill and the rest of the coaches evaluate the future of the position in the post-Tom Brady world.