New England Patriots: Re-grading every draft pick of the last 5 years

Grading Patriots 2019 first-round pick: WR N’Keal Harry – F

Another draft, another failed first-round pick. N’Keal Harry is a dreadful pick. It was strange at the time and only got worse as the seasons progressed. The Patriots traded Harry for a seventh-round pick to the Chicago Bears last offseason, and he didn’t do anything there, either. What makes it worse is the next two wide receivers off the board were Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown. DK Metcalf was also on the board. Woof.

Grading Patriots 2019 second-round pick: CB Joejuan Williams – C

Joejuan Williams is another second-round cornerback who had much better results than Duke Dawson. Williams played three seasons with the Patriots before he was placed on IR this past season. This pick wasn’t a disaster like many other Patriots picks, but he’s not exactly a star in the making. He’s… fine.

Grading Patriots 2019 third-round pick: DE Chase Winovich – C+

Chase Winovich is an interesting case. He isn’t with the franchise anymore. He’s playing for the Cleveland Browns. However, he had some great moments with the Pats. He had 5.5 sacks in both his rookie and sophomore seasons. He scored a touchdown on special teams in his rookie season. Winovich has strip sacks, interceptions, and more. The Patriots traded him for Mack Wilson before last season.

Grading Patriots 2019 third-round pick: RB Damien Harris – B

When he was healthy, Damien Harris was in a timeshare with Rhamodre Stevenson this season. However, Harris failed to stay on the field in the season before free agency. He’s been pretty good when allowed to play. Two seasons ago, Harris was a scoring machine. He had 929 yards and 15 (!!!) rushing touchdowns. The former Alabama product was well worth the third-round pick.

Grading Patriots 2019 third-round pick: G Yodny Cajuste – C+

The Patriots thought they got a steal with the West Virginia product. Yodny Cajuste has all the talent to be a starting NFL offensive lineman. He ended up playing tackle for the Patriots this season. Injuries have marred his career. We’ll see how the other teams value him this offseason.

Grading Patriots 2019 fourth-round pick: G Hjalte Froholdt – F

The Patriots took a chance on a Danish guard who spent his college years at the University of Arkansas. It made sense at the time. Hjalte Froholdt has the makings of a really good lineman. He just needed polishing, which is expected from a player who isn’t from America. He ended up missing his rookie season with a shoulder injury. The Patriots cut him in the middle of the 2020 season, ending his tenure less than two years into it.

Grading Patriots 2019 fourth-round pick: QB Jarrett Stidham – C

The Patriots always take a chance on the quarterback. Jarrett Stidham is an interesting one. He had some inklings he could be the future replacement for Tom Brady. That seemed like a lot of hype for a fourth-round pick. Stidham didn’t take that bull by the horns. He was eventually traded to the Las Vegas Raiders to pair again with Josh McDaniels. He looked like a stud for one game, but that’s about it.

Grading Patriots 2019 fifth-round pick: DT Byron Cowart – C-

Byron Cowart was a fine player for a while. He played defensive tackle for the Patriots for two years, but the team decided to go in another direction. He was waived before the 2022 season, and he was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts. There’s not much to consider here. He was there for three years, and then the team moved on.

Grading Patriots 2019 fifth-round pick: P Jake Bailey – B

When one drafts a punter, the team expects to get an All-Pro punter. That’s what the Patriots got from Jake Bailey. The punter was the All-Pro in 2020. 2021 was a little rough, but he had all the makings of a great punter, and it looked like things were going in the right direction. However, 2022 was a mess. He got injured, and when he tried to come back, he was shut down again. Then, he was suspended because of his injury status. He filed a grievance. The suspension was lifted. And now, the Patriots hope he comes back. What a wild punter story.

Grading Patriots 2019 seventh-round pick: CB Ken Webster – F

The Patriots drafted Ken Webster out of Ole Miss. The cornerback never played a game in New England. He was waived before the final roster cuts in his rookie season. He bounced around the league and didn’t land on a team in 2022.