FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have two first-round draft picks (Nos. 23, 31), and if history is an indication, that means good news for the franchise. Some of Bill Belichick’s best work has come in years when the team entered the draft with multiple first-round picks.
The first time it happened, in 2003, was particularly notable as it was a result of having traded quarterback Drew Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills.
The club used one of them on defensive end Ty Warren (No. 13) and traded the other (No. 19) to the Baltimore Ravens, which gave up a 2004 first-round pick and 2003 second-rounder to draft quarterback Kyle Boller.