It's no secret how the Patriots have fallen to the bottom of the NFL barrel over the last few years, and it's not just because of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick departing the team. It's certainly a number of factors, but the biggest impact has been the lack of successful drafting, which has resulted in more busts than lifelong players to help the team improve every year.
Belichick's approach to the draft, especially later in his New England tenure, was clearly not working, yet he was too stubborn to change anything about it. It led to several classes that are either completely off the team already, or only a few remain from the last five years, putting the Patriots in the position that they're in for the 2025 season.