While some teams use the NFL Draft to add depth to their rosters, the Patriots had no such luxury in 2024. The strictly need-based strategy attacked New England’s most critical holes: quarterback, wide receiver, and offensive tackle.
Using eight picks over seven rounds, the Patriots’ only defensive pickup was South Carolina cornerback Marcellas Dial. Instead, head coach Jerod Mayo and de facto GM Eliot Wolf focused their attention on the offense – one that scored just 27 touchdowns over the entire 2023 season.
The first order of business? Secure a quarterback.
“They did the smart thing by drafting a quarterback at three overall and then continued to fill around that quarterback,” NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry said about the Patriots’ early selection of UNC’s Drake Maye.