Patriots can trace epic fall to Bill Belichick's horrible recent drafts

Belichick also has whiffed on players in the first round of the 2019 and 2021 drafts.

In the first round in 2019, he drafted wideout N'Keal Harry with the 32nd pick, passing on WRs Deebo Samuel (49ers in second round), A.J. Brown (Titans in second round; now with Eagles), DK Metcalf (Seahawks in second round) and Terry McLaurin (Commanders in third round). All are stars for their teams.

Harry played three seasons for the Patriots, recording four touchdown catches among 57 receptions and 598 yards receiving before the team dealt him to the Chicago Bears in the 2022 offseason. Harry caught only seven passes with the Bears last season. He's now with Minnesota, where he has no catches.

The Patriots selected QB Mac Jones in the first round with the 15th pick in 2021, but he appears to be a bust. He had an excellent rookie season, but has regressed significantly over the past two seasons, throwing 24 touchdowns passes to 23 interceptions. 

There was speculation the decision to draft Jones was less of a Belichick decision and more a call by owner Robert Kraft. The head coach, however, said Monday it was a team call, per Mark Daniels of MassLive.com.

"Collectively, we were all for [drafting Jones]," Belichick said.

From the 2020 draft, safety Kyle Dugger and guard Mike Onwenu have played solidly, but the rest of the class has not shined. The 2023 class has not produced a standout, although first-round pick Christian Gonzalez, a cornerback, showed flashes of stardom before suffering a season-ending injury in early October.  

The Patriots are 27-34 in the regular season since 2020, the season after future Hall of Famer Tom Brady left the team.

If Belichick departs the Patriots after this season, as some reports have noted, his recent drafts may be the chief reason.