The NFL draft isn’t an exact science. Teams swing-and-miss on first-round picks, while others are able to find generational talent later on. Some even find solid contributors after the event has concluded. However, it’s obvious that having the opportunity to select a player higher in the first round is a distinct advantage.

For the New England Patriots, they find themselves with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 draft. If they make the pick, this will be the second time the Patriots have selected 23rd in the Bill Belichick era (2018). What type of talent can the Patriots expect to find? It might be best to look back at the 23rd pick from drafts of the last decade.

2010 – OT Bryan Bulaga (Packers)

Bulaga spent three years as a staple on the Iowa Hawkeyes offensive line before being drafted in 2010. As a sophomore, he was named Second-team All-Big Ten after making the switch from guard to tackle. Bulaga was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and to the First-team All-Big Ten in his junior season when he decided to forgo his senior year.

The 30-year-old has been a cornerstone for the Green Bay Packers since he arrived. He’s been tasked with the difficult duty of protecting one of the best quarterbacks and the league, and when he’s healthy, Bulaga has been one of the best at his position as well. He may be a free agent, but if his fourth-highest right tackle cap hit ($8.26 million) in 2019 proved anything, it’s that he’s still performed highly.

2011 – G Danny Watkins (Eagles)

The Eagles really took a gamble on Watkins in 2011, not because of his play, but because of his age. He didn’t begin playing football until he was 22 at Butte College, a community college in California. In his junior season, at 23 years old, Watkins transferred to Baylor and started at left tackle in his remaining 25 games in college, earning All-Big 12 First-team honors in senior season. He entered the draft process as Mel Kiper’s No. 1 guard prospect at 26 years old.

Watkins started only 18 games for the Eagles before he was cut following his second season. He would go on to sign with the Dolphins but only appeared in one game. He was out of the NFL after only three seasons.

2012 – OT Riley Reiff (Lions)

Reiff started 37 of 39 possible games following his redshirt year at Iowa. In 2010, he was named Second-team All-Big Ten and took the leap to First-team All-Big Ten in 2011. He also earned All-American honors in 2011 as well before passing on his final year of eligibility to enter the draft as Mike Mayock’s No. 2 offensive tackle.

The Lions got a lot of value out of Reiff in his five seasons. He appeared in 77 of the 80 games during his time in Detroit, and it paid off for him. Reiff signed with the Vikings in 2017, becoming one of the highest-paid left tackles in the league and has been the blindside protector for one of the league’s best offenses.

2013 – DT Sharrif Floyd (Vikings)

Floyd entered Florida as the top defensive tackle in high school football. In his three seasons as a Gator, he recorded 115 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and three blocked field goals in 37 games (26 starts). His numbers didn’t necessarily jump off the page, but he looked to be a top defensive lineman in the 2013 draft.

In Minnesota, Floyd started slowly, as a rotational piece in his first season with Kevin Williams still there. The following two years, he’d be featured on a dominant defensive line with Everson Griffen and Linval Joseph. Sadly, just one game into his fourth season, Floyd suffered a knee injury that ended his career. It would’ve been something to see Floyd, Griffen, Joseph, and Danielle Hunter in full force, but that was never the case.

2014 – DE/OLB Dee Ford (Chiefs)

At Auburn, Ford wasn’t a consensus first-round pick throughout his college career. He was an above-average pass rusher, but he didn’t produce crazy numbers, and there were strength concerns. It wasn’t until his senior season that Ford jumped off the page. In his final year, he recorded 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, giving him that final push into the first round.

Ford spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs. There it took two full years for him to find his role and really start coming into his own. The former Tiger recorded 25 sacks in his final three seasons with Kansas City, one of which only saw him play in six games. Following an AFC Championship loss, Ford was traded to the 49ers for a second-round pick. He agreed to a five-year extension with his new club, making him the third-highest paid player at his position. And, in his first year, he rewarded his team by playing a pivotal role in a run to the Super Bowl.

2015 – LB Shane Ray (Broncos)

Ray began establishing himself in his redshirt sophomore season where he finished with 4.5 sacks. However, the jump that he saw in production the following year was what solidified him as a first-round prospect. In his final year with Missouri, Ray recorded 14.5 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. His stellar season earned him First-team All-SEC, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and All-American honors.

When he was selected 23rd in 2015, he was brought onto a Broncos’ defense that was stacked with talent. He played sparingly with Malik Jackson, Von Miller, Danny Trevathan, Shaq Barrett, Brandon Marshall, Derek Wolfe, and others on their way to a Super Bowl victory. Ray saw a jump in playing time in his second year and had the best year of his career, recording eight sacks. However, following that season, a coaching change and injuries hurt his playing time. The Broncos refused to pick up his fifth-year option, and after an offseason with the Ravens, Ray found himself out of football in 2019.

2016 – WR Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)

Treadwell entered Ole Miss as one of the top wide receivers in high school football, and his talent translated quickly to the college game evidenced by his SEC Freshman of the Year award earned in 2013. He would go on to have an impressive college career, totaling 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns, of which, 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns came in his senior year. Following his senior season, he was named First-team All-SEC and Third-team All-American.

The Vikings selected Treadwell to be the second wide receiver with Stefon Diggs. However, in Treadwell’s rookie season, Adam Thielen took over and ascended to be a top target. It was clear that the Ole Miss product was third (at best) on the depth chart. In 2019, he was cut out of camp due to lack of production, but he was brought back a few weeks later after another wideout was placed on IR. During his time in the league, Treadwell has been extremely disappointing, especially for a first-round selection.

2017 – TE Evan Engram (Giants)

Engram had an incredible career at Ole Miss. He was First-team All-SEC in 2014 and 2016, and he was Second-team All-SEC in 2015. His senior season also saw him earn First-team All-American honors. Engram finished his college tenure as the most productive tight end in Ole Miss history, setting school records for tight ends in receptions (162), receiving yards (2,320), and receiving touchdowns (15). All of this success made him the second-ranked tight end entering the 2017 draft.

Since joining the NFL, Engram has been impressive. He’s one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, and his talent is obvious. His rookie campaign saw him targeted 115 times, the second-most by any player at his position that year. However, since then, Engram has struggled to stay on the field. He missed five games in 2018 with an MCL and hamstring injuries, and he missed the second half of 2019 with a foot injury. If he stays healthy, Engram can be one of the best tight ends in the NFL and can be another tool for Daniel Jones.

2018 – OT Isaiah Wynn (Patriots)

During Wynn’s tenure at Georgia, the Bulldogs did a lot of running with Todd Gurley, Sony Michel, and Nick Chubb. The success of the offensive line was a key factor in their offense, and a big part of that was the ability, availability, and versatility of Wynn. He started at both guard and tackle in college, making him an interesting prospect entering the NFL following a First-team All-SEC, Second-team All-American senior year.

Wynn has played well in his opportunities with the Patriots. He’s been in charge of protecting one of the most important quarterbacks in the league and has done it without much difficulty. However, Wynn missed his entire rookie year with an Achilles injury and half of his sophomore season with a toe injury. It will truly be unknown what Wynn can do until he stays on the field for a prolonged period of time.

2019 – OT Tytus Howard (Texans)

Prior to 2019, no player from Alabama St. had ever been drafted in the first round. Howard became the first to do so after an interesting career with the Hornets. He originally went to Alabama St. as a tight end, but switched positions in his sophomore year. Howard racked up 24 starts in his final three seasons, earning First-team SWAC in his senior year. His raw athleticism and size made him an intriguing prospect that pushed him up to a late first-round prospect.

Unfortunately, Howard missed half of his rookie season with the Texans due to injuries. So, he’s only appeared in eight games, starting at both guard and tackle. It’s tough to project just how good he is, but he saw some success in his first season, being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. However, that may speak more to the other tackles in the 2019 class.

Over the past 10 seasons, the 23rd overall pick has netted a wide variety of outcomes. Some have been great players like Bryan Bulaga or Dee Ford. others have been not as great like Danny Watkins or Laquon Treadwell. With Belichick’s success with first-round picks, Patriots fans should be hopeful that this year’s selection will end up on the positive side of this list.

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