The New England Patriots have been known to take an unconventional strategy when drafting players. Sometimes, the draft selections confuse opposing teams as well as fans.
Take the Kansas City Chiefs for example. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, they believed the Patriots would draft standout cornerback Trent McDuffie with the 21st overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, but instead, the Patriots traded that pick to the Chiefs and drafted offensive guard Cole Strange at No. 29 overall.
New England was able to draft a top corner this year in the first round with Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez. However, the jury will have to wait on the full evaluation for Gonzalez, as he is out with a torn labrum this season.
Breer elaborated on the surprise behind New England’s selection last year:
Going into the 2022 draft, the Chiefs coveted the Washington prospect and had looked at the idea of trading up for him. They figured there was no way he would get to where they were picking, at 29. So as Kansas City watched McDuffie slide through the teens, that doubt was maintained, mostly because GM Brett Veach and his staff felt like McDuffie checked about every box for Bill Belichick’s program and, accordingly, would get past where the Patriots were picking, at 21.
So imagine their surprise when McDuffie fell out of the teens, Kansas City started calling around, McDuffie dropped into the Patriots’ laps at 21 and the Chiefs found a willing trade partner in New England.
The selection of Cole Strange was certainly a surprise to many, including this writer. In the meantime, McDuffie leads all defensive backs with four forced fumbles on the year.
One has to wonder what could have been and how the New England secondary would’ve looked with McDuffie in the fold. As for now, the Patriots are at the bottom of the AFC East, with several holes to fill on the roster.
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