The Patriots struggled at NFL draft evaluation for what felt like eons under head coach Bill Belichick’s lead. The team obviously won games and Super Bowl’s thanks to talented veterans and players brought in via trade – but the drafting was always subpar.
Once Tom Brady left the building and New England was no longer a playoff team after the 2020 season, owner Robert Kraft had seemingly seen enough of it, stating: “the teams who draft well are the ones who will be consistently good. I don’t feel like we’ve done the greatest job the last few years and I really hope and believe I’ve seen a different approach this year.”
That different approach was Matt Groh taking over the operation in the Spring of 2021 – a role that he’s been absolutely sensational in.
Groh has been in the Patriots organization since 2011 and is now their director of player personnel. He’s an A+ talent evaluator who, alongside Eliot Wolf, has brought in an abundance of talent from the college ranks to New England over the last two seasons. Here are a few of the notable players that have been drafted under his watch:
2021 NFL Draft
Mac Jones (R1, Pick 15)
Christian Barmore (R2, Pick 38)
Rhamondre Stevenson (R4, Pick 120)
2022 NFL Draft
Cole Strange (R1, Pick 29)
Tyquan Thornton (R2, Pick 50)
Marcus Jones (R3, Pick 85)
Jack Jones (R4, Pick 121)
Pierre Strong (R4, Pick 121)
Bailey Zappe (R4, Pick 137)
Kevin Harris (R6, Pick 183)
Mac Jones is the up-and-coming franchise quarterback in New England, Christian Barmore is a top-tier interior defensive lineman when healthy, and Rhamondre Stevenson is forming into an absolute specimen of a running back.
Then you get to this year’s rookie class, and just about every one of them has made an immediate impact. First-round pick Cole Strange is an every-game starter at guard, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is one of the fastest players in the NFL and has potential through the roof, Marcus Jones is an every-down player (literally), Jack Jones is arguably the best rookie cornerback in football, and Bailey Zappe was 2-1 as a starting quarterback during Mac Jones’ injury absence.
New England, unfortunately, lost star running back Rhamondre Stevenson to an ankle injury on Monday night. There’s no official timetable for his return, and many thought the Patriots would be screwed without their de facto bell cow – including me.
However, the tandem of rookie running backs Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris filled the void just fine on Monday night. Strong rushed five times for 70 yards and a touchdown, and Kevin Harris carried the ball eight times for 26 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots obviously will want at least one of Stevenson or Damien Harris back ASAP – but their fabulous drafting over the last two seasons has given them a buffer in the RB room.
Many will want to give Bill Belichick flowers for these moves – and while I’m sure he’s still heavily involved in the process – this is Groh’s operation now, and there’s a chance you might not have any of these guys without him.
We may never know if it was actually Bill Belichick’s decision or not to switch things up in the front office, but it may be saving him his job on a weekly basis.
New England has the talent to compete. Now they just have to be coached up…
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