The last time the Patriots had two first-round picks was 2012 and Bill Belichick used them to select defensive end Chandler Jones (No. 21) and linebacker Dont’a Hightower (No. 25).
New England has made it to AFC Championship game every year since, advancing to the Super Bowl three times and winning it twice.
There’s no guarantee the team will make it back there, but the team has two first-round draft picks (Nos. 23, 31) for the first time since 2012 and, if history is any indication, Belichick will handle them wisely
That’s not to say Belichick will actually use both picks as he has a propensity of trading down in the draft and turning one higher pick into two lower selections in order to maximize value. As the team also has two second-rounders (43, 63), Belichick has even more ammunition to play with.
However, if Belichick ends up taking players with both picks, the list of names he has drafted in the first round – Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Benjamin Watson, Deion Branch, Brandon Meriweather, Jerod Mayo, Nate Solder, Jones Hightower – indicates his selections will do well in the NFL.
No matter how it plays out, Belichick’s draft history with two first-rounders bodes well for New England’s future.
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