Analyst Reveals Brutal NFL Draft Fact for Patriots

Years ago, the New England Patriots were renowned for their ability to build teams full of homegrown talent. It was a big part of the reason why the Patriots were able to win six Super Bowls since the turn of the century.

However, in recent seasons, New England has largely fallen flat in that department, as the Pats' shrewd drafting skills have taken a tumble.

Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network has outlined just how dire the Patriots' recent draft history has been, which provides more context to why New England has made just one playoff appearance over the last five years.

"A trend dating back to the end of the Bill Belichick era is New England’s slump in the early rounds," Xie wrote. "The last first-round pick to sign a multi-year extension with the team was Dont’a Hightower, who was taken in 2012. The Patriots have hit on higher picks in other years, such as Kyle Dugger and Jamie Collins, but there have been far more instances of busts like Dominique Easley and N’Keal Harry."

That is definitely shocking for such a cornerstone organization like the Pats, but at the same time, the Patriots have barely even resembled their former selves over the last half-decade.

Xie drops the caveat that Drake Maye seems poised to change the course of history for the Patriots, but at the same time, New England will need to hit on its first-round draft pick next week, as well.

"Drake Maye looks like a promising bet to break that trend, and the upcoming draft is a big opportunity to build a workable infrastructure around the quarterback," Xie wrote. "With nine picks (including four in the top 80), the Patriots have an opportunity to increase their proportion of homegrown players."

The Pats own the fourth overall pick in the draft next Thursday. We'll see if they are able to knock it out of the park and also draft well for the final six rounds (unlike last year).