Hot Takes, Predictions for Patriots Rookies After 2024 NFL Draft
The New England Patriots rebuild will take place around Drake Maye.
The North Carolina product was chosen third in the 2024 NFL draft and he is expected to see the field early on in the 2024 NFL season.
As the Patriots know from the failed Mac Jones experiment, not all first-round quarterbacks will be success stories. Jones is one of four first-round quarterbacks chosen in 2021 no longer with their original team.
New England will allow Maye to learn from Jacoby Brissett throughout training camp, but the on-field play may not be as special as some fan may expect.
After all, this is a Patriots team that only made one upgrade at wide receiver through the NFL draft. The supporting cast may not be good enough to help Maye succeed in his rookie season.
Drake Maye Struggles in First Half of NFL Season
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Maye is in a less-than-ideal scenario compared to Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
Williams enters a Chicago Bears team prepared to make a playoff push, while Daniels has the potential to thrive with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in Washington.
Maye could take some time to match the progress made by the other top-three selections in the 2024 NFL draft.
Maye's wide receiver corps consists of Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ja'Lynn Polk.
There is no clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in that group and that could force Maye to rely on tight end Hunter Henry and backup running back Antonio Gibson more in the passing game.
There is no D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen or Terry McLaurin-type wide out on the New England roster and that could hamper Maye's progress before he figures out his comfort level within the Patriots offense.
Ja'Lynn Polk Starts as No. 2 Wide Receiver on Depth Chart
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Ja'Lynn Polk has the potential to make an immediate impact on the offense because of how the depth chart shakes out.
Douglas showed plenty of potential during the second half of the 2023 season, so he should enter Week 1 as the Maye's top target.
Bourne and Smith-Schuster underperformed last season and Thornton has not shown the skill set to bounce up to one of the top spots on the depth chart.
Polk comes into New England off a 1,159-yard, nine-touchdown season at Washington. He could be exactly what the Patriots need to freshen up their wide receiver unit.
Polk may not find himself in any Offensive Rookie of the Year conversations, but he will be functional inside the Patriots offense and have a solid rookie campaign.
Layden Robinson Competes for Starting Spot
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Fourth-round pick Layden Robinson seems like the only draft pick from the third round on who has a chance to start right away.
Robinson should compete with Sidy Sow for the starting role at right guard, which is the only open spot on the offensive line right now.
Chukwuma Okorafor was signed in the offseason to play one of the tackle spots opposite Mike Onwenu, who stayed in free agency.
Cole Strange is expected to start at left guard and Jake Andrews fills out the center role.
That leaves Robinson and Sow in a competition at right guard. Third-round pick Caedan Wallace will likely begin the campaign as a reserve tackle.
All of the other draft picks should fill out reserve roles with an eye on potential playing time at some point in 2024.
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