Bill Belichick Admits Patriots Not Drafting Lamar Jackson Was Mistake in New Book

Legendary former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick admitted that the team should have selected Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL draft.

Belichick confirmed that failing to pick Jackson was a mistake in his new book, The Art of Winning (h/t Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).

The Patriots added running back Sony Michel with the No. 31 pick in the 2018 draft, while the Baltimore Ravens selected Jackson at No. 32.

New England also owned the No. 23 pick that year, using it to select offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn.

While Tom Brady was still on the Patriots' roster during the 2018 draft, he would go on to play just two more years with the team before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wynn missed his entire rookie season due to a torn Achilles and struggled to stay healthy during the rest of his tenure with the Patriots, appearing in more than 10 games just once in his career.

He spent two years on the Miami Dolphins from 2023-24 and is currently a free agent.

As for Michel, he rushed for 931 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He also picked up 336 yards and six scores on the ground during New England's playoff run, which included a Super Bowl 53 victory.

He struggled to build upon his impressive inaugural season, playing for three different teams from 2019-22 before retiring in July 2023.

Both players haven't made nearly the same impact on the field as Jackson, who has blossomed into one of the NFL's best players in Baltimore.

The two-time MVP is coming off another stellar season, completing 66.7 percent of his throws for a career-high 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions in 2024. He also picked up 915 yards as a runner.

While the Patriots will be hoping that Drake Maye can take a step forward in 2025 following a promising rookie season, Belichick lamented his decision to pass on Jackson twice in 2018.