Bill Belichick is not only head coach of the New England Patriots, but also de facto general manager. While he is unquestionable as a head coach, his early draft picks in particular have mostly failed to ignite. But this year is different, which is also a reason for the Patriots’ current success.

Munich/Foxborough – Bill Belichick is one of the best head coaches of all time in the NFL. Both (former) colleagues and competitors agree on that. When it comes to understanding football, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the New England Patriots coach is beyond reproach.

But the 69-year-old is not only head coach, but also de facto general manager of the team, even if he is not officially called that. He has the final say on trades, free agency and the draft.

But it is precisely in the draft that Belichick has weakened recently. Before the 2021 draft, he drafted a total of 53 players since 2015, an entire squad. Of those, only one made the Pro Bowl, punter Jake Bailey in 2020. Only two teams had drafted players start in fewer games than New England in that time period.

Patriots’ rookies deliver

After a down year last year (7-9), the Patriots are currently one of the hottest teams in the AFC and the entire NFL. The six-time Super Bowl champion recently celebrated four wins in a row and is on course for the playoffs.

The star at the moment is, of course, Mac Jones. The quarterback is having an outstanding season, putting up a passer rating of 142.1 against the Cleveland Browns and throwing three touchdowns against what has been an outstanding defence. He was the Patriots’ first pick in last year’s draft.

“He’s incredibly smart,” former NFL coach Rex Ryan said of Jones on “ESPN.” “He throws his receivers free. He throws the ball before they’re open, which is what it takes in this National Football League.”

But Jones is just one of the Patriots’ many rookies helping the team achieve its current success. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 100 yards and scored two touchdowns against the Browns. He was the 120th pick in the 2021 draft.

But the 2021 Patriots may have had a golden pick on defense as well: Defensive tackle Christian Barmore went in the 2nd round to New England, and the Patriots even traded up for him. He, along with Lawrence Guy, is a reason for the Patriots’ outstanding defensive line this year.

“He’s big, he’s strong, he works hard every day and he’s already improved a lot. He’s doing a very good job,” Bill Belichick has nothing but good things to say about his defensive tackle.

Even former picks deliver: first little playing time, now a performer

These are just the current rookies who are making a big splash for the Foxborough men right now, but players from previous drafts who were already labeled as failures are now showing what they can do.

Strong safety Kyle Dugger is leading the way. He came from Division Two college Lenoir-Rhyne and was the first Patriots draft pick out of 2020. If he played sparingly last season, he is now having his breakout year: 38 solo tackles, three passes defended and three interceptions after ten games is Pro Bowl level. By comparison, Jamal Adams has three interceptions in his entire career.

“He’s an incredibly smart player. We can use him anywhere, man defence, blitzes or at the line of scrimmage,” Belichick praised his young safety.

The same goes for running back Damien Harris. The 24-year-old was drafted in the third round by the Patriots in 2019 and caused many to raise eyebrows. After only having four runs all season, Harris was already being labelled a mistake.

This season, Harris has been the Patriots’ best rusher, rushing for 547 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games. Belichick’s touch and eye seems to be paying off this season. And New England is far from finished.

Late picks and undrafted rookies: Belichick’s fist pledge

Jen’s eye for talent, by the way, was never in dispute with Belichick. It’s not for nothing that he brought in late Tom Brady (ranked 199 in 2000) and Julian Edelman (ranked 232 in 2009), two future members of the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Also, he is known for recognizing the potential of undrafted rookies who join each team for training camps.

With cornerbacks Jonathan Jones and J.C. Jackson and wide receivers Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski, as well as German Jakob Johnson, who was also an undrafted free agent, he has already molded some overlooked talent into seasoned NFL pros.

The Patriots future is bright

Looking at the Patriots’ starting lineup against the Cleveland Browns, 15 of the 24 starters (including kickers and punters) are former Belichick draft picks. That’s not even counting high-profile players like Matthew Slater, Damien Harris and Jamie Collins.

By the way, with so many homegrowns and players still on rookie contracts, New England was able to spend a lot of money in Free Agency. Matthew Judon, Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne and Co. cost Belichick a total of over $130 million. Cap space that is there and will become even more lavish in the coming years thanks to the NFL’s new TV contract.

The Patriots open week eleven of the NFL against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night (highlights on Friday morning on ran.de). The aim will be to extend the winning streak and consolidate the play-off places.

But even if that doesn’t work out and the playoff ranks are missed. The future in southwest Boston looks very bright at the moment. Also thanks to Belichick, who has rediscovered the eye for talent in the draft.