Who are the worst draft picks in New England Patriots history? There is no shortage of missed picks with New England, which has developed great talent over the years. Like every other NFL franchise, the Patriots still miss on players despite their championship pedigree.
Below, we dive into the worst draft picks in New England Patriots history.
10. Laurence Maroney, running back, 21st overall pick in 2006 NFL Draft
Laurence Maroney was selected as the 21st overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, and the Patriots thought they finally got a difference-maker at running back. Unfortunately, Maroney never lived up to the expectations of a first-round pick, especially after being selected ahead of former NFL running back Joseph Addai. The running back had two decent seasons with New England before getting hurt, came back for one more, and eventually went to the Denver Broncos to close out his career.
9. Dominique Easley, defensive tackle, 29th overall pick in 2014 NFL Draft
Dominque Easley was selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and never lived up to the hype coming out of Florida. Easley couldn’t stay healthy and only played 22 games in two seasons for New England. The defensive tackle never lived up to the expectations and only earned three sacks and 35 tackles in his time as a Patriot. Easley was released after two seasons, went to the Los Angeles Rams, and didn’t do much until being left out of the league after 2018.
Related: 10 best draft picks in New England Patriots history
8. Hart Lee Dykes, wide receiver, 16th overall pick in 1989 NFL Draft
Hart Lee Dykes was selected 16th overall in the 1989 NFL Draft and had the looks of a good wide receiver. Lee Dykes had a promising rookie season by eclipsing 700 receiving yards and backed it up with 500-plus receiving yards in 1990. Unfortunately, the wide receiver was injury-riddled after breaking his kneecap twice. Lee Dykes would eventually be released and never play in the NFL again due to the severity of his knee injuries.
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7. N’Keal Harry, wide receiver, 32nd overall pick in 2019 NFL Draft
N’Keal Harry might be one of New England’s most infamous draft busts in recent memory. Harry was selected ahead of DK Metcalf, A.J. Brown, and Deebo Samuel. Harry wasn’t even projected to go ahead of the others, too. The wide receiver struggled with Tom Brady in his final season with the Patriots and only had a careeer-high 309 yards. Harry only spent three years in New England, and it’s hard to stomach picking him due to those who were selected in the second round.
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6. Chris Canty, cornerback, 29th overall pick in 1997 NFL Draft
Chris Canty was selected 29th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft and didn’t make much of an impact on the Patriots. Canty was with New England for two seasons as a cornerback and returner. The cornerback struggled to cover wide receivers and tackle, which is unsuitable for a player who was supposed to be Ty Law’s wingman in the secondary. Canty was eventually cut after two seasons and was out of the NFL after 2000.
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5. Ras-I Dowling, cornerback, 33rd overall pick in 2011 NFL Draft
Rasi-I Dowling was selected 33rd overall in the 2011 NFL Draft but could never stay healthy. Dowling played in only nine games and never recorded an interception. The cornerback was drafted over Richard Sherman, who New England considered taking if not for Dowling, and only played two seasons with the Patriots before joining the Oakland Raiders for one last year in 2014. It was a gut-wrenching pick for New England, which lost out on the possibility of Sherman in its secondary.
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4. Chad Jackson, wide receiver, 36th overall pick in 2006 NFL Draft
Chad Jackson might be New England’s most infamous draft pick of the Bill Belichick era. Jackson was selected 36th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft and only played 12 games with the Patriots. The wide receiver had 13 catches for 152 yards before being released. Jackson went to the Denver Broncos and caught one final pass to end his career in 2008. The Jackson pick stings New England fans as Belichick traded up to pick him over Greg Jennings.
Also Read:Â Best undrafted players in NFL history
3. Phil Olsen, wide receiver, 4th overall pick in 1970 NFL Draft
Phil Olsen was selected with the fourth pick in the 1970 NFL Draft and never played a down for the Patriots. In practice, Olsen suffered a season-ending knee injury, and then the NFL invalidated his contract because of a technicality the next year. New England eventually traded him to the Rams, but he never played for the Patriots. It was a complete waste of a pick in 1970, as Olsen went on to play six seasons with the Rams.
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2. Chris Singleton, linebacker, 8th overall pick in 1990 NFL Draft
Chris Singleton was selected as the eighth overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, which turned into a nightmare scenario for the Patriots. The organization traded the third pick for the eighth and 10th pick, and neither Singleton nor Ray Agnew became difference makers. To make things worse, the Seattle Seahawks used the third pick to draft Hall-of-Fame defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, while Hall-of-Fame linebacker Junior Seau was selected fifth overall. Singleton only spent four seasons in New England and never lived up to the expectations.
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1. Kenneth Sims, defensive end, 1st overall pick in 1982 NFL Draft
Who is the worst draft pick in New England Patriots history? Kenneth Sims, a defensive end selected with the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, holds the honor. In all reality, Sims would have been a solid second-round pick, but it’s hard to stomach that he never turned out to be the elite difference maker that New England thought at first overall. Sims only played an entire season once in his eight-year career and finished with a disappointing 17 sacks.
The defensive end was one of two top-10 picks from the 1982 NFL Draft to play less than 100 games. Overall, Sims goes down as the worst Patriots draft pick in history, and it’s a shame he never lived up to the expectations of the No. 1 pick.
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