2 Minute Drill: Why Patriots need to get NFL Draft right

The NFL Draft begins Thursday, and the New England Patriots really need to get it right — it is their most important draft in decades. New England possesses the third overall pick, the 34th pick, the 68th pick and others in later rounds, for a total of eight picks.The team also has a lot of needs, the biggest of which, we all know, is a quarterback. They also need a left tackle and a game-changing wide receiver. If they don't get this draft right, it may set them back years. Chicago and Washington are both expected to take quarterbacks with the first and second overall picks of the draft, which leaves the Patriots in a position of deciding between the best of whichever quarterbacks remain or filling a different need. Director of scouting Eliot Wolf will have the final say at this year's draft.He has expressed a willingness to entertain trade offers and, if one comes along, he should be bold. Why? Look back at the 2021 draft, when the Patriots selected quarterback Mac Jones. Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round of that draft and of those, only Trey Lance is a bona fide star. The other four have been busts. The chances are that many of the top quarterbacks available in this draft may also fall short of expectations in the NFL. With the highest New England draft choice since 1993, when they took Drew Bledsoe with the first overall pick, this will be a tough decision for Wolf and the Patriots. Watch the whole draft on WCVB Channel 5.