Patriots' Draft Miss: Pickens, Pierce, or Cook?

0:00On March 28th, back in the 2022 NFL draft, the New England Patriots sat at the number 50 overall pick, with two future. 1,000-yard receivers staring them in the face. Instead, they rolled with wide-out Taikwan Thornton, a speedy dude who flashed early, but never fully cooked for them. Thornton's best year came as a rookie, snagging 247 yards and a pair of scores, but he topped out at 91 yards the next two. He bounced to the Chiefs in 2025 and hit a career high of 438 yards there, still nothing allied. Fans still groan over passing on George Pickens, taken two spots later by Pittsburgh. The Alabama product exploded for 1,140 yards in his second year, led the league in yards per catch at 18.1. Then balled out with 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns for Dallas in 2025, snagging second team all pro, nods. They could have grabbed Alad Pierce right after that, or even James Cook at 63.

1:03Pierce topped the NFL in yards per reception the last two years. 22.3 in 2024, 21.3 last season, with 1,000-3 yards for Indy. Cook? Dude's a beast, leading Rush TDs in 2024 and piling up 1,621 yards in 2025 for Buffalo. Hindsight's brutal and drafts like that. Patriots got solid miles from Ramondrae Stephenson that year, but imagining Pickens or Pierce stretching. Defenses? That could have flipped their receiver room entirely. NFL news today, powered by AI bringing you what matters on Game Day.