Patriots' Draft Misses: Nacua & Achane

0:00On March 30th, imagine if the Patriots had snagged wide receiver Pukka Nakuwa with their 76 pick in the 2023 NFL draft instead of linebacker Marta Maapu. Maapu grabbed one interception each season from 2023 to 2025, but only started 10 of 44 games. Nakuwa, the reigning first team all pro, turned into a star for the Rams after they took him much later at 177th overall. Nakuwa has been a nightmare for defenses, leading the league with 27 receptions of 20 yards or more in 2025. He's the all-time leader in yards per game at 95.3 and hit over 1,000 receiving yards twice in three seasons, including 1,715 in 16 games last year. Patriots fans must be kicking themselves, watching Maapu get solid playing time but nothing elite while missing a game changer like Nakua. New England could have paired him with their own 1,000 yard rusher from back then, but they passed on that firepower.

1:02Then there's the honorable mention, running back to Vana Chane, whom Miami grabbed at 84th overall. He finally broke 1,000 rushing yards in 2025, with 1,350 averaging 7.3 touchdowns per season from Texas A&M. This redraft shows how draft gems hide in plain sight. Patriots could have rewritten their roster with Nakua or Akane leading the charge into the future. This has been NFL News Today, powered by AI.