2021 NFL Draft: 5 Teams that made the leap to contenders

3. New England Patriots

Mac Jones was always a rich choice for the 49ers with the No. 3 overall pick, as was rumored to be the case throughout the weeks leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. That smokescreen, however, seemed to wrongly color the perception of the Alabama quarterback, so much so that him slipping to the New England Patriots with the No. 15 pick isn’t looking like the home-run pick it should be considered. But rest assured, that selection could have a huge effect on Bill Belichick’s club.

We watched Cam Newton struggle his way through the 2020 season and come up empty on offense. Part of that was the lack of help in the offense but it was also due to the fact that he’s not the same player he once was. But after making substantial upgrades in free agency to help the weaponry, Jones is a much more ideal fit for the Josh McDaniels offense with his ability to make fast reads and get the ball out as quickly as possible.

Furthermore, the Patriots continued to bolster their defense outside of the first round, most notably getting a potential steal with Christian Barmore in Round 2. If New England can use that new blood to keep their defense playing at the elite level they were able to in 2019 while Jones comes in and takes over the offense to elevate it from Newton, the Pats could very well find themselves sniffing contention once again, as they did for so many years with Tom Brady.