Belichick scoffs at question about Pats' poor draft track record

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If you're wondering why the New England Patriots have had relatively little success in the NFL Draft recently, you may want to speak to the person responsible for those draft picks.

But that person wasn't interested in rehashing his shortcomings Friday.

Our Tom E. Curran asked Patriots head coach Bill Belichick about his team's recent poor track record in the NFL Draft, where New England hasn't taken a Pro Bowl player since Jamie Collins in 2013.

Here was Belichick's response:

"The most important thing to me is winning games. I'm not going to apologize for our record over the last 20 years. I've seen a lot worse. Ultimately try to put the best team on the field we can to be competitive, and I don't really see that changing.

"Whoever those players are or aren’t, that’s the responsibility I feel to the team is the competition plays itself out and the better players play, whoever they are.”

Translation: Look at the scoreboard.

Belichick built the greatest dynasty in professional sports that won six Super Bowl titles, nine AFC championships and 17 AFC East titles over decades.

But the Patriots' struggles on draft weekend -- particularly at the top of the draft -- are undeniable. New England's selections in the first three rounds since 2017 include the likes of N'Keal Harry, Joejuan Williams, Yodny Cajuste, Duke Dawson, Derek Rivers and Antonio Garcia.

That's a substantial amount of draft misses. So, perhaps Belichick will admit he's not getting the production out of the Patriots' draft picks that he hoped for?

"Honestly, my focus has been on the Ravens right now, not a drafting scorecard," Belichick responded. "I understand you want to write about that, which is great. But really trying to focus on the Ravens, so I think I'll leave my attention on that."

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Indeed, the Patriots will have their hands full Sunday night against a 6-2 Baltimore team headlined by quality draft picks like quarterback Lamar Jackson and rookie linebacker Patrick Queen.

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