The New England Patriots are busy doing their due diligence on the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.
After finishing last in the AFC with a 4-13 record last season, it is of the utmost importance for the Patriots that they conduct a successful draft and get at least multiple starters from it.
The two most important selections the Patriots own are the No. 3 (first round) and No. 34 (second round) overall picks. The last time the Patriots owned a top-three pick was 1993 when they took Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe at No. 1 overall. It was a turning point for the franchise after many disappointing seasons.
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Could a similar scenario unfold in the coming years? It's possible, especially if the Patriots take a quarterback at No. 3 and surround him with enough talent at the skill positions on offense.
The Patriots met a bunch of players, including several of the top quarterbacks, at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and talked to many of them at individual Pro Days over the last couple weeks. Those meetings will continue this month as players visit Gillette Stadium for further discussions with Patriots coaches and front office execs.
Here's a tracker of all reported visits and meetings between the Patriots and 2024 draft prospects.
Monday, April 15: Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will have dinner with Patriots brass and coaches on Monday night, and he has a Top 30 visit on Tuesday, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Wednesday, April 10: Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil will attend the Patriots' local pro day at Gillette Stadium on April 15, he confirmed to Justin Melo of the Draft Network.
An Everett, Mass., native who attended Everett High School, Sainristil was a defensive leader and team captain for the national champion Wolverines in 2023 and is among Phil Perry's "Prototypical Patriots" cornerbacks who could be good fits for New England.
Tuesday, April 9: Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin is expected to have a top 30 visit with the Patriots, per Pro Football Network's Adam Caplan.
Monday, April 8: Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton visited the Patriots last week, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Guyton is expected to be a mid-first round pick.
Friday, April 5: The Patriots will host UNC QB Drake Maye for a visit on Friday, LSU QB Jayden Daniels will join the Patriots for dinner in Foxboro on Monday, and Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy will visit the Patriots the week after next, per The MMQB's Albert Breer.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reports Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher will visit New England on Friday.
Here are some other reports of the Patriots visiting with draft prospects: