When your team is as well-oiled as the New England Patriots, there's really no need to fret about having to secure top-class prospects in the NFL Draft. Could we even recall the last time that the Patriots made a splash in the draft by trading up for a prized recruit that they really wanted in the first round?
Instead, the Patriots look towards the free agency and trade markets to improve their roster by targeting players that aren't necessarily active superstars for the most part, but rather key pieces that will somehow thrive in the organization and become superstars in the process. They believe in their development system so much so, in fact, that the Pats have not truly invested in their late-round picks at the draft, particularly during the fifth round.
Here's an interesting tidbit that CBS Sports Boston's Phil Perry had recently dug up regarding New England's activities with its players drafted in the fifth round (or lack thereof).
For the past seven seasons, the Patriots have committed to only two out of their 10 possible fifth-round picks at the NFL draft. Instead, they used their fifth-round picks as trade assets almost every single year.
While the list of players that Perry mentioned above that New England got in return for its fifth-rounders as part of previous deals aren't necessarily studs, there's still no denying that the team knows how to run itself at an optimal level. Having to sacrifice mid-to-late draft picks for veteran upgrades appears to work just fine for the Patriots, as if it's not already evident with their wealth of Super Bowl wins and utter AFC dominance over that seven-year span.
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