The New England Patriots traded up on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft Saturday in the fourth round, making many fans believe the team would try and find some offensive help for quarterback Mac Jones. Instead, the Pats went in a completely different direction and left all of Twitter scratching their heads, selecting a kicker out of Maryland.

Needless to say, no one could believe it and the Bill Belichick hate came pouring in.

https://twitter.com/Thomas_Carrieri/status/1652353122004619267

Needless to say, no Patriots fan was applauding this pick. Chad Ryland was 19 for 23 on field goals last season for the Terrapins and also converted 3 of 6 kicks over 50 yards. He's got a big leg. But, their offense ranked 26th in the NFL in 2022 and really struggled to produce on a weekly basis. It was clear New England need more weapons around Jones.

When an organization typically trades up in the draft, it's to select a hopeful impact player. While Ryland could end up being solid, kickers are always a risk. As we know though, Belichick always likes to select special teams players. He's got another one.

On a more positive note, Ryland could very well end up being a solid pickup for the Patriots. He has tons of college experience and showed consistency throughout his tenure at Eastern Michigan and Maryland.

New England finally nabbed a WR in Kayshon Boutte out of LSU in the sixth round, who fell down draft boards a bit. He's got potential and may turn into a key piece for the New England offense with time.