Best and worst top-three draft picks in Boston sports history originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots have a potentially franchise-altering decision to make two months from now.
After a brutal 4-13 season, they’ll have a chance to regain relevance with their first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. They own the third overall pick, which could be used to select one of the consensus top three quarterbacks in the class (USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, or LSU’s Jayden Daniels) or a generational talent at wide receiver in Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.
The last time the Patriots had a top-three pick was 1993 when they selected QB Drew Bledsoe first overall. Their only other top-five selection since then came a year later (No. 4, Willie McGinest).
Pats fans would likely be content with a player whose talent matches either one of those names. They’ll simply hope to avoid adding yet another player to the long list of Patriots busts in recent drafts.
It’s certainly no guarantee the No. 3 pick will be a hit for New England. To show just how much of a guessing game the draft is in all four major sports, here’s a look at the best and worst top-three picks in Boston sports history.
Best
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (2017, No. 3 overall)
The Celtics had the first overall pick in the 2017 draft and were set up to select the consensus top player in the class, Markelle Fultz. However, they decided to trade the No. 1 pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 3 overall selection and a first-round pick in the 2019 draft, which later became Romeo Langford.
In what turned out to be one of Danny Ainge’s best moves as Celtics president, they selected Tatum out of Duke with the third overall pick. Tatum immediately became a difference-maker for Boston while Fultz struggled to get acclimated in Philly, and No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball lasted only two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tatum has since developed into a five-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection. The 25-year-old has helped the Celtics to four Eastern Conference Finals appearances and one NBA Finals berth. He’s well on his…
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