Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick often had a unique way of evaluating collegiate prospects, but this process led to poor results in the 2022 NFL Draft. During the three-day event, the Patriots selected Cole Strange, Tyquan Thornton, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Pierre Strong, Bailey Zappe, Kevin Harris, Sam Roberts, Chasen Hines, and Andrew Stueber. Now, three years later, cornerback/returner Marcus Jones is the only player remaining on the roster.
Perhaps what’s more surprising is that the Cleveland Browns practice squad has more members of the Patriots 2022 NFL Draft class than the actual Patriots. Strange and Zappe signed with Cleveland’s practice squad shortly after roster cuts, while the Patriots have not retained any of their 2022 draft picks, aside from Jones.
Cleveland Browns Have More Members of the Patriots 2022 NFL Draft Class Than the Patriots
Even at the time, nobody knew what the Patriots were doing in the 2022 NFL Draft. New England surprised everyone when they selected Cole Strange with the 31st-overall pick, including Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. The team did not have a pick until the fourth round in that year’s class, and McVay openly mocked the pick, saying he thought Strange might be there with the 104th pick.
Never forget Sean McVay’s reaction to the Patriots drafting Cole Strange in the 1st round.
pic.twitter.com/tyPHc4954U https://t.co/H4cseLT52e
— A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) August 26, 2025
Second-round pick Tyquan Thornton, meanwhile, was equally confusing. While nobody doubted his deep speed, he didn’t play like anything more than a track star, and most projected him to be a fifth- or sixth-round pick. While he made the Chiefs 53-man roster this year, he has only recorded 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns through his three-year career.
Bailey Zappe, the other former Patriot on the Browns practice squad, was a fourth-round pick and thus held no realistic hope of developing into a long-term starter. However, he struggled to hold down backup work and was cut ahead of his second season. While he returned via the practice squad and made a few starts in 2023, his subpar performance helped New England secure the third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Eric Canha – Imagn Images
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