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Ladd McConkey is making Patriots’ 2024 draft trade look worse by the day originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had a notoriously bad track record selecting early-round wide receivers in the NFL Draft.
It appears Eliot Wolf is continuing that tradition.
Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey racked up a team-high six catches for 87 yards in Los Angeles’ win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, giving him eight consecutive games with at least 50 receiving yards. That’s the longest such streak by a rookie since Odell Beckham Jr., who won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014.
What do McConkey’s accomplishments have to do with the Patriots? Well, the Chargers landed McConkey thanks to a 2024 NFL Draft trade with New England in which the Patriots sent the 34th and 137th overall picks to Los Angeles in return for the 37th and 110th picks.
Here’s how both teams used those picks:
Let’s compare those players’ stats, shall we?
McConkey has 69 catches on 94 targets for 960 yards with five touchdowns through 14 games, ranking ninth among all NFL pass-catchers and second among rookie pass-catchers behind only tight end Brock Bowers. The Georgia product has recorded at least five catches in 10 different games and at least 50 receiving yards in nine games.
Still, the Chargers’ fifth-round pick out of Maryland, has played 12 games at cornerback for Los Angeles with 10 starts and has four interceptions — tied for second among all rookies — along with 10 pass breakups, a pick-six, 51 tackle and half a sack.
As for Polk and Baker? Polk has 12 catches on 32 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns on the season, while Baker has zero catches on one target in eight games played. (For those scoring at home: McConkey had as many receiving yards Thursday night versus Denver as Polk and Baker have combined this entire season.)
McConkey has exponentially more targets, receptions, yards and TDs than Polk and Baker combined.
Context…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ladd-mcconkey-making-patriots-2024-181229944.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-12-20 18:12:00
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