The New England Patriots do not get their hands on the No. 1 pick very often.

Thanks to years of dominance, selecting Drake Maye inside the top three in 2024 was an anomaly.

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Drew Bledsoe was the last man the Patriots selected with the No.1 pick[/caption]

While the rookie looks an excellent prospect, it is unfortunately becoming a habit and six-straight losses have the Patriots holding the first overall pick heading into Week 18.

Per ESPN, there is a 78.1% of New England having the first selection following the season-ending clash with the Buffalo Bills.

The last time the franchise was in that position was in 1993 – and it worked out brilliantly.

Bill Parcells was entering his first year as Patriots head coach and needed a quarterback.

The decision was between Bledsoe and Rick Mirer – the Pats went with Bledsoe and history proved them right.

Taking over as the face of the franchise, he was 63-60 in nine years as a starter.

His rookie season saw the Patriots improve from two to five wins thanks to their new QB passing for 2,494 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in 13 games.

The following campaign, Bledsoe set single-game records in pass completions (45) and attempts (70) to inspire a comeback win over the Minnesota Vikings.

It was the dawning of a new era as the Pats rallied from a 3-6 record to win their final seven games and secure a wild-card spot. They would lose to future coach Bill Belichick‘s Cleveland Browns in that outing but Bledsoe had established himself.

A down season was followed by a run to Super Bowl XXXI in 1996, where New England lost 35-21 to the Green Bay Packers.

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Tom Brady sat behind Bledsoe for a season before taking advantage of an injury[/caption]

Bledsoe made the Pro Bowl three times as a Patriot but never made it back to the biggest game of all.

And his main contribution to the franchise will always be handing the reins to a young Tom Brady.

A sixth-round pick, the GOAT began the 2000 season as a fourth-string passer but climbed his way to No. 2 on the depth chart over the course of the campaign.

In 2001, Bledsoe went down injured in Week 2. The rest is history as the greatest Draft steal of all time won six rings in New England.

Bledsoe did get his revenge during The Roast of Tom Brady with a brutal put-down.

“I’ve experienced a few things you’ll never get to experience,” he began. “The feeling of being the No. 1 draft pick… and having a 28th wedding anniversary.”

Maye performed well enough on a poor team to give hope he is the long-term heir to Brady.

Bledsoe thought the young passer entered a similar situation to the one he inherited in 1993.

“It’s always a dilemma, because when you drafted that high you know by definition you are going to a team that’s not very good,” he said ahead of the season. “Especially as a quarterback that’s hard.”

If they do hold the No. 1 pick, it is possible the Patriots will trade down to a QB-needy team and acquire enough capital to give Maye some much-needed help on both sides of the ball.

In order to move up eight spots from ninth to draft Bryce Young in 2023, the Panthers gave up star wide receiver D.J. Moore, their first-round pick in 2024 – which turned into Caleb Williams – and two second-rounders.

It is a huge call for a franchise not used to operating at this end of the Draft, get it wrong and lean years could become a regular feature in new England.