Tougher to get the elite defensive talent when your consistently drafting at the bottom of each round.
This team's issue with so-called elite defensive talent is as much about not wanting to pay for too many high-end players, especially if they aren't perfect fits, as it is about not drafting elite talent. And, as I've tried to get across to people, once the first round picks above the Patriots have been made, and the Patriots are on the first round clock, draft position becomes meaningless.
If you want to look at why this team's defense has problems recently, that's easy to figure out. Just look at the first two rounds and you can't miss the most important reasons, and where the picks are located is not in the top 4 problems with this defense.
2012 draft - Chandler Jones not retained, Tavon Wilson was a bust
2013 draft - No first round pick, Jamie Collins not retained
2014 draft - Foolishly went with Dominigue Easley when Stephon Tuitt was on the board, drafted a QB in round 2
2015 draft - Malcolm Brown, taken instead of Landon Collins, has been a mediocrity, Jordan Richards has been a bust
2016 draft - No first round pick, Cyrus Jones has been a bust
2017 draft - No first or second round picks
In comparison, here's the list of offensive players drafted in rounds 1 and 2 in that same time period:
JAG
Aaron Dobson
So there is not even one offensive player whom the Patriots drafted in rounds 1-2 from 2012-2017 on the team.
Blaming draft
position for the talent problem with this team's defense is absurd. The top 4 issues with the defense, in no particular order are clearly:
Lost draft picks
Blown draft picks
Drafted players allowed to leave, or deliberately traded away
Lousy free agent and trade choices
People may be fine with, for example, Jones not being kept. I was fine with Jones not being kept. But decisions on who to keep on 2nd contracts, or just to keep in general, impact the quality of the team ( specifically the defense for the purpose of this discussion).
*Note, I used one site for the draft info.
DraftHistory.com
Any mistakes are on the site for the error/omission, and on me for not being more diligent in my hunting.