The New England Patriots sat out the first night of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday. However, they were still a big winner as they were able to retain cornerback Malcolm Butler and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, allowing them to hold on to their top-flight cornerback and the best backup quarterback in the NFL for the 2017 season.
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New England also watched three wide receivers come off the board during the first 10 picks of the draft on Thursday night. Considering this was a weak draft class for wide receivers, the Patriots look good, having flipped their last pick of the first round for a proven commodity in Brandin Cooks.