By selecting N'Keal Harry, Bill Belichick is making NFL Draft Fun Again for Patriots fans

The Patriots selected a potential No. 1 wideout in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday and are poised to add a couple of more difference-makers over the weekend. Isn't this better than trading down for a fourth and two future sixths?

Armed with the No. 32 overall pick in the draft, there was some speculation Bill Belichick would move down the board. But he stayed in his spot and took N'Keal Harry, which is the first time he's ever selected a wide receiver in the first round. Tom Brady got some of the help he desperately needs, endorsing the pick on Twitter.

"Glad to have you N'Keal," Brady wrote. "Big things ahead, excited to work with you."

Glad to have you N'Keal. Big things ahead, excited to work with you. https://t.co/5npgwhRDS5

In many respects, Harry appears to be engineered for success in Foxboro. He can play in the slot, averaging 3.07 yards per route run from the inside, which is the seventh-best mark in his class. He also brought in 17 contested catches last season, tied for second-most among receivers, and is regarded as a superb route runner. SB Nation's Stephen White points out Harry's willingness to block, a skill that will surely endear him to Belichick's heart. 

And if that doesn't work, Harry can impress Belichick with his punt returning acumen. He returned a 92-yarder last season. 

N'Keal Harry with a punt return for TD. #DevyWatch pic.twitter.com/oWHnKVKENH

There's also Harry's proclivity for some truly superb catches. For the first time in a while, it looks like Belichick has drafted a potential big-time playmaker. 

N'Keal Harry made one of the best one-handed catches you'll see last season https://t.co/ekiJZK44wf

The Patriots have scuffled in the draft in recent years, forcing them into salary cap trouble. Only three players from the 2016 class, for example, are still on the roster (Joe Thuney, Elandon Roberts and Ted Karras). Belichick drafted only four players the following year, opting to trade his first-round pick for Brandin Cooks. The Patriots didn't select a player until they nabbed Derek Rivers with the No. 83 overall selection. 

From 2014-17, the Patriots selected five players in the first two rounds. Only one of them, Malcolm Brown, is still with the club. The 2018 NFL Draft may change that pattern, though Isaiah Wynn (No. 23) and cornerback Duke Dawson (No. 56) spent their rookie campaigns on the injured list.

New England has five picks in Rounds 2-3, so it's unlikely Belichick will use them all. But there are still plenty of holes and players on the board, such as tight ends Irv Smith Jr. and Jace Sternberger. Those are names even a draft layman like yours truly is familiar with. 

The possibility always remains that Belichick surprises the world and doesn't fulfill areas of need or drafts somebody completely off the board –– such as Jordan Richards in the second round. But on Thursday, he stayed at the end of the first round, and addressed the team's biggest need with one of the best receivers available.

It gives us faith for an action-filled weekends. Championships aren't won in April, but there's nothing with having a little fun while we sit and watch people's names get called for hours on end.