WR is actually one of the few positions with a really good success rate after round 1, as far as hitting on a major talent.
In this year's draft, you had these guys going in rounds 2 and 3: Jordan Reed (#50 overall), Rashee Rice #54 (people shit on him, but he's having the same season than JuJu had last year in that offense), Tank Dell #69, Josh Downs at #79 and of course, a bunch of others later, like Pop in the 6th...
In 2022, you had Pickens, Pierce and Christian Watson in round 2
Nico Collins was a round 3 pick.
Higgins, Pittman, Deebo, AJ Brown, Metcalf were all round 2 picks.
Don't even get me started on tight ends and running backs.
The key is player evaluation. Obviously, there are massive studs like Ceedee and JJ, etc. that go early in round 1, but there is plenty of talent at the skill positions later in the draft that hit regularly, the Pats just suck at it for the most part in recent years. There are, of course, plenty of busts in rounds 2 onward, but there are a bunch in round 1 also. You just have to avoid the N'Keal's and Tyquan's of the world.