A
New England Patriots
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Patriots and Cowing: A.
by BBB ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 3 steals
· 2 reaches
When a board-topper like Jacob Cowing slides to the Round 4 slot, you do not overthink it, and the Patriots did not. Add it all up and it grades out a clean A.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They are betting Spann-Ford proves the room right and everyone else wrong.
In the end it comes back to Joe Alt, and a haul good enough to build on right away.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 11 they get an anchor for the offensive line, outstanding value to boot.
Taking Laiatu Latu in the 34th overall pick is close to grand larceny; an edge rusher that good had no business lasting this long. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
T.J. Tampa at the Round 2 slot nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A straight-up fair deal on Brenden Rice at Round 3, Pick 4, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They did well to land Blake Fisher in the 104th pick, just ahead of his grade. A need, and now a little less of one.
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Jacob Cowing in No. 136, plain and simple. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A conviction pick on Julian Pearl at pick No. 182 that the board grades a round light. Not a spot anyone had flagged, which makes it a head-scratcher.
They liked Brevyn Spann-Ford enough to skip the value, taking him in pick 229. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.