B
New England Patriots
Grand theft in pick No. 180: the Patriots steal Smith-Wade and grade out a B.
by NE4EVER ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
The rest of the league will want that one back. Chau Smith-Wade tumbling to the Patriots in slot 180 is a gift they did not have to think twice about.
Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Job largely done: wide receiver settled and 3 of 8 of the wish list covered.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 3rd overall pick they get a home-run threat at receiver. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Michael Penix Jr. at No. 34 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
No edge and no loss on Kiran Amegadjie in Round 3, Pick 4; it is a wash and a sensible one. It fills a real need, too.
Malik Washington is a better player than pick No. 103 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Matt Goncalves in slot 137 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They robbed the room for Chau Smith-Wade here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A minor need, but a need all the same.
You do not let a cornerback like Dwight McGlothern reach the Round 6 slot and blink. They did not. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Jha'Quan Jackson in pick 231 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.