B+
New England Patriots
Grand theft in the Round 3 slot: the Patriots steal Elliss and grade out a B+.
by Pat4082 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 0 reaches
The Patriots ran the phones like sharks, prying loose value on deal after deal until the ledger was lopsided. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B+.
The Elliss pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
They paid sticker price for Marvin Harrison Jr. in Round 1, Pick 3, and that is fine. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Brian Thomas Jr. in pick No. 36 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Jonah Elliss in No. 68 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Bucky Irving at the 103rd pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It fills a real need, too.
A clean, defensible pick in slot 143 with a little surplus value in Jordan Travis. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
By-the-book stuff, Ethan Driskell at the 182nd overall pick squarely in line with his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Circle this one: Jared Wiley at pick 224 is a fall that decides a draft. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Good price on Zakhari Franklin in the 232nd pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Donovan Jennings at slot 247 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. The roster fit checks out.