B
New England Patriots
The Patriots robbed the room for Sanders. Final grade: B.
by BBB ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
The Patriots did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Raheim Sanders fell into No. 219. Good, not great, and the B says as much.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through safety. Matavao has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. Job largely done: edge rusher settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 4th overall pick they get a bendy edge with upside at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
A straight-up fair deal on Jihaad Campbell at pick 38, value and slot in agreement. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They went early on Darien Porter in Round 3, Pick 8, and the value did not follow. A minor itch, scratched.
They jumped the gun on Ozzy Trapilo, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Hollin Pierce at slot 105 is a conviction pick that outran the value. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Darius Alexander in No. 145 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Raheim Sanders in pick No. 219 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They paid sticker price for Theo Wease Jr. in the Round 7 slot, and that is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They reached a country mile for Moliki Matavao at the Round 7 slot, and the board is aghast. It fills a real need, too.