B+
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Lew fall into their laps, and walked away with a B+.
by blakrocbajan3 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 7 steals
· 2 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Connor Lew got past him. The Patriots do not have to explain a thing at the 131st pick. No fireworks, but a solid B+.
They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. Reaching for Rolder left real value on the table behind him. The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
A.J. Brown gives the group a proven body among the projects.
A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
A premium they did not need to pay, Derrick Moore a notch or two before his time. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Eli Stowers at Round 3, Pick 24 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They will replay Keylan Rutledge at No. 95 for years; that is how good the value is. It fills a real need, too.
The board fumbled Bud Clark all the way to pick 125, and they scooped it up. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Somehow Connor Lew was still sitting there in slot 131, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. A need, and now a little less of one.
A straight-up fair deal on Cyrus Allen at the Round 5 slot, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
The board had Anez Cooper higher than the 191st pick, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Keagen Trost at pick No. 198 is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. The roster fit checks out.
Josh Cameron in No. 202 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jimmy Rolder. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.