B+
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Stutsman fall and pounced. Final grade: B+.
by Patfan ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 14 picks
· 11 steals
· 2 reaches
The Patriots did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Danny Stutsman fell into No. 145.
If Gregory pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 14 they get a blindside protector at fair value. A real need, handled.
A linebacker of that caliber at the 38th overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
You do not let a safety like Nick Emmanwori reach the 56th pick and blink. They did not. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Somehow Omarion Hampton was still sitting there in No. 69, and they pounced on premier running back value. It fills a real need, too.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Jack Bech in the Round 3 slot. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Circle this one: Deone Walker at pick 92 is a fall that decides a draft. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Mason Taylor at pick No. 105 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A need, and now a little less of one.
Cam Skattebo at Round 4, Pick 19 is money in the bank, a running back taken below his worth. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Danny Stutsman in the 145th overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
Steal is underselling it; Jonah Monheim at pick No. 188 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They robbed the room for Willie Lampkin here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They paid a round early for Cam Jackson in the Round 7 slot, more than the board wanted. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Hayden Conner at the 234th pick is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Eric Gregory. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
