B
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Pearl fall and pounced. Final grade: B.
by NE4EVER ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 3 steals
· 1 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Julian Pearl at the 231st overall pick is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. The bottom line is a respectable B.
A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want. The Solomon pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots.
The dealing tilted against them, just enough to notice.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 3 they get a go-to option on the outside at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Kiran Amegadjie. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They bypassed pressing needs at edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots to take Javon Solomon, an OLB-EDGE that was not the priority.
They took Michael Pratt at par in No. 137, which is nothing to complain about. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
The board fumbled Kitan Oladapo all the way to slot 180, and they scooped it up. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Jha'Quan Jackson at the 193rd overall pick. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A top-tier offensive lineman at a bargain, Julian Pearl in the Round 7 slot, plain and simple. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.