B
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Louis fall into their laps, and walked away with a B.
by pj_doucette ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 10 steals
· 0 reaches
This is the pick they will still be bragging about in July: Kyle Louis, the No. 84 name on the board, stolen at the 125th pick. Good, not great, and the B says as much.
For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain. Edge rusher was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job. They trusted the board more than the depth chart.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 31 they get a problem off the edge at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
The board fumbled D'Angelo Ponds all the way to the 72nd pick, and they scooped it up. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Michael Taaffe at slot 95 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Somehow Skyler Bell was still sitting there in No. 110, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
You do not let a linebacker like Kyle Louis reach pick 125 and blink. They did not. A minor itch, scratched.
Joe Royer is a better player than the 131st overall pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
No edge and no loss on Aamil Wagner in the Round 5 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They barely believed it either: Drew Allar still on the board at pick No. 191. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They will replay Domani Jackson at the Round 6 slot for years; that is how good the value is. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
Taking Jeff Caldwell in Round 6, Pick 21 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Marlin Klein at the 212th pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A slide stopped in pick No. 247, with Eli Heidenreich worth more than the price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.