B
New England Patriots
Grand theft in No. 95: the Patriots steal Styles and grade out a B.
by pj_doucette ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 7 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in pick No. 95 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Patriots sat still while Sonny Styles, the No. 21 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium. It nets out to a B, which feels about right.
The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. If Lawrence pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a building block for the line. A real need, handled.
They jumped the gun on Malachi Lawrence, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Taking Sonny Styles in slot 95 is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Somehow Chase Bisontis was still sitting there in pick 125, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They barely believed it either: Ja'Kobi Lane still on the board at the 131st overall pick. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Malik Benson in the 171st pick, plain and simple. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They did well to land Jeff Caldwell in No. 191, just ahead of his grade. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Good price on Cole Payton in pick No. 198, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 6 slot, where Taylen Green graded well above the range. A need, and now a little less of one.
They robbed the room for Kaleb Elarms-Orr here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
A tight end of that caliber at the 247th overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. It fills a real need, too.