A-
New England Patriots
The Patriots turned the phones into found money: A-.
by 25 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 4 reaches
There was a run on nobody at that position, and the Patriots started one anyway for Brady Cook, 61 picks ahead of schedule. This is how you run a draft, and the A- reflects it.
The Stout pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain.
Adding Brian O'Neill by trade rounds out the weekend beyond the rookies.
Bottom line, with Tetairoa McMillan leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 21 they get a difference-maker at receiver at a price that makes it sweeter. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In the 24th pick they get a plug-and-play piece up front, even if it was a touch early.
Bradyn Swinson in the 56th overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Savion Williams at slot 77 is a conviction pick that outran the value. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, Devin Neal in pick 106, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They robbed the room for Cobee Bryant here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Hayden Conner in pick 217 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They talked themselves into Brady Cook at the 220th pick, and the board did not agree. It fills a real need, too.
Upton Stout at the Round 7 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.