C+
New England Patriots
A mixed bag for the Patriots, and a C+ to match.
by PappyF ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 1 steals
· 7 reaches
The Oscar Delp pick is the one that will follow the Patriots into the fall. They took him 70 spots ahead of his grade, and the board is not shy about saying so. It washes out to a C+, no better and no worse.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through interior defensive lineman. On value alone, Allen makes the weekend a net positive. The roster is better shaped than it was, with edge rusher chief among the fixes.
Bottom line, the swing picks will decide whether this ages well.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 31 they get juice off the edge, even if it was a touch early. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Oscar Delp. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
No edge and no loss on Bryce Lance in slot 95; it is a wash and a sensible one. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached a country mile for Isaiah World at pick No. 125, and the board is aghast. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Beau Stephens in pick 131 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, Kaytron Allen in Round 5, Pick 31, plain and simple. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Aiden Fisher well ahead of where he belonged. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Lander Barton at the Round 6 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
VJ Payne in pick No. 202 is fair value, right on his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A big swing on Diego Pavia at the 212th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. It patches a soft spot without any drama.