B-
New England Patriots
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Patriots a B-.
by BBB ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 19 picks
· 1 steals
· 5 reaches
Nobody else had Justin Eboigbe anywhere near pick No. 129. The Patriots did, by 19 spots, and that gap is the whole story.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. Getting Jackson where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class.
They went 7 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 4 they get a cornerstone up front. A clean fit for the roster.
Good price on Adonai Mitchell in the Round 2 slot, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They paid sticker price for Chris Braswell in the 38th pick, and that is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Kingsley Suamataia at No. 66 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
No edge and no loss on Devontez Walker in pick No. 68; it is a wash and a sensible one. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Braelon Allen at slot 100 squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Khyree Jackson in Round 4, Pick 3 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Maason Smith in the 104th pick is fair value, right on his grade. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Cole Bishop in the Round 4 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They reached into another round for Justin Eboigbe, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Luke McCaffrey at pick No. 137 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Marist Liufau at pick 146 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A minor itch, scratched.
Nothing to complain about; Dwight McGlothern went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They took Tip Reiman at par in slot 180, which is nothing to complain about. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A straight-up fair deal on Cornelius Johnson at Round 6, Pick 7, value and slot in agreement. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Julian Pearl. A need, and now a little less of one.
A reach on Javontae Jean-Baptiste in the 207th overall pick; the board had better options right there. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Trey Knox at No. 222 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They liked Josh Proctor enough to skip the value, taking him in the 231st pick. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.