A-
New England Patriots
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Patriots a A-.
by stan ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 3 steals
· 2 reaches
There is reaching, and then there is Benjamin Yurosek at pick 223. The Patriots jumped the board by 42 and dared it to prove them wrong. A near-flawless weekend of work, and a A- to cap it.
They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want.
Ford at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
Bottom line, with Olumuyiwa Fashanu leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get an anchor for the offensive line. A clean fit for the roster.
Xavier Worthy at slot 34 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Edgerrin Cooper in No. 40 lands just on the right side of the ledger. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Brian Thomas Jr. in the 66th overall pick is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They paid sticker price for D.J. James in Round 3, Pick 8, and that is fine. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They took Beau Brade at par in pick No. 111, which is nothing to complain about. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Ray Davis. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They jumped the gun on Jason Marshall Jr., taking him earlier than his grade liked. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Jaylan Ford at the Round 6 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
LaDarius Henderson slid further than he should have, and No. 189 is lovely value for the offensive lineman. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A wild overpay on Benjamin Yurosek in Round 7, Pick 3, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.