B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.
by Kenny proctor ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 3 steals
· 5 reaches
It is the swing that defines the weekend: Logan Fano in pick No. 171, a good 54 spots before the room expected him. The bottom line is a respectable B-.
The Douglas value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere. For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain. They went 7 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 31st pick they get a true top target. The biggest hole, addressed.
A reach on Michael Taaffe in Round 2, Pick 31; the board had better options right there. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Tyreak Sapp in pick No. 95, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A big swing on Dametrious Crownover at the 125th overall pick, well ahead of any board in the building. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Somehow Tacario Davis was still sitting there in slot 131, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Logan Fano at No. 171 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A wide receiver of that caliber at pick 191 is the definition of value, full stop. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Febechi Nwaiwu at the Round 6 slot is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. It fills a real need, too.
They took Aaron Graves at par in the 202nd overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Le'Veon Moss at No. 212 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They paid a round early for Josh Cuevas in slot 247, more than the board wanted. The roster fit checks out.