B-
New England Patriots
Good, not great, for the Patriots: B-.
by kastrup ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
There is conviction, and then there is this. The Patriots took Hayden Conner a full 29 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. The bottom line is a respectable B-.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. The Burden III steal is the beam this whole class leans on.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 4th pick they get protection for the quarterback. A real need, handled.
The board had Luther Burden III higher than slot 38, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They paid sticker price for Elic Ayomanor in Round 3, Pick 5, and that is fine. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A reach for Charles Grant in No. 77; a little patience would have been rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Cam Skattebo. A need, and now a little less of one.
A slide stopped in the Round 5 slot, with Cody Simon worth more than the price. A minor itch, scratched.
Jordan Hancock in Round 7, Pick 1 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They liked Cam Jackson enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 220. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Hayden Conner in No. 238, miles early. The roster fit checks out.