B-
New England Patriots
Grand theft in Round 3, Pick 5: the Patriots steal Campbell and grade out a B-.
by kastrup ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Patriots watched Jihaad Campbell slide 31 picks past his grade and did not hesitate.
Every board in the league had Conner lower, and that gap is the story. They will regret leaving interior defensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it. They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
The trenches got the money picks, top to bottom.
Solid rather than spectacular, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 4 they get a cornerstone up front. A real need, handled.
A slide stopped in the 38th overall pick, with Luther Burden III worth more than the price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Jihaad Campbell in pick 69 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
They took Jared Ivey at par in Round 3, Pick 17, which is nothing to complain about. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Cam Skattebo at slot 106 squarely in line with his ranking. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They robbed the room for Zy Alexander here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Steal is underselling it; Terrance Ferguson at the Round 5 slot is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It fills a real need, too.
No edge and no loss on Jordan Hancock in the 217th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson at No. 220 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The roster fit checks out.
They talked themselves into Hayden Conner at pick 238, and the board did not agree. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.