B+
New England Patriots
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Patriots and Sanders: B+.
by d ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 7 steals
· 0 reaches
The Patriots did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Raheim Sanders fell into pick No. 238.
They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Edge rusher was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job. The hoard sets up next April more than it helps this September.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a premier pass rusher. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Tyler Warren at pick 38 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Good price on Jalen Royals in slot 69, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Alfred Collins at the 77th pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
You do not let an offensive lineman like Ozzy Trapilo reach Round 5, Pick 6 and blink. They did not. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Somehow Jason Marshall Jr. was still sitting there in No. 219, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They will replay Jaylen Reed at pick No. 222 for years; that is how good the value is. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, Raheim Sanders in the 238th overall pick, plain and simple. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Taking Luke Lachey in the Round 7 slot is close to grand larceny; a tight end that good had no business lasting this long. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.