B
New England Patriots
Grand theft in the 125th overall pick: the Patriots steal Klare and grade out a B.
by d ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 9 steals
· 0 reaches
The board owed the Patriots one, and it paid up: Max Klare, the No. 76 name on the board, sitting there at No. 125 like a gift left on the doorstep. A dependable weekend that grades out a B.
They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. Wide receiver is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it. The trade work was a quiet net positive.
Value over need was the throughline, for better and worse.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 24 they get a sideline-to-sideline linebacker at a price that makes it sweeter. More want than need.
No drama and no debate, Jadarian Price went about where he belonged in No. 63. The roster fit checks out.
A slide stopped in the Round 3 slot, with Kamari Ramsey worth more than the price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A cornerback of that caliber at Round 4, Pick 7 is the definition of value, full stop. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Max Klare at pick 125 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Good price on Trey Zuhn III in slot 131, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A need, and now a little less of one.
They read the board right and Kage Casey was the payoff at the 171st overall pick. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Value with a capital V on Aamil Wagner in the 191st pick, a genuine coup. It fills a real need, too.
Nice patience on Zane Durant, who had no business lasting to the 198th overall pick. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Eric Rivers at the Round 6 slot is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They paid sticker price for Aaron Graves in Round 6, Pick 31, and that is fine. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Robert Spears-Jennings at pick 247 is the proof. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.