B+
New England Patriots
No fireworks, just a tidy B+ for the Patriots.
by Kenton ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 3 steals
· 3 reaches
The Patriots bet big and early on Blake Watson, 49 picks ahead of the board. Bold does not always mean right.
The Coleman steal is the beam this whole class leans on. The interior defensive lineman hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
Adding Will Hernandez by trade rounds out the weekend beyond the rookies. A modest surplus at the table, banked quietly.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 27th overall pick they get a plug-and-play piece up front. A clean fit for the roster.
No drama and no debate, Jordan Morgan went about where he belonged in pick No. 34. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Nothing to complain about; Troy Franklin went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Keon Coleman in Round 3, Pick 2 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
By-the-book stuff, Bralen Trice at slot 68 squarely in line with his ranking. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Marshawn Kneeland in the 90th pick is fair value, right on his grade. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Brenden Rice in the 104th pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Ben Sinnott. A need, and now a little less of one.
Jordan Travis in the Round 4 slot is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Josh Newton slipping to slot 137 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Nice patience on Kamal Hadden, who had no business lasting to No. 182. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
No edge and no loss on Jaylan Ford in Round 6, Pick 14; it is a wash and a sensible one. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They reached into another round for Blake Watson, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.