B-
New England Patriots
Good, not great, for the Patriots: B-.
by grady.s ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
Nobody else had Caden Curry anywhere near the 95th pick. The Patriots did, by 30 spots, and that gap is the whole story.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through quarterback. The Washington Jr. steal is the beam this whole class leans on.
They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 31st pick they get a weapon on the perimeter. Exactly the need they had to hit.
No drama and no debate, Michael Taaffe went about where he belonged in pick No. 63. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Caden Curry in No. 95, miles early. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
J.C. Davis in the 125th overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Nice patience on Mike Washington Jr., who had no business lasting to the Round 4 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A quiet steal in slot 171: Cyrus Allen for less than the market said. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They paid sticker price for Kobe Baynes in the Round 6 slot, and that is fine. The roster fit checks out.
A tidy little value on Dallen Bentley in No. 198, a step better than break-even. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Aaron Graves at slot 202 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Keyshaun Elliott in Round 6, Pick 31 is fair value, right on his grade. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
The board had cheaper options than Josh Moten at pick No. 247, and it noticed. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.