B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots finally solved quarterback, and it carried them to a B-.
by TheGodfather ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
Start where it matters. The Patriots took Drake Maye to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one.
Oladapo at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want. The McCaffrey reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
They took Drake Maye at par in the 3rd pick, which is nothing to complain about. A need, and now a little less of one.
A slide stopped in slot 34, with Brian Thomas Jr. worth more than the price. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Patrick Paul at the Round 3 slot squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Ben Sinnott in pick 116 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It fills a real need, too.
They paid sticker price for Jaylin Simpson in pick No. 136, and that is fine. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They paid up for Luke McCaffrey at Round 5, Pick 12 when waiting would have done the job. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Steal is underselling it; Kitan Oladapo at No. 182 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Trevin Wallace in the 236th overall pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Jawhar Jordan in pick No. 250 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.