B+
New England Patriots
Nobody dealt better than the Patriots this weekend: B+.
by HUNTY ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 1 steals
· 8 reaches
Some picks age like wine; Jawhar Jordan at the 147th pick will need to, sitting 116 spots clear of his grade. It does the job without flash, and the B+ reflects it.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
James at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. The Patriots paired the rookies with proven help, Darren Waller leading the way.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 13 they get protection for the quarterback, reach and all. A clean fit for the roster.
A straight-up fair deal on Adonai Mitchell at Round 2, Pick 2, value and slot in agreement. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A reach on Kingsley Suamataia in pick No. 47; the board had better options right there. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Cade Stover in No. 68 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It fills a real need, too.
Johnny Wilson at the 102nd overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
DJ James slid further than he should have, and the Round 4 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A real head-scratcher, Brandon Coleman in pick No. 136 is miles ahead of his ranking. The roster fit checks out.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jawhar Jordan this early at pick 147. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They reached a country mile for Dylan McMahon at Round 6, Pick 4, and the board is aghast. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Jalen Coker at the 231st pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.