B-
New England Patriots
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Patriots a B-.
by Dpilon19731 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 5 steals
· 4 reaches
The Patriots looked at the value chart, folded it up, and took Micah Morris at Round 5, Pick 6 regardless, 124 picks early.
Getting Barton where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher. They will answer for taking linebacker early while edge rusher, quarterback and other spots went begging.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 4 they get a press-man option on the boundary. More want than need.
Matthew Golden in the 38th pick is fair value, right on his grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Donovan Jackson at the Round 3 slot is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Barrett Carter in pick 85. It adds depth where they could use a little.
TreVeyon Henderson at slot 104 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went linebacker with Chris Paul Jr. while clear needs at edge rusher, quarterback and other spots sat open.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Micah Morris well ahead of where he belonged. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
The board fumbled Lander Barton all the way to pick 195, and they scooped it up. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
They barely believed it either: Upton Stout still on the board at slot 205. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
You do not let a linebacker like Karene Reid reach Round 7, Pick 1 and blink. They did not. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
They reached a country mile for Will Sheppard at pick No. 220, and the board is aghast. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A wild overpay on Jay Toia in the Round 7 slot, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.