C+
New England Patriots
The Patriots finally solved quarterback, and it carried them to a C+.
by Brady ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 1 steals
· 6 reaches
Start where it matters. The Patriots took Bo Nix to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one.
They will need Briggs to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down. Leaving safety unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
Edge rusher was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.
So much rides on Bo Nix that the real verdict is a season or two away.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a passer to set the clock by, even if it was a touch early.
The board had Graham Barton higher than Round 2, Pick 2, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. The roster fit checks out.
Ricky Pearsall in the 45th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
No drama and no debate, Ja'Lynn Polk went about where he belonged in pick No. 68. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Mekhi Wingo at slot 103 squarely in line with his ranking. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A premium they did not need to pay, Mason McCormick a notch or two before his time. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Joe Milton III at pick 180 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
The board had cheaper options than Jaylen Harrell at the 193rd pick, and it noticed. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They talked themselves into Jowon Briggs at pick 231, and the board did not agree. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.