B+
New England Patriots
A franchise passer in Daniels headlines a B+ weekend for the Patriots.
by Sean r ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 16 picks
· 4 steals
· 6 reaches
The Patriots spent the pick that matters most on Jayden Daniels, and a roster that has been waiting on a passer can start to take shape.
If one pick saves this weekend, it is Smith. The cost of the Okie-Anoma reach is exactly the players who went right after him. They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast.
They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. With interior defensive lineman unsolved, spending premium capital on linebacker is the choice that costs them.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 10th overall pick they get the arm they will build around. A real need, handled.
In the Round 1 slot they get a cornerstone up front at a price that makes it sweeter. A clean fit for the roster.
They liked Roman Wilson enough to skip the value, taking him in pick 34. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A reach for Xavier Worthy in the 43rd pick; a little patience would have been rewarded. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Payton Wilson in pick No. 47 lands just on the right side of the ledger. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Bucky Irving. A need, and now a little less of one.
Cade Stover in slot 90 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Ben Sinnott this early at Round 4, Pick 3. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in pick No. 107 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A curious use of the 122nd pick. Interior defensive lineman needed the pick; a linebacker in Tommy Eichenberg did not.
A tidy bit of business in No. 137, where James Williams graded well above the range. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Roger Rosengarten. It fills a real need, too.
Circle this one: Tykee Smith at slot 180 is a fall that decides a draft. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
No edge and no loss on Elijah Jones in the Round 6 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint in pick 193 is fair value, right on his grade. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached into another round for Eyabi Okie-Anoma, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.