A-
New England Patriots
Best value of the weekend goes to the Patriots for Mondon Jr.: A-.
by Jasonmroll14 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 15 picks
· 8 steals
· 4 reaches
This is the pick they will still be bragging about in July: Smael Mondon Jr., the No. 108 name on the board, stolen at No. 221. The sum of the weekend is a deserved A-.
Every board in the league had Jones Jr. lower, and that gap is the story. Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. The Patriots indulged a want in Campbell while a need in edge rusher and quarterback stayed open.
They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
In short, they turned a good board into a better roster, and it shows.
Pick-by-Pick
Will Campbell at the 16th overall pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
The board had Isaiah Bond higher than slot 39, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Jalon Walker in pick 48 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Jihaad Campbell at linebacker with edge rusher and quarterback open.
Deone Walker at pick No. 70 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Emery Jones Jr. at the 80th pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
You do not let a cornerback like Darien Porter reach the Round 4 slot and blink. They did not. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
A tidy bit of business in Round 4, Pick 9, where Mason Taylor graded well above the range. The roster fit checks out.
Somehow Sebastian Castro was still sitting there in Round 5, Pick 3, and they pounced on premier safety value. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They will replay Devin Neal at the Round 5 slot for years; that is how good the value is. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They paid sticker price for Seth McLaughlin in pick No. 207, and that is fine. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Taking Smael Mondon Jr. in the 221st pick is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Oscar Delp this early at the 223rd overall pick. A need, and now a little less of one.
A wild overpay on Jalen Travis in slot 235, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Deion Burks well ahead of where he belonged. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.