B+
New England Patriots
The Patriots cashed the board's mistake on Hampton: B+.
by bringbackbrady ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 1 reaches
When a board-topper like Omarion Hampton slides to No. 97, you do not overthink it, and the Patriots did not. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B+.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
If Conerly Jr. pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. The Justin Jefferson pickup adds a known quantity to a class of unknowns.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 24th pick they get an anchor for the offensive line, reach and all. A clean fit for the roster.
You do not let a tight end like Tyler Warren reach the 38th overall pick and blink. They did not. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Jonah Savaiinaea in pick No. 40 is fair value, right on his grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Deone Walker in slot 69 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
The board fumbled Xavier Watts all the way to Round 3, Pick 13, and they scooped it up. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, Omarion Hampton in No. 97, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Taking Maxwell Hairston in the Round 4 slot is close to grand larceny; a cornerback that good had no business lasting this long. A minor itch, scratched.
They barely believed it either: Dylan Fairchild still on the board at pick 138. A need, and now a little less of one.
Jake Majors in slot 143 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.