B
New England Patriots
The Patriots bet the future on Maye. The board says B.
by wc23423 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Patriots were there to profit. Joe Alt, the No. 3 name on the board, should have been long gone before pick No. 68.
The whole projection now runs through Drake Maye; hit there and everything else looks smarter. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
The roster is better shaped than it was, with wide receiver chief among the fixes. The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 3rd pick they get the arm they will build around at fair value. A real need, handled.
Steal is underselling it; Malik Nabers at the Round 2 slot is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They will replay Joe Alt at Round 3, Pick 4 for years; that is how good the value is. It fills a real need, too.
A cornerback of that caliber at slot 104 is the definition of value, full stop. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Dominick Puni at the 136th pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The roster fit checks out.
A top-tier cornerback at a bargain, Kalen King in the 182nd overall pick, plain and simple. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
Luke McCaffrey at pick No. 229 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.