B-
New England Patriots
A respectable, level-headed haul for the Patriots: B-.
by WannaBe Pats GM 15 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 0 steals
· 4 reaches
The Patriots put a flag in the ground for Eric Gentry, 144 picks before anyone else would have, and the value took the hit. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B-.
Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Small wins on the phones, but wins all the same. They went 6 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 31st overall pick they get a plug-and-play piece up front, reach and all.
A tidy little value on Jacob Rodriguez in slot 55, a step better than break-even. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A market-rate safety, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Zakee Wheatley. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Darrell Jackson Jr. at No. 95 is a conviction pick that outran the value. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A straight-up fair deal on Jack Endries at pick 120, value and slot in agreement. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
No drama and no debate, Ephesians Prysock went about where he belonged in Round 6, Pick 10. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
VJ Payne in slot 198 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Eli Heidenreich at pick 204 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Value said wait; Eric Gentry in the Round 6 slot says they were not listening. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Terion Stewart in the 247th pick is fair value, right on his grade. It fills a real need, too.