A
New England Patriots
The Patriots robbed the room for Neal. Final grade: A.
by 2024 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 9 steals
· 0 reaches
When a board-topper like Devin Neal slides to pick 145, you do not overthink it, and the Patriots did not.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer. Adding Jordan Addison by trade rounds out the weekend beyond the rookies.
Bottom line, with Jahdae Barron leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 24 they get an island corner, outstanding value to boot. Need was not the driver here.
Tyler Warren at the 38th pick is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Jalon Walker at pick No. 45 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Elic Ayomanor slid further than he should have, and the 69th overall pick is lovely value for the wide receiver. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A quiet steal in the Round 3 slot: Jayden Higgins for less than the market said. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Fair-plus on Tez Johnson, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
The board fumbled Devin Neal all the way to slot 145, and they scooped it up. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They barely believed it either: RJ Harvey still on the board at pick 219. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Jonas Sanker in pick No. 222 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Kyle Williams at slot 240 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.