B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots drew a line under the quarterback search with Daniels: B-.
by SEAN ROMIZA ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Patriots committed. Jayden Daniels is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline. It does the job without flash, and the B- reflects it.
The Thomas steal is the beam this whole class leans on. If Liufau pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about.
The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get their guy under center for the next decade. A real need, handled.
Xavier Legette in pick 34 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Patrick Paul at Round 3, Pick 4 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. The roster fit checks out.
Brenden Rice at the 103rd overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They reached into another round for Marist Liufau, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Somehow Trevor Keegan was still sitting there in the 180th pick, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. A need, and now a little less of one.
Xavier Thomas at slot 193 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They paid sticker price for Eyabi Okie-Anoma in No. 231, and that is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.