C+
New England Patriots
Best value of the weekend goes to the Patriots for Jones: C+.
by Sean Romiza ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 3 steals
· 4 reaches
Somebody in pick 231 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Patriots sat still while Elijah Jones, the No. 193 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. They are betting Stover proves the room right and everyone else wrong.
The dealing tilted against them, just enough to notice. They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
If Amarius Mims and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 27th pick they get a long-term starter on the line. A clean fit for the roster.
J.J. McCarthy at the Round 2 slot jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They went early on Roman Wilson in Round 2, Pick 3, and the value did not follow. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They took Patrick Paul at par in slot 66, which is nothing to complain about. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A premium they did not need to pay, Cade Stover a notch or two before his time. The roster fit checks out.
Mike Sainristil at pick No. 71 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Brenden Rice in No. 90 is fair value, right on his grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
The board had Blake Corum higher than pick 102, and the running back fell to them anyway. It fills a real need, too.
They paid a round early for Tommy Eichenberg in Round 4, Pick 36, more than the board wanted. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Javion Cohen at pick No. 179 is the proof. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Frank Gore Jr.. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
You do not let a cornerback like Elijah Jones reach the 231st pick and blink. They did not. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.