A-
New England Patriots
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Patriots and Coker: A-.
by stan ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 1 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Patriots, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. They executed a plan and it shows in the A-.
The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer. The Coker pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch.
A strong weekend's work, and a rare one to find this little fault with.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 9 they get a long-term starter on the line. A real need, handled.
Bo Nix at the 34th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Xavier Legette in the 56th overall pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Kingsley Suamataia at the Round 3 slot is right where the board had him, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Andru Phillips at pick 87 is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. A minor itch, scratched.
Ray Davis at slot 103 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the running back. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Jarrian Jones slid further than he should have, and the Round 5 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A clean, defensible pick in No. 180 with a little surplus value in Ty'Ron Hopper. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
A reach on Nathaniel Watson in pick No. 193; the board had better options right there. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Jalen Coker in the 231st pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.