B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots checked most of the boxes and earned a B-.
by Wayne G ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
The Patriots did not so much draft Xavier Thomas as overpay for him, 49 picks clear of his grade. It sets an uneasy tone for the weekend.
Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Wright. That wide receiver hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 3rd pick they get an anchor for the offensive line. A real need, handled.
A straight-up fair deal on Tyler Guyton at No. 34, value and slot in agreement. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Graham Barton in pick No. 68 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Darius Robinson in slot 104 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Jordan Travis at Round 4, Pick 36 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It fills a real need, too.
Jaylen Wright at the 182nd overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A big swing on Xavier Thomas at pick 229, well ahead of any board in the building. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.