A-
New England Patriots
Best value of the weekend goes to the Patriots for Jones: A-.
by PoppaShart ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 1 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Patriots watched Elijah Jones slide 41 picks past his grade and did not hesitate.
Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
Matthew Stafford gives the group a proven body among the projects. The cost of the Watson reach is exactly the players who went right after him.
Bottom line, with Troy Fautanu leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 19 they get a building block for the line. A real need, handled.
J.J. McCarthy in pick No. 34 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Taking Xavier Worthy in No. 69 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Ben Sinnott at the 103rd overall pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Cedric Gray at the Round 5 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Christian Jones. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Elijah Jones in Round 6, Pick 5 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
The board had cheaper options than Blake Watson at the 193rd pick, and it noticed. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
You do not let a linebacker like Nathaniel Watson reach the 231st overall pick and blink. They did not. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.