B-
New England Patriots
Maye is the plan now, and the Patriots grade out a B-.
by irishmonk ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. Drake Maye is the Patriots' quarterback, full stop. It does the job without flash, and the B- reflects it.
A whole weekend of picks and interior defensive lineman is somehow still a want. They will answer for taking OLB-EDGE early while interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots went begging. The Harrell pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over.
That Liufau pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 3 they get the arm they will build around at fair value. A real need, handled.
A tidy little value on Brian Thomas Jr. in the 34th pick, a step better than break-even. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Patrick Paul at pick No. 68 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A curious use of the 103rd overall pick. Interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots needed the pick; an OLB-EDGE in Javon Solomon did not.
By-the-book stuff, Roger Rosengarten at slot 137 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Marist Liufau in Round 6, Pick 5. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Jaylen Harrell at the Round 6 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
JD Bertrand at No. 231 is money in the bank, a linebacker taken below his worth. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.