C
New England Patriots
The phones sank the Patriots this weekend: C.
by SD ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 3 steals
· 2 reaches
The Patriots lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again.
They will need Randall to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. The Muhammad pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through safety.
On the needs board they went 7 of 8, with edge rusher the one that mattered most.
If Zion Young and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a problem off the edge, though they paid up to get him. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
They let CJ Allen come to them and pounced at slot 40. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They took Ja'Kobi Lane at par in the 95th overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A cornerback of that caliber at the 125th pick is the definition of value, full stop. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Nice patience on Jack Endries, who had no business lasting to Round 4, Pick 31. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They paid sticker price for Kaleb Elarms-Orr in pick No. 171, and that is fine. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
A tidy little value on Ephesians Prysock in pick 191, a step better than break-even. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
A market-rate interior defensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Aaron Graves. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Nothing to complain about; Cole Payton went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
No edge and no loss on Jeremiah Wright in Round 6, Pick 31; it is a wash and a sensible one. A need, and now a little less of one.
Adam Randall in pick No. 247 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. The roster fit checks out.