B+
New England Patriots
The Patriots fleeced the room on the phones and earned a B+.
by SD ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 6 steals
· 4 reaches
If confidence were a draft strategy, the Patriots would have aced it. Adam Randall at pick 247 is 34 spots clear of where he belonged. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B+.
Landing Kilgore that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. The Kilgore pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at quarterback.
The quarterback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
Anthony Hill Jr. at the 47th overall pick is money in the bank, a linebacker taken below his worth. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Elijah Sarratt at pick 66 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The board had Jake Golday higher than slot 78, and the edge rusher fell to them anyway. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Treydan Stukes in No. 92 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Ja'Kobi Lane in Round 4, Pick 13 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Jack Endries in the 125th pick. It fills a real need, too.
A want over a need in Round 4, Pick 31: Jalon Kilgore adds a cornerback while quarterback keeps waiting.
By-the-book stuff, Travis Burke at pick 171 squarely in line with his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
VJ Payne in slot 191 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Aaron Graves at the 198th pick is a conviction pick that outran the value. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Domani Jackson in pick No. 202 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Adam Randall this early at No. 247. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.