A-
New England Patriots
Maye is the Patriots' new face under center. Grade: A-.
by EMANPATSFAN ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 16 picks
· 9 steals
· 2 reaches
After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Patriots committed. Drake Maye is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline. This is how you run a draft, and the A- reflects it.
The Smith steal is the beam this whole class leans on. The phones were where this weekend was really won.
That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
Bottom line, with Drake Maye leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th pick they get their guy under center for the next decade. A clean fit for the roster.
In pick No. 13 they get a long-term starter on the line at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
Brian Thomas Jr. in slot 34 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Ja'Tavion Sanders in pick 44. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
The board fumbled Edgerrin Cooper all the way to the Round 3 slot, and they scooped it up. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Ricky Pearsall at the 70th overall pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They let Malachi Corley come to them and pounced at No. 71. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Good price on Max Melton in Round 3, Pick 15, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
By-the-book stuff, Braelon Allen at the Round 4 slot squarely in line with his ranking. It fills a real need, too.
Dallin Holker in No. 137 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Value with a capital V on Roger Rosengarten in the 143rd pick, a genuine coup. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Dylan Laube at pick No. 180 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They barely believed it either: Tykee Smith still on the board at the 193rd overall pick. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
No edge and no loss on Julian Pearl in pick 197; it is a wash and a sensible one. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Taking Curtis Jacobs in slot 226 is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They paid a round early for Bub Means in Round 7, Pick 11, more than the board wanted. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.