B
New England Patriots
Carter should have been long gone. The Patriots pounced, and earned a B.
by James B603 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 8 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in the 220th pick was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Patriots sat still while Barrett Carter, the No. 80 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain. The Mbow pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. On the needs board they went 6 of 8, with edge rusher the one that mattered most.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 4 they get a premier pass rusher. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A conviction pick on Marcus Mbow at the 44th overall pick that the board grades a round light. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Steal is underselling it; Tre Harris at pick No. 69 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Dylan Sampson slipping to the 77th pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Elic Ayomanor at Round 4, Pick 4 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
You do not let a running back like Cam Skattebo reach the Round 5 slot and blink. They did not. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A safety of that caliber at pick 217 is the definition of value, full stop. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
The board fumbled Barrett Carter all the way to No. 220, and they scooped it up. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Chimere Dike in Round 7, Pick 22 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Alijah Huzzie in the Round 7 slot is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Jackson Hawes at pick 247 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.