B-
New England Patriots
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Patriots a B-.
by Warren1 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 1 steals
· 3 reaches
The tape said wait; the Patriots did not. Devaughn Vele went at No. 242, a good 64 picks before the board was ready.
A whole weekend of picks and safety is somehow still a want. That is an interior defensive lineman worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the safety spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 15 they get a sticky cover corner at fair value. Need was not the driver here.
A straight-up fair deal on Kingsley Suamataia at the Round 3 slot, value and slot in agreement. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
By-the-book stuff, Jalen McMillan at pick 103 squarely in line with his ranking. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
No edge and no loss on Gabriel Murphy in the 106th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A tidy bit of business in the 110th overall pick, where Maason Smith graded well above the range. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Good price on Dwight McGlothern in No. 182, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Edefuan Ulofoshio. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They reached into another round for Keith Randolph Jr., and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Carter Bradley at No. 231 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. The roster fit checks out.
A big swing on Devaughn Vele at the Round 7 slot, well ahead of any board in the building. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.