B
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Simon fall and pounced. Final grade: B.
by ebpd179 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Cody Simon got past him. The Patriots do not have to explain a thing at No. 217. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B.
That interior defensive lineman hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the interior defensive lineman spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a premier pass rusher. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Steal is underselling it; Tetairoa McMillan at slot 38 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A straight-up fair deal on Aireontae Ersery at the 44th pick, value and slot in agreement. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
The board fumbled Ozzy Trapilo all the way to the 106th overall pick, and they scooped it up. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Jaylin Noel at pick No. 144 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They barely believed it either: Cody Simon still on the board at No. 217. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They robbed the room for Jonah Monheim here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. The roster fit checks out.
Somehow Tahj Brooks was still sitting there in Round 7, Pick 22, and they pounced on premier running back value. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.