A-
New England Patriots
Larceny in pick No. 217 lands the Patriots a A-, Mondon Jr. and all.
by ZS ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 7 steals
· 2 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Patriots watched Smael Mondon Jr. slide 115 picks past his grade and did not hesitate. Add it all up and it grades out a clean A-.
The Bryant reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade. They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
Caelen Carson gives the group a proven body among the projects.
Few war rooms will sleep better than this one tonight.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 12 they get a disruptive interior force at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Fair-plus on Isaiah Bond, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Tyler Warren in the 44th overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A reach on Donovan Jackson in slot 69; the board had better options right there. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
The board fumbled Omarion Hampton all the way to No. 76, and they scooped it up. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Jihaad Campbell in the Round 3 slot is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A top-tier safety at a bargain, Andrew Mukuba in pick 104, plain and simple. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Cobee Bryant at pick No. 143 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A running back of that caliber at No. 148 is the definition of value, full stop. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They barely believed it either: Smael Mondon Jr. still on the board at the 217th overall pick. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Nothing to complain about; Miles Frazier went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Taking Jared Wilson in the 238th pick is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.