A
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Harden fall and pounced. Final grade: A.
by Lewi ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 14 picks
· 9 steals
· 4 reaches
Give the war room a raise for the dealing alone. The Patriots came out ahead on every exchange that mattered, and it was not close. A near-flawless weekend of work, and a A to cap it.
Harden at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. They will regret leaving tight end for another day if the season turns on it.
The Patriots clearly valued win-now help, adding bodies who have done it before. If Rattler pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about.
Add it up and few war rooms did better this weekend, Taliese Fuaga and all.
Pick-by-Pick
A slide stopped in the Round 1 slot, with Taliese Fuaga worth more than the price. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Chop Robinson slid further than he should have, and pick 34 is lovely value for the edge rusher. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They let Ennis Rakestraw Jr. come to them and pounced at the 52nd pick. A minor itch, scratched.
They read the board right and Xavier Legette was the payoff at pick No. 68. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A real head-scratcher, Spencer Rattler in slot 94 is miles ahead of his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Will Shipley in No. 103 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Nice patience on Cedric Gray, who had no business lasting to the Round 4 slot. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Fair-plus on Tyler Davis, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They barely believed it either: Malik Mustapha still on the board at Round 5, Pick 19. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Marist Liufau slipping to pick No. 180 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
A big swing on Jalen Coker at No. 193, well ahead of any board in the building. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Myles Harden at slot 196 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
They went early on Dylan McMahon in pick 225, and the value did not follow. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
The board had KT Leveston higher than the 231st pick, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.