A-
New England Patriots
The Patriots won the night they stopped Cowing from sliding. Grade: A-.
by Dblakejr7 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
The Patriots ran the phones like sharks, prying loose value on deal after deal until the ledger was lopsided.
The interior defensive lineman hole is the one line item this class does not answer. Cowing falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch. The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
Stockpiling next year's capital is patient, if unglamorous, asset work.
A strong weekend's work, and a rare one to find this little fault with.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 15th overall pick they get a problem off the edge at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Value with a capital V on Jordan Morgan in the 34th pick, a genuine coup. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Xavier Legette in pick 46 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
By-the-book stuff, Christian Haynes at slot 72 squarely in line with his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They took Marshawn Kneeland at par in pick No. 104, which is nothing to complain about. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
The board had Dominick Puni higher than Round 4, Pick 12, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. It fills a real need, too.
Taking Jacob Cowing in the 118th pick is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A straight-up fair deal on Ben Sinnott at the Round 4 slot, value and slot in agreement. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Frank Gore Jr. is a better player than the 182nd overall pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. The roster fit checks out.
Taulia Tagovailoa at Round 7, Pick 9 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Somehow Myles Jones was still sitting there in No. 232, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. A minor itch, scratched.