A-
New England Patriots
The Patriots left with their quarterback, and a A- to match.
by Lewi ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 12 steals
· 0 reaches
Somebody in pick No. 231 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Patriots sat still while Anthony Gould, the No. 148 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium. The sum of the weekend is a deserved A-.
The whole projection now runs through Michael Penix Jr.; hit there and everything else looks smarter. That interior defensive lineman hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
Bottom line, with Michael Penix Jr. leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 15 they get a long-term answer under center at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 27th pick they get a true top target, outstanding value to boot. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A edge rusher of that caliber at No. 34 is the definition of value, full stop. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Amarius Mims in slot 46 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Xavier Worthy in Round 3, Pick 4, plain and simple. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Junior Colson at the Round 3 slot is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Kris Jenkins at pick No. 103 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Chris Braswell in the 117th overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
The board fumbled Devontez Walker all the way to the 137th pick, and they scooped it up. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
You do not let a cornerback like Josh Newton reach pick 180 and blink. They did not. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Taking Dallin Holker in the 186th pick is close to grand larceny; a tight end that good had no business lasting this long. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They barely believed it either: Isaiah Davis still on the board at slot 193. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They robbed the room for Anthony Gould here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.