B
New England Patriots
The Patriots found their guy under center in Williams: B.
by Lewi ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 7 steals
· 0 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how J.J. McCarthy got past him. The Patriots do not have to explain a thing at slot 137.
Caleb Williams gives the offense a face and a plan, and the grade leans heavily on whether he hits. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through safety.
They were the ones paying the moving tax this weekend. The hoard sets up next April more than it helps this September.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
They read the board right and Caleb Williams was the payoff at Round 1, Pick 11. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
The board fumbled Malik Nabers all the way to the 23rd pick, and they scooped it up. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Kool-Aid McKinstry at the 34th overall pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, Junior Colson in pick No. 68, plain and simple. A minor itch, scratched.
Xavier Worthy in the 103rd pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
J.J. McCarthy in Round 5, Pick 1 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A straight-up fair deal on Nelson Ceaser at slot 180, value and slot in agreement. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Fabien Lovett is a better player than pick 193 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Taking Nathan Thomas in the Round 7 slot is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. It fills a real need, too.