B+
New England Patriots
Williams is the plan now, and the Patriots grade out a B+.
by Lewi ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 9 steals
· 0 reaches
Call it larceny. Ja'Tavion Sanders sat on the board until pick No. 103, and the Patriots did not need to be asked twice. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B+.
Whatever Caleb Williams becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend.
Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 11th pick they get a franchise quarterback, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
In the Round 1 slot they get a plug-and-play piece up front, and a steal at that. A clean fit for the roster.
Laiatu Latu at the 34th overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at the Round 3 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Somehow Ja'Tavion Sanders was still sitting there in slot 103, and they pounced on premier tight end value. It fills a real need, too.
Audric Estime in pick No. 137 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Ainias Smith in the 180th pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Taking Mason McCormick in No. 193 is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A tidy bit of business in pick 231, where Jordan Magee graded well above the range. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.