B-
New England Patriots
Quarterback settled, Daniels in the fold, and a B- for the Patriots.
by Lewi ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in the 231st overall pick was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Patriots sat still while Jaylin Simpson, the No. 158 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
The whole projection now runs through Jayden Daniels; hit there and everything else looks smarter. Reaching for Laube left real value on the table behind him. They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down.
They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the interior defensive lineman spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 9th pick they get a long-term answer under center. A clean fit for the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. is a better player than Round 2, Pick 2 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A edge rusher of that caliber at No. 68 is the definition of value, full stop. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They will replay Javon Bullard at the 103rd pick for years; that is how good the value is. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Dylan Laube in the Round 5 slot is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. It fills a real need, too.
They read the board right and Marist Liufau was the payoff at pick No. 180. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
No drama and no debate, Nathan Thomas went about where he belonged in the 193rd overall pick. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Circle this one: Jaylin Simpson at Round 7, Pick 11 is a fall that decides a draft. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.