B+
New England Patriots
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Patriots a B+.
by Patsarecoming ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The tape said wait; the Patriots did not. Cooper Mays went at Round 7, Pick 22, a good 67 picks before the board was ready.
They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. Landing Marks that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
Good price on Kenneth Grant in pick 25, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
By-the-book stuff, Tyler Booker at slot 38 squarely in line with his ranking. It fills a real need, too.
The board had cheaper options than Darien Porter at the 69th overall pick, and it noticed. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
They did well to land Barrett Carter in pick No. 89, just ahead of his grade. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Ajani Cornelius in the Round 5 slot is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Donovan Smith in Round 7, Pick 1 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Taking Woody Marks in the 222nd pick is close to grand larceny; a running back that good had no business lasting this long. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A real head-scratcher, Cooper Mays in Round 7, Pick 22 is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.