B-
New England Patriots
A passer of the future in Daniels, and a B-, for the Patriots.
by PatsByRiley ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 0 steals
· 6 reaches
After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Patriots committed. Jayden Daniels is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
Every board in the league had Bills lower, and that gap is the story. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 3 they get their quarterback of the future. A clean fit for the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. at pick No. 34 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Dominick Puni in pick 68, miles early. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Elijah Jones in the Round 4 slot is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
AJ Barner at the 137th overall pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Value said wait; Keaton Bills in the 180th pick says they were not listening. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Nathaniel Watson well ahead of where he belonged. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They paid up for Josh Proctor at Round 7, Pick 11 when waiting would have done the job. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.