B
New England Patriots
The Patriots answered their biggest question with Maye. Grade: B.
by Biggs7079 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
Start where it matters. The Patriots took Drake Maye to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one.
That Pritchett pick is the receipt they will wave around later. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
The trades cost them a sliver of value they did not need to spend. The hoard sets up next April more than it helps this September.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 8 they get the face of the franchise. A clean fit for the roster.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Quinyon Mitchell in slot 34. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A tidy bit of business in pick 43, where Adonai Mitchell graded well above the range. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
No edge and no loss on Blake Fisher in Round 3, Pick 4; it is a wash and a sensible one. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
No drama and no debate, Braelon Allen went about where he belonged in the Round 4 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Taking Maason Smith in the 137th pick is close to grand larceny; a DT-EDGE that good had no business lasting this long. Not a spot anyone had flagged, which makes it a head-scratcher.
They will replay Ainias Smith at the 180th overall pick for years; that is how good the value is. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A top-tier cornerback at a bargain, Nehemiah Pritchett in No. 193, plain and simple. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They barely believed it either: Ty'Ron Hopper still on the board at Round 7, Pick 11. It adds depth where they could use a little.