B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.
by Dpilon1973 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 6 reaches
You build a draft on nights like this. Lander Barton had no business being available in Round 7, Pick 1, and the Patriots did the only sane thing and turned in the card.
Reaching for Sanders left real value on the table behind him. Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Job largely done: edge rusher settled and 4 of 8 of the wish list covered.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 4th overall pick they get a sticky cover corner. More want than need.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Donovan Ezeiruaku in slot 38, miles early. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Donovan Jackson at pick No. 69 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. The roster fit checks out.
They reached into another round for Luke Kandra, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 4 slot, where Elic Ayomanor graded well above the range. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Shilo Sanders at slot 143 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They will replay Lander Barton at No. 217 for years; that is how good the value is. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jimmy Horn Jr. this early at pick 220. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A wild overpay on Micah Morris in the 238th overall pick, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.