B-
New England Patriots
Nothing loud, just a tidy B- for the Patriots.
by Rob ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 0 steals
· 5 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Patriots spent pick No. 231 on Anim Dankwah, a name the board had a full 74 spots lower.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. They went 3 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 3 they get a long-term starter on the line at fair value.
They liked Jonathon Brooks enough to skip the value, taking him in the Round 2 slot. The roster fit checks out.
Trey Benson in Round 3, Pick 4 is fair value, right on his grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Good price on Christian Mahogany in the 103rd overall pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Mason McCormick at pick No. 137 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They paid a round early for Ryan Flournoy in the 180th pick, more than the board wanted. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Bub Means at the 193rd overall pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Anim Dankwah. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.