B-
New England Patriots
Nothing loud, just a tidy B- for the Patriots.
by Rob ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Patriots spent the 136th overall pick on Christian Jones, a name the board had a full 74 spots lower. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
However the rest shakes out, McConkey at that price is a win they earned. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. Job largely done: wide receiver settled and 3 of 8 of the wish list covered.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a long-term starter on the line. A real need, handled.
The board had Taliese Fuaga higher than Round 2, Pick 2, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
You do not let a wide receiver like Ladd McConkey reach pick 68 and blink. They did not. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Luke McCaffrey at pick No. 104 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Christian Jones in No. 136 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It fills a real need, too.
They talked themselves into Tyrone Tracy Jr. at slot 182, and the board did not agree. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A big swing on Isaac Guerendo at No. 229, well ahead of any board in the building. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.