B+
New England Patriots
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Patriots a B+.
by Rob ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 5 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
The trade table was a mismatch, and the Patriots were on the right end of it, hauling in a fortune in surplus value.
The Warren pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. That is a tight end worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
Solid rather than spectacular, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Pick-by-Pick
Kevin Winston Jr. in No. 34 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Xavier Nwankpa slipping to the 55th overall pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Elic Ayomanor in pick No. 56 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Somehow Oscar Delp was still sitting there in the Round 4 slot, and they pounced on premier tight end value. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Tyler Warren. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.