B-
New England Patriots
The Patriots checked most of the boxes and earned a B-.
by Rob ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 1 steals
· 5 reaches
The Patriots looked at the value chart, folded it up, and took Josiah Ezirim at the 193rd overall pick regardless, 99 picks early.
For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. Getting Magee where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. They went 2 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 3 they get a plug-and-play piece up front. A clean fit for the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. at the Round 2 slot is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Christian Mahogany this early at No. 68. It fills a real need, too.
A real head-scratcher, Johnny Wilson in Round 4, Pick 3 is miles ahead of his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A reach for Luke McCaffrey in the 137th pick; a little patience would have been rewarded. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Ryan Flournoy at pick No. 180 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Josiah Ezirim at pick 193 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. The roster fit checks out.
A quiet steal in No. 231: Jordan Magee for less than the market said. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.