A-
New England Patriots
The Patriots won the weekend at the trade table. Grade: A-.
by Rob ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 2 steals
· 6 reaches
The Patriots did not so much draft Kimani Vidal as overpay for him, 72 picks clear of his grade. It sets an uneasy tone for the weekend.
The dealing alone would carry a lesser class. The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
Jones at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
In the end it comes back to Marvin Harrison Jr., and a haul good enough to build on right away.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 7 they get a matchup problem out wide. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Bo Nix at the 38th pick. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Christian Mahogany in slot 75 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
By-the-book stuff, Leonard Taylor III at pick No. 103 squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They paid sticker price for Elijah Jones in Round 4, Pick 15, and that is fine. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A reach for Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the Round 5 slot; a little patience would have been rewarded. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Christian Jones in the Round 5 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Kimani Vidal well ahead of where he belonged. It fills a real need, too.
They paid up for Ryan Flournoy at pick 187 when waiting would have done the job. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jordan Magee. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
A big swing on Josiah Ezirim at slot 231, well ahead of any board in the building. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.