C+
New England Patriots
A weekend that raised as many questions as it answered. The Patriots get a C+.
by Jinx’s ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
Call it a hunch or call it a gamble, but the Patriots spent No. 80 on Emery Jones Jr., a name most had 99 spots down the list. Some smart calls, some head-scratchers, and a C+ in the wash.
They banked enough surplus on Briningstool to cover a lot of smaller sins. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
It nets out as a middle-of-the-pack haul that neither helps nor hurts much.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a blindside protector, reach and all. A clean fit for the roster.
A premium they did not need to pay, Xavier Restrepo a notch or two before his time. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Ozzy Trapilo at No. 70 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Emery Jones Jr. at pick No. 80 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They took Smael Mondon Jr. at par in Round 4, Pick 5, which is nothing to complain about. A minor itch, scratched.
They let Sonny Styles come to them and pounced at slot 141. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They paid sticker price for DeMonte Capehart in Round 5, Pick 11, and that is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Jake Briningstool at slot 235 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A need, and now a little less of one.