A
New England Patriots
The Patriots fleeced the room on the phones and earned a A.
by jwm508 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Patriots, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. Very little went wrong, and the A is earned.
Spending an early pick on cornerback with edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
Rakestraw Jr. falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch. Reaching for Milton III left real value on the table behind him.
Bottom line, with JC Latham leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 21 they get a cornerstone up front. A real need, handled.
Nice patience on Keon Coleman, who had no business lasting to the 52nd pick. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 2 slot, where Ennis Rakestraw Jr. graded well above the range. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went cornerback with DJ James while clear needs at edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots sat open.
Zak Zinter slipping to pick No. 115 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A need, and now a little less of one.
Roger Rosengarten at Round 5, Pick 18 is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They jumped the gun on Joe Milton III, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Frank Gore Jr. at the 229th overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the running back. It fills a real need, too.