A
New England Patriots
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Patriots and Wohler: A.
by brant ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 1 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Patriots were there to profit. Hunter Wohler, the No. 172 name on the board, should have been long gone before Round 7, Pick 3. It holds up to a second look, which is why it earns the A.
They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. Every board in the league had Williams lower, and that gap is the story.
Trust the process, because this time the process plainly worked.
Pick-by-Pick
They barely believed it either: Xavier Restrepo still on the board at pick 36. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Circle this one: Carson Beck at slot 67 is a fall that decides a draft. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Kaleb Johnson in the 93rd overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They did well to land Lander Barton in No. 103, just ahead of his grade. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Davison Igbinosun in the 125th pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
The board had cheaper options than Antonio Williams at Round 5, Pick 1, and it noticed. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
You do not let a safety like Hunter Wohler reach pick No. 217 and blink. They did not. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A wide receiver of that caliber at the Round 7 slot is the definition of value, full stop. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Aydan White in the Round 7 slot should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.