Apr 26, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner (L) Robert Kraft and president Jonathan Kraft (R) introduce the team's number one draft pick quarterback Drake Maye (C) on the game field at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The 2024 NFL Draft has officially come to a close and the Patriots officially have their rookie class.
Over three days and seven rounds, New England selected eight players to add to their roster and begin their new regime led by executive Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo.
Here are some quick thoughts on every one:
A slam dunk.
The Patriots didn’t get too cute with it. Instead, they stood pat at No. 3 overall, stuck to their guns, and drafted their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye.
Maye (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) has a strong, live arm and his athleticism matched with a knack as a playmaker will be, if anything, an exciting player for Pats Nation to lean on.
After trading down from No. 34 (while moving up 27 spots from 137 to 110 in R5), the Patriots took Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk with the 37th overall selection.
One of two players to go for over 1,000 receiving yards with the Huskies last season, Polk was actually coached by now-Patriots wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes last season, where he was an offensive quality control coach. Patriots director of college scouting Camren Williams mentioned that Hughes’ familiarity with the player gave them comfortability in selecting him.
Polk has the versatility to play both inside and outside in an offensive scheme, and brings elite skills as well as a willingness to block to the table. I really like the pick.
New England’s first “reach” of the weekend was for Penn State right tackle Caelan Wallace.
The selection originally had people wondering what New England’s plan on the right side of the offensive line would be, given that they just signed Mike Onwenu to a three-year, $57 million contract extension and Ian Rapoport reported that, “he’s expected to be [their] right tackle moving forward.”
But with some clarity from both Eliot Wolf and Wallace himself that they’re comfortable with him playing left tackle, a position where New England currently only has Chukwuma Okorafor and Conor McDermott at, the pick makes sense for a team that’s struggled with offensive line consistency.
For a second pick in a row, the Patriots selected an offensive lineman in Texas A&M’s Layden Robinson.
Robinson projects strictly a guard at the next level, which adds some cloudiness to the offensive line room as a whole. New England drafted Jake Andrews, Sidy Sow, and Atonio Mafi (all interior players) just last season, and also has former first-round pick Cole Strange to worry about.
My read? Strange’s time with the Patriots is precious given his injury history. Perhaps he’s not a lock for a roster spot.
After adding Ja’Lynn Polk in Round 2, New England lucked out a double dip at the wide receiver position with UCF’s Javon Baker being available at pick No. 110.
A projected third-rounder, Baker’s 6-foot-1, 208-pound frame translates perfectly to what the Patriots are lacking in the true X-receiver position. He has true WR1 upside.
He joins a room with Polk, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Some trimming will have to be done.
The Patriots’ only defensive player drafted in 2024, South Carolina’s Marcellas Dial adds some versatility to their secondary.
He’s a disciplined cornerback with just 10 total penalties in his college career (h/t Alex Barth), and according to some reports may have the ability to transition to free safety in the pro’s.
Given New England’s lack of corner and FS depth, the pick makes sense.
Bazooka Joe!
The Patriots make history with the selection of Tennessee’s Joe Milton III, by becoming just the fifth team in NFL history to draft two quarterbacks in the same class. Milton (6-foot-5, 235 lbs) has a cannon of an arm but is incredibly inconsistent as a passer.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler reported in The Beast that, “some teams believe he will eventually transition to tight end in the NFL (similar path as Logan Thomas).” Milton, however, shut this down on Saturday saying that it will “never happen.”
He’s a fun project worth a flier in the sixth round.
Closing out the class with yet another offensive weapon, the Patriots selected Florida State tight end Jaheim Bell.
New England had plenty of interest in Bell during the pre-draft process, including a 30-visit to Foxborough. He’s a developmental tight end for a team that needs one behind Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper.
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