New England Patriots: Critical offseason grades post-NFL Draft

New England Patriots 2021 NFL Draft

Since the draft has been well covered in these pages and everywhere else, little will be added here.

The team added a terrific young quarterback in the first round, Mac Jones. They then went defense with their next two picks, first selecting Alabama defensive tackle, Christian Barmore.

Barmore, who was projected as a first-round pick by some, was selected in the second round after a trade-up relinquishing their own second and two fourth-round picks in the process.

They then selected Ronnie Perkins an edge player in the third round from Oklahoma. Both Barmore and Perkins could be terrific players. Hopefully so. The concern here with the picks was not with the players, but position-related. That’s an important notation. They both could excel.

It was felt that the picks could have been more effectively used on other areas of need like offensive tackle and a big back (more on that later). Getting Perkins was really not much of a stretch at all, just maybe came a bit higher than they may have gone on an edge player.

The Patriots then remedied one of those needs in the fourth round taking a player that could be perfect for them. It was a big back in the person of Rhamondre Stevenson.

He’s one of, if not this writer’s absolute favorite picks in the entire Patriots draft. Yet, how can a Patriots fan not be enthused with getting a quarterback of the ilk of Mac Jones in the middle of the first round?

The lower round players were fine and hopefully, another Michael Onwenu may emerge from those picks. Overall, it was a really solid or could maybe eventually be an even spectacular draft.

In comparison to recent past efforts, it was clearly far, far superior. In most cases, they did just what they needed to do.

Upon further reflection, it was really very solid and could be a great draft. We’ll know in a few years. Let’s revise that grade to B+.