Grading The 2024 New England Patriots Draft
By Ryan Bunton
6. Sixth Round (180th Overall): Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina
After the Patriots took a cornerback in the first round last season, they wait until the sixth round this year to bring in more young talent at the position.
Grade: C+
Not an overwhelmingly familiar name heading into the draft, Dial spent two years at JUCO Georgia Military College, including a COVID-canceled 2020 season, before transferring to South Carolina, where he spent three seasons.
Dial was the 44th-ranked cornerback and 320th-ranked overall prospect, per ESPN. The South Carolina native had pre-draft visits with three different teams, including the Patriots. Apparently, New England liked what they saw during that visit.
Dial (23) will join a Patriots cornerback group that is incredibly young. Veteran Jonathan Jones (30) is the only current corner over the age of 25, as the group is rounded out by Gonzalez (21), Alex Austin (22), Azizi Hearn (24), Marco Wilson (24), Shaun Wade (25), Isaiah Bolden (24), and Marcus Jones (25).
Jonathan Jones and Gonzalez will command the top of the depth chart at corner, while the rest of the group will hash it out for the remaining reps, with Marcus Jones perhaps having a slight edge. Unless Dial clearly separates himself, it's hard not to feel like the Patriots just added another young body to the cluster at that position.