Grading the Patriots Draft Through Three Rounds
With the NFL draft now finally wrapped up, there were certainly several major surprises, especially at the quarterback position. However, with the Patriots already having their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, they were able to avoid the drama at that position. Therefore, their focus for the first three rounds of the draft was fixated on giving Maye the best chance to succeed next season. So let’s grade how well the Patriots did through the first three rounds.
Round 1: Will Campbell - A
The Patriots desperately needed to bolster this offensive line, and they did that in a big way, selecting Will Campbell early in this draft. This isn’t the splashy pick that gets people excited, but his impact will pay dividends for this offense. This offense last year couldn’t block in the passing game or clear lanes for the running game, so getting a tackle with this selection made all the sense in the world. With Campbell’s experience in the SEC, he will be well prepared to face the premier pass rushers that are prevalent in the NFL. If he can become a cornerstone in this offense, he will become Drake Maye’s best friend.
Round 2: TreVeyon Henderson - B
I am grading the TreVeyon Henderson pick as a B, not because TreVeyon is a bad player, but because I think the Patriots overdrafted at the running back position. I agree that the Patriots needed a new dynamic running back, but there were still a lot of good running backs late in this draft class. My greatest concern with TreVeyon is not knowing whether he was successful at Ohio State because of his talent or because defenses were so scared of Ohio State’s passing game. If he were coming from a team that featured the running game, then this wouldn’t be such a big concern for me. I still believe that Henderson will be a good piece for this Patriots offense, I just have concerns about his game translating to the NFL.
Round 3: Kyle Williams - B
Kyle Williams had an amazing Senior year this past season with Washington State. He exploded for over 1,200 yards and 14 total touchdowns. However, I do have my concerns. Outside of this most recent season, Williams hadn’t produced much worth of being drafted into the NFL. Now, assuming that Williams's most recent season wasn’t a fluke, he should provide Drake Maye with yet another weapon. If he can create good separation and work all three levels of the field like he did this past year, then the Patriots may finally be starting to build a decent wide receiver room once again.
