The Athletic has live coverage of NFL Draft Rounds 4-7. Follow along with our picks tracker, best available and The Beast.
The New England Patriots entered the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 with eight picks over the three-day event.
After weeks of deliberation, the Patriots opted to hold onto the No. 3 pick and select Drake Maye, the quarterback they hope helps usher in a new era in Foxboro. Maye put himself on NFL radars with a standout redshirt freshman year at North Carolina. His sophomore performance last season wasn’t quite as impressive, but the Pats are hopeful Maye is everything they’re looking for in a quarterback.
After getting their QB, New England’s attention turned toward helping out their rookie quarterback. In the second round, after trading down three picks, the Pats went after a versatile receiver in Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk. In the third, they got an offensive tackle to protect him in Penn State’s Caedan Wallace.
Look for the Patriots to address depth at tight end and in the secondary on Day 3.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Patriots pick.
NFL Draft 2024 tracker: Live blog, pick-by-pick grades and analysis
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Draft pick grades: Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman rate Rounds 2-3
Full draft order: Team picks for all 257 selections
“The Athletic Football Show”: Watch live reaction to the draft
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NFL Draft 2024 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankings
Round 1
No. 3: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
How he fits
New England is taking a chance on potential over experience. The Patriots had options to trade down and perhaps stockpile at other positions, but the need at quarterback was greater. It’s a risk for New England, which ruined a quarterback in Mac Jones, but it’s the right one.
When one looks at Maye, they see a carbon copy of the prototypical quarterback. His size (6-4, 223) and arm strength are reminiscent of Andrew Luck. His statistics back it up over his two seasons as a starter: 7,929 yards, 62 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and a 64.9 completion percentage. He also was a tough runner with 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns.
There’s no question Maye has every tangible quality NFL personnel seek in a quarterback and his intangible gifts are obvious as well. But his career trajectory will move upward if he can slow down a bit and make all of the plays. That’s going to require patience from the front office, coaches and teammates — as well as himself. Considering his potential, Maye may have the most upside of any quarterback in the draft. That’s worth betting on. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Maye needs to cut down on the reckless decisions, but he is a well-put-together passer with the on-field command, athletic instincts and arm talent to create solutions for the problems that NFL defenses present. With his physical gifts and smarts, he is cut from the same cloth as Justin Herbert and has a similar ceiling as an NFL player.
Chad Graff’s analysis
• How the Patriots spurned trade offers and decided on QB Drake Maye at No. 3
Grade: A
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Drake Maye knows Pats’ quarterback of the future means not being Tom Brady or Mac Jones
Round 2
No. 37: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
How he fits
New England needed a threat at receiver for new quarterback Drake Maye, and it picked up one with Ja’Lynn Polk (6-1, 203). Last year, Polk had a breakout year with 69 catches for 1,159 yards (16.8 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. Tough and competitive but lacking top-end speed, Polk is not afraid to block or make tough catches over the middle. This was probably a bit high for him, however. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Polk must continue developing as a route runner, but he is a natural athlete addressing the football with three-level instincts and pro-level toughness. A potential NFL starter, his game is reminiscent of Josh Palmer’s when he came out of Tennessee.
Chad Graff’s analysis
• Did the Patriots do enough to help Drake Maye on Day 2 of the draft?
Grade: C+
Round 3
No. 68: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State
How he fits
The right tackle opposite Olu Fashanu at Penn State, Wallace is a huge man (nearly 6-foot-5, 314 pounds) with 10 3/4-inch hands and 34-inch arms. He also plays with great explosion and good speed into the second level as a road-grading right tackle. Wallace is 24 and there are some technique inconsistencies to be addressed, but he’s a powerful run blocker who moves people at the point of attack. He might not wow people the way an athlete like Brandon Coleman can, but he’s more steady for my taste. And New England needed it.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Wallace needs to continue developing his consistency, but he is a smooth athlete with a wide base, punch-ready hands and improved physicality to finish. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him starting as an NFL rookie at right tackle or potentially inside at guard.
Eliot Wolf said the Patriots feel like Caeden Wallace is athletic enough to play left tackle even though he didn’t do that in college.
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) April 27, 2024
Grade: B+
Round 4
No. 103
No. 110
Round 5
No picks
Round 6
No. 180
No. 193 (from Jaguars)
Round 7
No. 231 (from Bears)
(Photo of Caedan Wallace: Mark Selders / Penn State Athletics)
