After a handful of questionable decisions in Rounds 1 through 3, the Patriots appeared to finish strong with their 2022 NFL Draft performance.
NFL draft analyst Chad Reuter acknowledged as much as he recapped the seven-round event in Las Vegas. The Patriots earned "C" and "C+" grades from Reuter for their Day 1 and Day 2 efforts, respectively, but he hit them with an "A" for Day 3. Reuter really liked one of the picks, in particular, that the Patriots made this past Saturday.
"Predictably, New England traded down in the first round to gain picks; (Cole) Strange is a solid player who will play for a decade but was not expected to be selected in the top 50, much less the first round." Reuter wrote for NFL.com. "(Tyquan) Thornton's speed was coveted, but trading a pick to get him in the top 50 was surprising, as well. I predicted New England would select Marcus Jones, a diminutive but competitive slot corner and returner, in the third round.
"Jack Jones is another small but feisty corner who could beat out veterans who underperformed last year. (Pierre) Strong is my favorite pick from this group. He runs hard and fast, and he's smart. (Bailey) Zappe's a director from the pocket with nice anticipation and a bit more zip in his arm than given credit for. (Sam) Roberts was one of my favorite defensive line sleeper picks as he creates consistent pressure up front. The athletic (Chasen) Hines and sturdy (Andrew) Stueber could be good finds late in the draft like current starter Mike Onwenu was two years ago. "
The Strong pick addressed one of the Patriots' biggest needs entering the draft: speed. New England also could use a reliable pass-catching back given the uncertainty surrounding James White, and Strong showcased pretty good hands at South Dakota State.
History suggests Strong could effectively be red-shirted as a rookie in Foxboro, but the door also seemingly is open for the 5-foot-11, 200-pound back to make an impact with the Patriots from Day 1.
