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The 2023 NFL Draft is complete and the New England Patriots came away with 12 new players.
They drafted Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the No. 17 overall pick. On Day 2, the Patriots added Georgia Tech edge rusher Keion White in the second round and Sacramento State linebacker/safety Marte Mapu in Round 3. They were busy on Day 3, drafting three interior offensive linemen, two wide receivers, two cornerbacks, and two special teamers.
As the shine is still there on the Patriots’ draft picks, draft analysts mostly agreed that New England had a good weekend, but maybe not an excellent one.
Here’s how draft experts graded the Patriots’ 2023 NFL Draft.
Kiper only graded four teams higher than the Patriots, mostly because he was such a huge fan of their first two selections.
“New England was in a spot to get a starter, either at cornerback, offensive tackle or wide receiver,” Kiper wrote. “And that’s what Bill Belichick was able to do, trading down for cornerback Christian Gonzalez (17), a player I had ranked in the top 10. This is a fantastic get.
“I also liked the Keion White (46) selection in the middle of Round 2. He has the position flexibility to play with his hand in the dirt or standing up on the edge of the D-line.”
While he mentioned he thought the Patriots “reached” on Mapu in the third round, Kiper didn’t mind the selection but thought why they hadn’t done much to improve the 26th-best offense in the league from last season through the first two days.
Kiper is a fan of kicker Chad Ryland and punter Bryce Baringer, who were both his top-ranked players at their respective positions. He also called the Patriots’ sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte “one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft.”
“This grade might be clouded a bit by the first two selections, both of which I loved; but overall, it’s tough to downgrade this class too much,” Kiper wrote.
Reuter was similarly high on the Patriots’ draft, grading just six teams’ drafts higher than theirs.
“Gonzalez provided nice value at No. 17 as he covers receivers like a blanket and makes plays on the ball, the primary jobs of an NFL cornerback,” Reuter wrote of the Patriots’ first-round pick, which he individually gave an “A.”
Reuter was also a fan of the Patriots’ Day 2 picks, grading the day as an “A-.”
“White’s ability to play outside and inside makes him a typical Patriots defensive line selection,” Reuter wrote. “Mapu is yet another New England Day 2 pick that makes casual fans say, ‘Who?’ But I thought he showed real potential as a linebacker/hybrid who will star on special teams.
