In the NFL Draft of 2024, who is the Patriots’ most undervalued selection?

Eight rookies were added by New England in this year’s draft.

The 2024 draft class of the New England Patriots is confirmed. Director of scouting Eliot Wolf stuck to his word over the course of the weekend, using six of the team’s seven draft selections on that side of the ball in an effort to weaponize the Patriots offense.

But which of the eight choices is the most underappreciated? The team at Pats Pulpit weighs in.

most overlooked draft selection

Brian Hines: Broadcaster Ja’Lynn Polk. Despite being a high second-round pick, Polk does not seem to be getting noticed. He may not be the flashiest player without a blazing 40-time or elite size, but he’s a damn good football player. It’s hard to envision Polk not being a useful player at the next level, especially paired with a quarterback in Drake Maye, whose skillsets play off each other perfectly. Tight end Jaheim Bell also drew some consideration here.

Bernd Buchmasser: OT Wallace Caedan. Who is Caedan? That was undoubtedly a common response to the Patriots’ third-round selection, and it makes some sense. Wallace, who played only on the right side at Penn State, was expected to be selected much later in the draft than he actually was. He was also a low-profile offensive tackle prospect. Without a doubt, though, Wallace is a fascinating prospect, and the Patriots have high hopes for him as a left tackle in the future.

Jaheim Bell, TE, Matt St. Jean. Bell was a third grader when I had him, and the Patriots selected him with their final selection. He is not a particularly impressive blocker, but when he has the ball in his hands, he is explosive and a valuable asset in the backfield. I’m very excited to see how Alex Van Pelt uses him.

Pat Lane: Comm Marcella Dial. The Patriots’ defense was excellent the previous season, but they still need help in the secondary. A player who could be of assistance there could be very important. Dial seems to be a guy that can make the transition to deep safety, and if he does, he could make a big impact as early as this season.

We talked about who our favorite choices were and also examined the most underappreciated choice.

favored draft selection

Brian Hines: quarterback Maye Drake. When Josh Downs was a wide receiver for North Carolina and getting ready for the draft last year, I recall being drawn to the quarterback. Maye has been my top quarterback prospect in this year’s class ever since. At No. 3, he made the simple but wise choice to give New England the quarterback who has the ability to win them back into the picture.

Drake Maye, quarterback; Bernd Buchmasser. Indeed, this is undoubtedly a cliched response. But here’s the thing: selecting to play it safe with the third overall pick in this year’s draft was the right move by the Patriots. They had two options: they could have pursued a different player or traded out. What they did instead was select a player at the most important position in the game with immense potential. Time will tell whether or not Maye will live up to his draft status, but his selection is giving the team something it has lacked recently: hope.

Matt St. Jean: QB Maye Drake. For now, I will keep it simple. Drake Maye could play quarterback for New England for the next ten years or longer. He has all the equipment required to succeed as an NFL quarterback in 2024. I am relieved that the Patriots selected the top player available without giving it too much thought.

Pat Lane: QB Drake Maye. I don’t know how you could possibly have a different answer. The entire draft hinges on him being great. If he becomes a great QB, it almost doesn’t matter what the other players do.