The New England Patriots needed their 2022 draft class to have some playmakers and/or role players after a draft lull until 2020.
After nine weeks, it’s still too early to grade the player or selection as developing and adjusting to the NFL game is certainly no easy task.
But we’re going to do it anyway.
Instead of grading the selection and the value, let’s take a look at each player from the draft class and give them a grade for their performance thus far in 2022.
Round 1, Pick No. 29: Cole Strange, G
Cole Strange was a selection many across the league laughed at the Patriots for making because it wasn’t a sexy name or sexy position. But Strange has been a rock so far for a rookie and has been solid in pass protection. If Strange can continue to get meaningful reps, there’s a belief he could become one of the league’s best with his elite athleticism at the position.
He has certainly flashed, but teams are trying to exploit him as he adjusts from lower-level competition to the NFL, much like Kyle Dugger had to do a few years back, when he was selected out of Division II football at Lenoir- Rhyne. For now, he is an average player with high upside but certainly not the “bust” many fans were calling him as soon as he was selected.
PFF Grade: 53.8
Cam’s Grade: C+
Round 2, Pick No. 50: Tyquan Thornton, WR
Tyquan Thornton unfortunately missed the majority of the first half of the season due to a collarbone injury he suffered in the preseason, but since returning, he has overtaken Nelson Agholor as the third receiver behind DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers.
Thornton has flashed true separation, which is something that has been missing in New England for quite some time now. He’s slowly gaining chemistry with second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
PFF is a little harsh on Thornton, but I truly believe he has looked like a stud so far and should only improve with more playing time.
PFF Grade: 56.4
Cam’s Grade: B+
Round 3, Pick No. 85: Marcus Jones KR/PR/CB
Marcus Jones has yet to fully dive into key playing time for the Patriots on defense, but he has seen his workload increase each week. As a returner, Jones has provided an excellent spark.
When he’s out there defensively, there have been flashes of why he was selected in round three. Although he was a great returner, he wasn’t selected to only return kicks in the third round. He is a player that should eventually replace Myles Bryant in the offseason or hopefully sooner.
PFF Grade: 70.7 DEF, 65.4 KR
Cam’s Grade: B
Round 4, Pick No. 121: Jack Jones CB
Jack Jones is already in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year and has dipped into Jalen Mills’ reps on the outside, opposite of Jonathan Jones. Jack Jones was knocked for his overall size, as many teams thought he was too thin to tackle. There were also some character concerns coming out of college.
He has since owned up to past mistakes and has made a great effort to improve the view of himself. Jack Jones just has “it” and certainly is viewed as one of the league’s bright rookies. He has the potential to be one of the best corners in the league in a few years, and some teams have already stopped throwing his way.
PFF Grade: 87.4
Cam’s Grade: A
Round 4, Pick No. 127: Pierre Strong Jr., RB
The jury is still out on Strong Jr. who was the fastest running back in the class. He has been involved on special teams but has done very little offensively with Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris in front of him. That likely isn’t changing anytime soon with the Patriots deciding to hold onto Harris at the trade deadline.
PFF Grade: 68.6
Cam’s Grade: C
Round 4, Pick No. 137: Bailey Zappe, QB
Bailey Zappe filled in nicely for the injured Mac Jones. Now that the fever has subsided, I think a lot of people can objectively say that Zappe looks like a good NFL backup and fringe starter, which is an important role on any team.
If you can find one in the mid-rounds that will be cheap for a few years, it should be considered a plus.
Zappe fits nicely with this team, and the Patriots may have found a long-term backup and spot-starter capable of managing the game effectively. Zappe is also potential trade bait for QB-desperate teams in the future, if they wish to trade him for draft capital similarly to how they handled Jacoby Brissett
PFF Grade: 67.1
Cam’s Grade: B-
Round 6, Pick No. 183: Kevin Harris, RB
Kevin Harris was destined for the typical Patriots redshirt season when they sent him to the practice squad, but he was surprisingly signed back to the 53-man roster in October.
He has excelled in pass protection when asked but is more of a depth piece at this time. Harris has played just 12 snaps, so the jury is still out. However, he ran well and looked good in the preseason, minus the fumble problems.
The Patriots must really like him because keeping him on the 53-man roster is surprising as the team likes to ensure players can also contribute on special teams, and he hasn’t played much on special teams. So they clearly like his run abilities more than they dislike his special teams prowess.
PFF Grade: 48.1
Cam’s Grade: C-
Round 6, Pick No. 200: Sam Roberts, DL
Sam Roberts was a surprising pick as many hadn’t heard of him prior to the draft. But the Patriots liked his raw size and skill at a position of need. He also won the Cliff Harris Award, which is given to the best small college Defensive Player of the Year. It’s an award his fellow Patriot, Kyle Dugger, won in 2020.
Overall, Roberts has been a healthy scratch but initially made the 53-man roster. When he is active, he plays a ton on special teams, as he specialized in blocking kicks and punts in college. Roberts should be in line for more work if any of the veterans on the defensive line get injured or moved, but it is still too early to write him off, as his pure size and skill flashed in camp.
PFF Grade: 46.5
Cam’s Grade: C-
Round 6, Pick No. 210: Chasen Hines G/C
Chasen Hines was comparable to Shaq Mason and can even play some center in a pinch. Hines has found his way onto the Patriots’ roster serving as depth but recently was placed on IR with likely the Foxborough Flu as OT Yodny Cajuste returned from injury.
In limited work, Hines looked solid, but one of my favorite late-round selections will have to wait a few weeks to see the field to get a real sense of who he is as a player.
PFF: Ungraded
Cam’s Grade: N/A
Round 7, Pick No. 245: Andrew Stueber OT
Stueber is a big man standing at 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, which is the prototypical tackle size. However, he has yet to see the field since being selected as he was added to the Non-football injury list (NFI) in camp. It is way too early to tell anything more about Stueber as he has yet to play or practice a snap in 2022.
PFF Grade: Ungraded
Cam’s Grade: N/A
