NFL Draft 'Quick-Snap' Draft Grades: Patriots 'Experts' Smarter Than Bill Belichick?

This much is true: If a critic (or you, or me) deserve some benefit of the doubt - and some time - Bill Belichick damn sure does.

OK, we get it: Media "experts'' are smarter about the NFL Draft than Bill Belichick.

There. You happy?

It's ridiculous, of course. What the New England Patriots did (or did not) accomplish in the 2022 NFL Draft (info here) cannot accurately be judged today.

At all.

And along those lines ... Here's a take I have never heard before: NFL.com is saying that the evaluators shouldn't try to judge teams' picks in the long-term, but rather, that immediate snap judgments provide a clearer picture.

Hmm.

Writes Chad Reuter: "Grading teams' drafts immediately after the event is necessary in order to provide the proper evaluation of their actions in the moment. Waiting three years to evaluate draft classes, without accounting for how the decision was viewed at the time, usually leads to revisionist history.''

Pats' picks

Bailey Zappe

Cole Strange

I've always leaned the other way - basically passing on pretending to be smart enough to give "my grades'' to the work of somebody like Belichick and staff.

But Reuter's way is ... more interesting, for sure. And for this team, here they are ... 

New England Patriots C+

Draft picks

UT-Chattanooga OG Cole Strange (No. 29 overall)

Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton (No. 50 overall)

Houston CB Marcus Jones (No. 85 overall)

Arizona State CB Jack Jones (No. 121 overall)

South Dakota State RB Pierre Strong (No. 127 overall)

Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe (No. 137 overall)

South Carolina RB Kevin Harris (No. 183 overall)

Northwest Missouri State DT Sam Roberts (No. 200 overall)

LSU C Chasen Hines (No. 210 overall)

Michigan OT Andrew Stueber (No. 245 overall)

Day 1 grade: C

Day 2 grade: C+

Day 3 grade: A

Analysis: Predictably, New England traded down in the first round to gain picks; 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. Thornton's speed was coveted, but trading a pick to get him in the top 50 was surprising, as well. ... Strong is my favorite pick from this group. ... Zappe's a director from the pocket with nice anticipation and a bit more zip in his arm than given credit for. Roberts was one of my favorite defensive line sleeper picks as he creates consistent pressure up front. The athletic Hines and sturdy Stueber could be good finds late in the draft.

In summary: That's actually a pretty flattering review given that it's a C+. But in any event, this much is true: If Reuter (or you, or me) deserve some benefit of the doubt - and some time - Bill Belichick damn sure does.