Patriots

2024 NFL Draft: Here’s everything that happened in Rounds 2 and 3

The Patriots stuck to the script and addressed the receiver and offensive tackle positions with their second and third selections.

More important decisions loom for the Patriots in rounds 2 and 3. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

updated on April 26, 2024

On Thursday, Patriots addressed their top position of need in the 2024 NFL Draft, taking Drake Maye No. 3 overall.

They followed suit on Friday night, filling their next two biggest positions of need — wide receiver and offensive tackle — with their next two selections.

Originally slated to pick 34th overall and second in Round 2, New England opted to trade down to pick 37 and select WR Ja’Lynn Polk out of Washington. In Round 3, as tackles flew off the board in front of them, the Patriots opted to secure one of their own in Penn State’s Caedan Wallace.

Still no major trades for New England; Eliot Wolf simply filled the biggest holes he could with rookie talent.

Take a look at all of New England’s draft selections here. A full list of players drafted in the first three rounds is available here.

Here’s everything that happened in Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday:

11:04 p.m.: More draft records on offense

The 2024 draft class is deep offensively, and this latest record is more proof of that.

A new record 25 offensive linemen were selected in the first three rounds. The previous record for the common draft era was 23 OL picks through three rounds.

9:40 p.m.: Patriots select OT Caedan Wallace with No. 68 overall pick

Now, all three of New England’s major positions of need have been addressed in the NFL Draft.

The Patriots used their third round pick to draft an offensive tackle, Caedan Wallace out of Penn State. He played right tackle in college, but Eliot Wolf thinks he may be able to switch to left tackle.

Eliot Wolf: Caeden Wallace possibly athletic enough to make the move to left tackle.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 27, 2024

8:37 p.m.: WR Adonai Mitchell finally comes off board at pick 52

Adonai Mitchell was projected by most draft experts to be a first-round pick in a stacked WR class. Once Thursday came and went without his name called, the assumption became that Mitchell would be one of the first receivers off the board in Round 2.

Instead, he had to wait a little longer, before the Indianapolis Colts used pick No. 52 on the wideout.

7:52 p.m.: Drake Maye reacts to Patriots WR pick

The Patriots wasted no time adding another weapon for newly-drafted QB Drake Maye. And in turn, Maye didn’t waste any time voicing his excitement over that pick.

Maye took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to the draft selection of WR Ja’Lynn Polk. “Stud!! Let’s work,” Maye said in his post, followed by a fire emoji.

Stud!! Lets work🔥 https://t.co/dCwzSppRts
— Drake Maye (@DrakeMaye2) April 26, 2024

7:37 p.m.: Patriots select WR Ja’Lynn Polk No. 37 overall

Rather than trading back into the first round for a receiver, New England did the opposite, trading back from No. 34 to 37. The Patriots still wound up with a top-end WR prospect in Ja’Lynn Polk.

Detroit native, Michigan product and current Patriot Mike Onwenu made the pick for New England.

7:23 p.m.: Patriots trade No. 34 overall pick to Chargers

As it turns out, New England won’t be sitting at 34. The Patriots traded down to pick 37, and now also have pick 110.

7:16 p.m.: Round 2 begins, Bills select WR Keon Coleman

The NFL Draft officially resumed, and the Buffalo Bills used the first pick of Round 2 on WR Keon Coleman.

The Patriots are now on the clock at 34.

5:30 p.m.: Latest Patriots trade rumors

Once the 49ers drafted WR Ricky Pearsall No. 31 overall on Thursday night, NFL insiders such as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested that move could be due to San Fransisco preparing to trade one of its wide receivers.

On Thursday night, Brandon Aiyuk’s name was tossed around as the WR that could be traded, and New England reportedly inquired about him. On Friday, though, different reports suggested Deebo Samuel was more likely to be traded, according to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. The Patriots were initially reported as an interested team, but Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz followed up the report with another, stating the Patriots were “unlikely” to trade for Samuel.