New England sent the 233rd pick in the 2018 draft to…
New England sent the 233rd pick in the 2018 draft to Philadelphia for pick No. 250 and a 2019 seventh-rounder. The Patriots received two late lottery tickets and used the 2018 choice on Ryan Izzo, but the Eagles used No. 233 on Jordan Mailata. Mailata's development into a long-term starting left tackle creates an enormous hindsight gap in Philadelphia's favor.
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2018 7th round pick (250th overall, Ryan Izzo)
- pick 2019 7th round pick (239th overall subsequently traded, Dillon Mitchell )
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 2018 7th round pick (233rd overall, Jordan Mailata )
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Philadelphia traded the 250th pick in the 2018 draft and a 2019 seventh-round selection to New England for pick No. 233. The Eagles used No. 233 on Jordan Mailata, an Australian rugby player making an extraordinary transition to American football. New England used No. 250 on tight end Ryan Izzo and later controlled the additional 2019 seventh-round asset. At the time, the trade was a tiny move near the end of the draft centered on a massive developmental gamble.
Why Philadelphia Pulled Far Ahead
Mailata transformed the value of the transaction. After several developmental seasons, he became Philadelphia's starting left tackle and established himself as a high-end offensive lineman at one of football's most valuable positions. Producing a long-term starting tackle from the 233rd pick is exceptional even before considering how unusual his football background was. Izzo provided some tight-end snaps for New England, and the future seventh-rounder gave the Patriots another chance, but neither asset approached the importance of Mailata.
How the Trade Aged
The Eagles deserve particular credit because the outcome was not merely the result of choosing between two established prospects. Philadelphia identified rare physical traits, committed coaching resources and gave the player time to develop. New England's logic was perfectly normal: move down 17 spots at the bottom of the draft and add another future selection. Most of the time, that is a sensible way to improve expected value. This time, the specific player Philadelphia targeted turned a routine late-round transaction into a franchise-level win.
Final Verdict
Philadelphia wins with an A+, while New England earns a C. The Patriots' process was reasonable, but Mailata became a long-term starter at a premium position. No amount of modest late-round flexibility from the return can match the value the Eagles created from pick No. 233.