It’s a new era in New England, and the Patriots are looking to build around a young quarterback who showed flashes as a rookie.
With a proven coach in Mike Vrabel taking up the reins, the NFL’s former team-to-beat will turn to the 2025 draft as the next step toward a return to its winning ways.
2025 NFL Draft Predictions: New England Patriots
Author Name | Affiliation | Pick (#) |
---|---|---|
Brendan Donahue | Sharp Football Analysis | Will Campbell (4) |
Ryan McCrystal | Sharp Football Analysis | Will Campbell (4) |
Cynthia Frelund | NFL | Will Campbell (4) |
Lance Zierlein | NFL | Will Campbell (4) |
Chad Reuter | NFL | Ashton Jeanty (4) |
Eric Edholm | NFL | Will Campbell (4) |
Bucky Brooks | NFL | Abdul Carter (4) |
Daniel Jeremiah | NFL | Travis Hunter (4) |
Dan Parr | NFL | Will Campbell (4) |
B/R NFL Scouting Dept. | Bleacher Report | Will Campbell (4) |
Josh Edwards | CBS Sports | Jalon Walker (7 via NYJ) |
Richie Bradshaw | Sports Illustrated | Will Campbell (4) |
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | USA Today | Abdul Carter (4) |
---- | Pro Football Focus | Will Campbell (4) |
Steven Cheah | Barstool Sports | Travis Hunter (4) |
Vinny Iyer | The Sporting News | Abdul Carter (4) |
Connor Hughes | SNY | Tetairoa McMillan (4) |
Nick Baumgartner | New York Times/The Athletic | Will Campbell (4) |
Danny Kelly | The Ringer | Mason Graham (4) |
Jason McIntyre | Fox Sports | Travis Hunter (4) |
Mike Fanelli | Fantasy Pros | Kelvin Banks (12 via DAL) |
Field Yates | ESPN | Will Campbell (4) |
Kyle Dvorchak | NBC Sports | Armand Membou (4) |
Mike Renner | CBS Sports | Will Campbell (4) |
Ryan Wilson | CBS Sports | Will Campbell (4) |
Chris Trapasso | CBS Sports | Will Campbell (4) |
Results of 26 Mock Drafts:
- Travis Hunter: 9
- Will Campbell: 9
- Mason Graham: 3
- Tetairoa McMillan: 2
- Armand Membou: 2
- Kelvin Banks Jr: 1
Current Prediction for the Patriots at No. 4 Overall: Travis Hunter or Will Campbell
Analysis
Unsurprisingly, the Patriots' draft plan this year will be centered around Drake Maye, with the name of the game being the acquisition of either weapons or protection for their young starter.
Similarly unsurprising is the fact that New England seems to have their sights set on Travis Hunter to complement Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas in the receiving room.
In mocks where Hunter is already off the board after the first three picks, the conversation at receiver predominantly boils down to Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan, but many analysts project a pivot to one of the two major prospects at tackle.
There has been much deliberation regarding the two highly graded SEC linemen of this draft, as there has been mention of both LSU’s Will Campbell and Mizzou’s Armand Membou going in the top five.
Concerns surrounding Campbell’s shorter-than-average arms persist, and Membou’s dominant Combine numbers have placed him at the forefront of this conversation since early March.
It would be difficult for most other teams to justify passing up on a Heisman Trophy winning WR/CB with the fourth overall pick, but offensive tackle remains a massive gap in the roster that New England will need to fill if they hope to develop their burgeoning star quarterback.
Still, this selection could go either way depending on how the first three picks shake out.
Outliers
While many early mocks projected potential moves to gain some trade-back value before taking Michigan DT Mason Graham, three of these mocks currently have New England grabbing Graham with the fourth pick despite the likelihood of his availability down the board.
Graham is the highest-graded defensive tackle on the board by a large margin, regarded by CBS’s Chris Trapasso as “one of the most disruptive players in this entire class.”
But the fact remains that if the Patriots are committed enough to Graham, they would still be able to secure some trade value and pick him up later in the top 10.
Teams like Jacksonville (5), Las Vegas (6), Carolina (8), and Chicago (10) all have a surplus of later-round picks with needs to fill that could justify a trade-up to four.
There is also some conversation regarding Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr, but as he continues to drop on many draft boards due to perceived inconsistency.
Potential Trades
Only one mock is currently projecting a trade out of the No. 4 pick for New England despite the high upside.
While the questions surrounding Campbell’s physical metrics may cause him to drop on some boards, Donahue insists that he has the makings of “a day-one starter” that would fill an immediate need for the Patriots.