As a lead-up to the 2025 NFL draft, we've broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the New England Patriots.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2025 NFL Draft Hub.
New England Patriots Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2025
- Wide Receiver
- Offensive Line
- Edge Rusher
What Picks Do the New England Patriots Have in 2025?
The New England Patriots have 9 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (4)
- Round 2 (38)
- Round 3 (69)
- Round 3 (77)
- Round 4 (106)
- Round 5 (144)
- Round 5 (171)
- Round 7 (220)
- Round 7 (238)
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New England Patriots 2025 Draft Capital Stats
The Patriots have the 4th-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.
Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
New England Patriots Draft Value vs. Other Teams:
The Patriots’ draft value is 31% higher than the league average of all 32 teams.
New England Patriots Draft Prediction:
Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Patriots to draft:
- Brendan Donahue's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
- Ryan McCrystal's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #8 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
New England Patriots Strength of Schedule, 2025
The New England Patriots have the 2nd-easiest NFL strength of schedule for the 2025 NFL season.
New England Patriots Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the New England Patriots, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Drake Maye
- Joshua Dobbs
Taking over as the starter in Week 6, Drake Maye completed 67% of his passes (11th) for 6.8 yards per pass attempt (24th) with a 4.5% touchdown rate (18th) from that point through the remainder of the season.
He took a sack on 8.8% of his dropbacks (28th) with a 3% interception rate (27th).
His 12.1% inaccurate throw rate over that span ranked 24th in the league.
Maye also added 409 rushing yards from that spot of the season, which trailed only Jayden Daniels (564), Lamar Jackson (489), and Jalen Hurts (467).
Maye’s top-down numbers as a rookie don’t jump off the page compared to rookie breakouts we have been spoiled with in recent seasons, but he more than passed the eye and smell test in his initial sample in the NFL.
He had plenty of plays where his upside was apparent, especially within the context of what this offense was working with.
From a clean pocket during his time as a starter, Maye was 17th in EPA per dropback, a few spots higher than Rookie of the Year Daniels.
As you move forward in this article, you will see that the receiving room and the offensive line were among the worst in the NFL.
The coaching staff was flipped over after his rookie season as well.
Maye will work with Josh McDaniels this upcoming season, who is back for his third tour with the Patriots as offensive coordinator.
Maye will only turn 23 years old this August.
It is New England’s responsibility to provide Maye with more surrounding talent.
The team added Joshua Dobbs as a veteran presence to the quarterback room and potential backup.
Dobbs is 3-12 as a starter over his five seasons in the NFL.
The team selected Joe Milton in the sixth round last season as an upside backup, but they moved him to the Cowboys for a late-round pick this offseason.
Running Back Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Antonio Gibson
- Terrell Jennings
The New England running game was subpar last season.
Their running backs combined for:
- 4.0 YPC (27th)
- 33.3% success rate (29th)
- 19.2% of their runs failed to gain yardage (25th)
- 18.9% of their runs resulted in a first down or touchdown (30th)
While the team's overall inefficiency was at the bottom of the league, the performance of the offensive line contributed to its lack of success.
New England running backs ranked eighth in the NFL in yards after contact per rush (3.22), but they were dead last in the NFL in yards before contact per rush (0.79).
Rhamondre Stevenson has taken a step back for the past two seasons.
After posting 1,461 yards and 5.2 yards per touch in 2022, Stevenson has managed 857 yards (4.4 YPT) and 969 yards (4.0 YPT) in the past two seasons.
Stevenson rushed for 3.9 yards per carry and ranked 37th out of 46 running backs with 100 or more attempts in 2024.
Stevenson only averaged 0.97 yards before contact per rush (36th), but his yards after contact numbers also dipped last year.
He was 30th in yards after contact per rush (2.90).
Only 22.2% of his rushing attempts came against light fronts (32nd), and 40.1% came with 8 or more defenders in the box (14th).
For better or worse, New England is committed to Stevenson rebounding.
The additions on the offensive line will be paramount in aiding that.
We know Mike Vrabel wants to run the football.
Stevenson is signed through 2028 (the Patriots' first potential out year coming after the 2026 season).
In his first season with the Patriots, Antonio Gibson played a boom-or-bust complementary role to Stevenson.
Gibson accrued 744 yards on 143 touches (5.2 yards per touch).
He ranked second out of those 46 running backs in yards after contact per rush (3.91), but his 33.3% success rate as a runner was 38th and below that of Stevenson (34.3%).
Gibson is signed through 2026.
With Stevenson and Gibson locked up for the next two seasons, this is one of the few areas on offense where New England does not need to invest high-end capital.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Stefon Diggs
- Demario Douglas
- Kayshon Boutte
- Kendrick Bourne
- Mack Hollins
- Ja’Lynn Polk
- Javon Baker
- JaQuae Jackson
- John Jiles
This was once again one of the least productive pass-catching units in the league.
New England wide receivers combined for 161 receptions (28th) for a league-low 1,723 yards and 10 touchdowns (tied for the second-fewest).
They averaged 10.7 yards per catch, 31st in the league.
Demario Douglas led the unit with 621 yards (second on the team) while catching 66 passes (tied for the team lead).
Douglas has been a solid find as a slot receiver in the sixth round of 2023. The team just needs to surround him with better options on the outside.
Douglas has been on the field for 55% and 62% of the offensive snaps due to playing in 3WR sets.
Even appearing in all 17 games last season, he only managed 87 targets.
The signing of Stefon Diggs does bring into question whether Douglas can keep hold of that primary slot role.
Diggs will be 32 this November, coming off a torn ACL at the end of October last year.
Before his injury, Diggs was averaging 5.9 receptions for 62.0 yards per game.
Diggs played a career-high 46.2% of his snaps from the slot with Houston, and his 8.7 air yards per target were his lowest since 2018.
But he performed better when he moved back outside, which happened when Nico Collins suffered an early-season hamstring injury.
Diggs averaged only 1.33 yards per route from the slot compared to 2.42 yards per route outside with the Texans.
With Collins on the field, Diggs was targeted on 22.3% of his routes, a number he can easily clear on this New England roster in its present shape if and when Diggs is ready to play at full speed.
There is no official timetable for Diggs' readiness in 2025, and there is an inherent risk that he will never regain his early-career output.
The addition of Diggs does not remove wide receiver from being an overall need for this roster.
They need to add as much as possible for Maye while insulating themselves if Diggs does not bounce back from a major injury.
After catching only 2 passes for 19 yards as a rookie in 2023, Kayshon Boutte caught 43 of 68 targets for 589 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns last year.
He operated as the downfield threat for Maye.
Boutte averaged 14.9 air yards per target (14th), resulting in 22.1% of his targets being inaccurate.
Rome Odunze (26.7%) was the only wide receiver with as many targets as Boutte and a higher off-target throw rate.
New England used the No. 37 overall pick last season on Ja’Lynn Polk.
Polk turned in a disappointing campaign, catching 12 of 33 targets for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Out of 146 wide receivers to run 100 or more routes last year, Polk ranked 142nd in yards per route run (0.35).
He was buried on the depth chart to close the season, failing to earn snaps in a lackluster receiving room.
Over the final nine games of his rookie season, Polk was only on the field for 26.9% of the team dropbacks.
His draft investment can buy him more runway in year two, but Polk’s rookie performance won’t keep New England from upgrading.
The team selected Javon Baker in the fourth round last offseason, but he never found the field.
Baker only played 90 snaps as a rookie, catching one pass for 12 yards.
Kendrick Bourne returned from an ACL injury to appear in 12 games, catching 28 of 38 targets for 305 yards and a touchdown.
His 10.9 yards per catch was the lowest rate of his career.
Turning 30 this August, Bourne is under contract through 2026.
The team did add Mack Hollins, who is more of an asset as a run blocker.
Hollins has averaged 1.4 receptions per game through seven years in the NFL.
Tight End Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Hunter Henry
- Austin Hooper
- Jaheim Bell
- Jack Westover
- Giovanni Ricci
The Patriots utilized their tight ends as compensation for a limited wide receiving room and added help to insulate a battered offensive line.
New England played 12 personnel on 31.4% of their snaps (5th).
Their tight ends combined to catch 113 passes (5th) for 1,170 yards (6th) and 5 touchdowns (13th).
Hunter Henry led the team with 674 receiving yards last season.
His 66 receptions matched Demario Douglas as the team leader.
Both of those were career highs for Henry at age 30.
Hunter may not be a superstar tight end, but he is a reliable asset.
He is signed through the 2026 season.
The team retained Austin Hooper on a one-year deal.
Hooper was third on the team with 45 receptions in 2024, turning those into 476 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Hooper was targeted on 20.7% of his routes, his highest rate since the 2020 season.
Those veterans roadblocked rookie Jaheim Bell.
Bell only played 83 snaps, catching 2 passes for 20 yards.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Patriots:
LT: Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace, Caleb Jones
LG: Cole Strange, Layden Robinson, Sidy Sow
C: Garrett Bradbury, Ben Brown, Jake Andrews
RG: Mike Onwenu, Wes Schweitzer, Tyrese Robinson, Lecitus Smith
RT: Morgan Moses, Demontrey Jacobs
The Patriots had a wealth of issues up front in 2024.
They ended the season ranking 31st in ESPN’s pass block win rate (51%) and dead last in run block win rate (67%).
At Pro Football Focus, they were 31st in pass blocking grade and dead last in run blocking grade.
Injuries were a major contributor outside of a lack of talent.
New England's most-used combination up front played only 28.4% of their snaps, which was 26th in the league.
Mike Onwenu was their lone offensive lineman to appear in all 17 games.
The Patriots have already started a transition to upgrade this unit up front by signing veterans Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury.
Right tackle was a significant issue, something they needed to address.
Demontrey Jacobs played the most snaps at right tackle last season (686), allowing an 8.7% pressure rate. That ranked 86th among tackles.
Moses only allowed a 3.4% pressure rate, which was 10th.
Bradbury was more of a mixed bag with Minnesota in 2024.
He had one of the worst pass-blocking grades of his career, ranking 39th among centers per Pro Football Focus.
Bradbury allowed pressure on 5.2% of his snaps in protection, which was 40th out of 44 centers to play 100 or more snaps in protection.
Despite his setback as a pass protector, Bradbury was still an impact player in the run game.
He was 14th at the position in run blocking grade, significantly higher than the players New England played at center a year ago.
Ben Brown (667 snaps), David Andrews (193), and Cole Strange (117) all logged snaps at the center, but none were higher than Bradbury's overall grade in the position.
By adding those veterans to Onwenu, New England has locked in the right side of its line, but the left side remains an area that can be upgraded.
After appearing in 11 games with New England in 2023 (8 starts), Vederian Lowe played 14 games last season, starting 13 at left tackle.
He allowed a 6.6% pressure rate (71st) with 5 sacks.
Lowe is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Patriots can exercise Stange’s fifth-year option, but that is up in the air.
A controversial pick at the time, Strange has only played 13 games over the past two seasons.
Michael Jordan (683 snaps) and Layden Robinson (313) logged time at left guard.
Jordan left for Cincinnati in free agency.
Robinson was a fourth-round pick last season, allowing a 9.0% pressure rate (93rd) among guards.
New England Patriots Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the New England Patriots, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Defensive Line Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Christian Barmore
- Milton Williams
- Khyiris Tonga
- Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- Eric Johnson II
- Marcus Harris
- Jaquelin Roy
The Patriots struggled to contain running backs last season, finishing 26th in yards per carry allowed on RB runs (4.6) and 29th in average yards before contact allowed on those carries (1.7).
The defensive front should look a lot different this year with Milton Williams added to the fold and a hopefully healthy Christian Barmore.
Barmore missed the first 10 weeks of last season due to blood clots and then suffered a setback that forced him to miss the final three games.
New coach Mike Vrabel said the team expects Barmore to be ready for offseason work, something that would be a big boost to the rest of the defense.
If he is back, Barmore will line up next to Williams, who was signed to a massive contract after a career year with the Eagles last season.
He finished with just 5 sacks, but his 14.2% pressure rate ranked 19th among all players with at least 280 pass rush snaps last season, not just interior linemen.
That was easily the best pressure rate of his career, though, and Williams has never played more than 50% of the defensive snaps.
Add that to Barmore’s health concerns, and there is more uncertainty up front than expected given the talent available, and the depth at this spot does not stand out.
This is a position group that could use some more help.
EDGE Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Harold Landry III
- Anfernee Jennings
- Keion White
- K’Lavon Chaisson
- Truman Jones
- Titus Leo
New England finished dead last in sacks and 31st in pressure rate last season, which is basically all that needs to be said when talking about this position group.
The Patriots did reunite Vrabel with Harold Landry and brought in K’Lavon Chaisson to help shore up the unit.
Landry has been productive on the stat sheet, logging 12, 10.5, and 9 sacks in each of his last three healthy seasons, but his 7.6% pressure rate last season was less than ideal.
He has gotten more consistent pressure in the past, but his 10.8% rate over those three seasons listed above would have ranked 64th among qualified pass rushers last year.
Chaisson operates in that same area, though he did get 5 sacks in 15 games for the Raiders last season, and Anfernee Jennings is a bigger factor against the run rather than an impact pass rusher.
A second-round pick in 2023, Keion White is the upside factor here after taking a step forward in his second season.
If he can continue growing under the new coaching staff, it would do a lot to solidify this group.
The Patriots may have already made their big addition here with Landry, but this is still a unit that could use work.
Linebacker Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Robert Spillane
- Christian Elliss
- Jahlani Tavai
- Jack Gibbens
- Monty Rice
Robert Spillane was another addition during the Patriots’ big spending spree on defense, and he will likely end up being a good one.
While he is not a standout in coverage, Spillane should go a long way to solidifying a run defense that struggled in 2024.
He finished 17th among qualified linebackers in run stuffs last season with the Raiders and recorded a tackle on 22.5% of his plays in run defense (10th).
The Raiders tried to return the favor by signing Christian Elliss to an offer sheet, but New England matched to keep the young linebacker around.
Elliss was the second option behind Jahlani Tavai last season, but he was a better player and might fit better next to Spillane.
Elliss finished sixth among qualified linebackers in yards allowed per coverage snap.
With Jack Gibbens (another former Titan) also added to the fold, the Patriots are probably set here.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Christian Gonzalez
- Carlton Davis
- Marcus Jones
- Isaiah Bolden
- Alex Austin
- Marcellas Dial Jr.
- Miles Battle
- DJ James
The Patriots did not give up a ton of pass production because teams did not need to throw against them, and their 7.0 yards per attempt allowed ranked a respectable 15th in the league.
Still, they were 29th in defensive success rate against the pass and EPA per opponent pass, so it was not all roses.
Christian Gonzalez picked up where he left off in his shortened rookie season, finishing 19th among qualified corners in yards per target allowed with 11 passes defended.
He might need to take one more step to be a true elite option, but at worst, he is a very good No. 1.
New England added help for Gonzalez in free agency, signing Carlton Davis to a big contract.
Davis has struggled to stay on the field throughout his career, never playing more than 14 games in a season but also never playing fewer than 10.
When active, though, he is a quality option with a lot of experience.
Marcus Jones is a versatile No. 3 option that will likely play inside while everyone else is healthy, and he has done a solid job in that role.
The 2022 third rounder is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, adding some long-term uncertainty to the starting trio.
With good options at the top and solid enough depth, this is not a spot the Patriots need to target.
Safety Depth Chart, Patriots:
- Kyle Dugger
- Jabrill Peppers
- Marcus Epps
- Marte Mapu
- Jaylinn Hawkins
- Dell Pettus
- Brenden Schooler
- Mark Perry
The Patriots have the entire safety group from last season returning, and they added some experienced depth with Marcus Epps.
If looking for concerns, Kyle Dugger is coming off a lackluster season in which he allowed 6 touchdowns and a 137.4 quarterback rating in coverage, and Jabrill Peppers was limited to six games because of injuries and suspension.
It appears Peppers’ legal issues are behind him, though, and Dugger has played enough good football to expect a bounceback, especially if the rest of the defense around him improves as expected.
New England also has Jaylinn Hawkins and 2023 third-round pick Marte Mapu as solid depth along with the newly signed Epps, so they are likely set at safety.