The New England Patriots‘ first season in the post-Bill Belichick era did not go as the team had hoped. That led owner Robert Kraft to make some drastic decisions about the direction of the franchise.
Rookie head coach Jerod Mayo was fired less than a year after being named the team’s successor to Bill Belichick. Former Patriots player and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was hired to replace him and turn around a team that went 4-13 while sporting one of the NFL’s least productive rosters around rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots have spent the offseason using their abundance of salary cap space to add talent to their roster. New England made made signings at each level of the defense while bringing in veterans at receiver and along the offensive line that should upgrade Maye’s supporting cast.
Still, the Patriots have a lot of work to do to improve their roster. Vrabel and general manager Eliot Wolf will have plenty of resources with which accomplish that goal in the draft, where New England is armed with the No. 4 overall pick.
Here’s a look at what the Patriots could do with each of nine seven selections in the 2025 NFL draft.
New England Patriots 7-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 4: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
If either Carter or Travis Hunter makes it to the Patriots at No. 4, they will take one of the two blue-chip talents in this year’s class. In this case, Carter – who has drawn comparisons to fellow Nittany Lion Micah Parsons – would partner with Harold Landry to invigorate a Patriots pass rush that generated the fewest sacks league-wide last season (28).
Carter had an FBS-high 24 TFL last season to go along with 12 sacks. He is hyper-productive, supremely athletic and the has the versatility needed to play on the edge and as a stand-up linebacker.
Round 2, Pick 38: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Patriots had the worst tackle situation in the NFL last season. They signed Morgan Moses to serve as a stopgap at right tackle but need to find an upgrade over Vederian Lowe on the left side of the line.
Ersery moves well considering his massive 6-foot-6, 331-pound frame and is a powerful blocker. While many view him as more of a right tackle prospect for the NFL, the 23-year-old was a three-year starter on the left side. The Patriots can try him there first and see if he can hold up on Maye’s blind side.
Round 3, Pick 69: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
The Patriots signed Stefon Diggs in free agency but need to add more talent to surround him after Ja’Lynn Polk‘s disappointing rookie season.
Royals posted 126 catches for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns over his final 20 games at Utah State. The 6-0, 205-pound pass catcher has great body control and good hands, which should make him a strong possession receiver at the NFL level.
Round 3, Pick 77: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
Yes, the Patriots could – and probably should – double dip at wide receiver. Targeting more of an explosive speed threat to pair with Royals would be wise.
Williams didn’t run the 40 much faster than Royals – the Washington State product did so in 4.4 seconds flat – but his deep separation skills are better. He earned him a Marvin Mims Jr. comparison from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, so it’s easy to imagine the 5-11, 190 pounder making an impact alongside Royals.
Round 4, Pick 106: Emery Jones, OT, LSU
The Patriots will almost certainly double dip on the offensive line as well. They need to improve their overall depth on the unit while finding some potential starters, and Jones qualifies.
Jones played right tackle for three seasons at LSU, so the 21-year-old could be developed as Moses’ successor. He could also battle for the team’s left guard job, as he has the requisite size (6-5, 315 pounds) and athleticism needed to play guard. Kicking inside could help mitigate his inability to consistently stayed balanced in pass protection on the edge.
Round 5, Pick 144: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
The Patriots remain financially committed to Rhamondre Stevenson, but he averaged a career-low 3.9 yards per carry last season. He may see an uptick in production behind a better offensive line, but finding a better speed complement to him could go a long way toward supporting Maye.
Tuten ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds at the NFL combine after totaling 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns on 183 carries for the Hokies last season. The 5-9, 206-pound back also has solid receiving skills, so he should be able to carve out a role in an NFL rotation, provided that his fumble rate – 10 on 406 career touches at Virginia Tech – doesn’t land him in the doghouse.
Round 5, Pick 171: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
The Patriots added Milton Williams to their defensive line in free agency but need to add extra depth in case Christian Barmore‘s blood clotting issue causes him to miss more time.
Robinson would be an experienced pickup after he spent six seasons with the Cornhuskers. He recorded a career-high seven sacks in 2024 but consistently generated TFL throughout his career (27 in 60 games). The 6-5, 288-pound defensive lineman plays with a relentless motor and physicality, so it’s easy to imagine him quickly endearing himself to Vrabel.
Round 7, Pick 220: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are both 30, so the Patriots may want to add some young depth to compete with Jaheim Bell behind the veteran duo.
Lachey comes from an Iowa program that has generated many top tight ends at the NFL level, including George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson. Lachey isn’t the same caliber of prospect as the duo, but considering his tutelage and bloodline – he’s the son of three-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman Jim Lachey – the Patriots could do worse in their search for a third-string tight end.
Round 7, Pick 238: Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
The Patriots signed Garrett Bradbury to a one-year deal to fill in as the team’s starting center. They could stand to add a quality backup to compete with Ben Brown and 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Andrews.
Kendall is another player with NFL bloodlines, as his father Pete was a first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1996 NFL draft and played 13 seasons. The younger Kendall started 37 games at center at Boston College. His experience and technique should allow him to carve out a role as an NFL backup.
Add in that Kendall overlapped for a season at Boston College with Vrabel’s son Tyler and there could exist familiarity between the coach and prospect.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patriots mock draft: New England lands top EDGE, double dips at WR
The New England Patriots‘ first season in the post-Bill Belichick era did not go as the team had hoped. That led owner Robert Kraft to make some drastic decisions about the direction of the franchise.
Rookie head coach Jerod Mayo was fired less than a year after being named the team’s successor to Bill Belichick. Former Patriots player and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was hired to replace him and turn around a team that went 4-13 while sporting one of the NFL’s least productive rosters around rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots have spent the offseason using their abundance of salary cap space to add talent to their roster. New England made made signings at each level of the defense while bringing in veterans at receiver and along the offensive line that should upgrade Maye’s supporting cast.
Still, the Patriots have a lot of work to do to improve their roster. Vrabel and general manager Eliot Wolf will have plenty of resources with which accomplish that goal in the draft, where New England is armed with the No. 4 overall pick.
Here’s a look at what the Patriots could do with each of nine seven selections in the 2025 NFL draft.
New England Patriots 7-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 4: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
If either Carter or Travis Hunter makes it to the Patriots at No. 4, they will take one of the two blue-chip talents in this year’s class. In this case, Carter – who has drawn comparisons to fellow Nittany Lion Micah Parsons – would partner with Harold Landry to invigorate a Patriots pass rush that generated the fewest sacks league-wide last season (28).
Carter had an FBS-high 24 TFL last season to go along with 12 sacks. He is hyper-productive, supremely athletic and the has the versatility needed to play on the edge and as a stand-up linebacker.
Round 2, Pick 38: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Patriots had the worst tackle situation in the NFL last season. They signed Morgan Moses to serve as a stopgap at right tackle but need to find an upgrade over Vederian Lowe on the left side of the line.
Ersery moves well considering his massive 6-foot-6, 331-pound frame and is a powerful blocker. While many view him as more of a right tackle prospect for the NFL, the 23-year-old was a three-year starter on the left side. The Patriots can try him there first and see if he can hold up on Maye’s blind side.
Round 3, Pick 69: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
The Patriots signed Stefon Diggs in free agency but need to add more talent to surround him after Ja’Lynn Polk‘s disappointing rookie season.
Royals posted 126 catches for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns over his final 20 games at Utah State. The 6-0, 205-pound pass catcher has great body control and good hands, which should make him a strong possession receiver at the NFL level.
Round 3, Pick 77: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
Yes, the Patriots could – and probably should – double dip at wide receiver. Targeting more of an explosive speed threat to pair with Royals would be wise.
Williams didn’t run the 40 much faster than Royals – the Washington State product did so in 4.4 seconds flat – but his deep separation skills are better. He earned him a Marvin Mims Jr. comparison from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, so it’s easy to imagine the 5-11, 190 pounder making an impact alongside Royals.
Round 4, Pick 106: Emery Jones, OT, LSU
The Patriots will almost certainly double dip on the offensive line as well. They need to improve their overall depth on the unit while finding some potential starters, and Jones qualifies.
Jones played right tackle for three seasons at LSU, so the 21-year-old could be developed as Moses’ successor. He could also battle for the team’s left guard job, as he has the requisite size (6-5, 315 pounds) and athleticism needed to play guard. Kicking inside could help mitigate his inability to consistently stayed balanced in pass protection on the edge.
Round 5, Pick 144: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
The Patriots remain financially committed to Rhamondre Stevenson, but he averaged a career-low 3.9 yards per carry last season. He may see an uptick in production behind a better offensive line, but finding a better speed complement to him could go a long way toward supporting Maye.
Tuten ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds at the NFL combine after totaling 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns on 183 carries for the Hokies last season. The 5-9, 206-pound back also has solid receiving skills, so he should be able to carve out a role in an NFL rotation, provided that his fumble rate – 10 on 406 career touches at Virginia Tech – doesn’t land him in the doghouse.
Round 5, Pick 171: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
The Patriots added Milton Williams to their defensive line in free agency but need to add extra depth in case Christian Barmore‘s blood clotting issue causes him to miss more time.
Robinson would be an experienced pickup after he spent six seasons with the Cornhuskers. He recorded a career-high seven sacks in 2024 but consistently generated TFL throughout his career (27 in 60 games). The 6-5, 288-pound defensive lineman plays with a relentless motor and physicality, so it’s easy to imagine him quickly endearing himself to Vrabel.
Round 7, Pick 220: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are both 30, so the Patriots may want to add some young depth to compete with Jaheim Bell behind the veteran duo.
Lachey comes from an Iowa program that has generated many top tight ends at the NFL level, including George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson. Lachey isn’t the same caliber of prospect as the duo, but considering his tutelage and bloodline – he’s the son of three-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman Jim Lachey – the Patriots could do worse in their search for a third-string tight end.
Round 7, Pick 238: Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
The Patriots signed Garrett Bradbury to a one-year deal to fill in as the team’s starting center. They could stand to add a quality backup to compete with Ben Brown and 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Andrews.
Kendall is another player with NFL bloodlines, as his father Pete was a first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1996 NFL draft and played 13 seasons. The younger Kendall started 37 games at center at Boston College. His experience and technique should allow him to carve out a role as an NFL backup.
Add in that Kendall overlapped for a season at Boston College with Vrabel’s son Tyler and there could exist familiarity between the coach and prospect.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patriots mock draft: New England lands top EDGE, double dips at WR
