Drafted third general in 2024, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye wants weapons and higher safety to thrive. Obligatory Credit score: David Butler II-Imagn Pictures New England is again within the high 5 for the second consecutive draft after a stretch of 15 years between top-10 choices ended with third general choose Drake Maye in 2024.
With the quarterback place apparently locked down, all of the Patriots should do is … work out almost the whole lot else.
Mike Vrabel was employed and adjustments are afoot for the Patriots with a 3rd head coach in three seasons following a 3-14 end in Jerod Mayo’s solely season on the helm.
Some scheme adjustments are predictable and there are gifted holdovers in place past Maye.
New England additionally spent willfully to reel in defensive deal with Milton Williams (Eagles), large receiver Stefon Diggs (Texans), cornerback Carlton Davis (Lions), proper deal with Morgan Moses (Jets), inside linebacker Robert Spillane (Raiders) and out of doors linebacker Harold Landry (Titans) to start re-stocking vital positions.
Diggs is recovering from a torn ACL and the working sport flatlined late within the 2024 season. Extra playmakers on both facet of the ball and assist in the trenches are high gadgets left on the workforce’s procuring checklist getting into the draft.
The battle for proprietor Robert Kraft and Vrabel is trusting Eliot Wolf will make the precise name after whiffing on each draft choose after Maye in his first draft final April.
–Crew wants
Left deal with: Discovering Maye his Matt Mild (Tom Brady’s ultra-reliable left deal with for 5 New England Tremendous Bowls) needs to be the primary order of enterprise, regardless of how devoted Wolf is to following the best-player-available mantra within the draft.
Outdoors linebacker: New England traded away Matthew Judon — and maintain the 77th choose on this yr’s draft in return — after which had solely 28 complete sacks final season. Patriots opponents had 51. Landry rejoined Vrabel as a succesful go rusher however he is not a participant opponents fear about due to his pace or electrical first step.
Tight finish: Josh McDaniels is again (once more) as offensive coordinator and his desire of a two-tight finish base formation would require a sidekick for veteran Hunter Henry, who tied for the workforce lead with 66 receptions in 2024.
–Finest prospect matches
OLB Abdul Carter, Penn State
CB-WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
OT Will Campbell, LSU
OT-OG Armand Membou, Missouri
OLB Jalon Walker, Georgia
WR Jack Bech, TCU
RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
–2025 draft picks by spherical
Complete picks: 9
By spherical (choose in spherical, general choose)
1: 4, 4
2: 6, 38
3: 5, 69
3: 13, 77 (from Atlanta Falcons)
4: 4, 106
5: 6, 144
5: 35, 171 (from Dallas Cowboys)
7: 4, 220
7: 22, 238 (from Los Angeles Chargers)
–Historical past Lesson
–The final time the Patriots chosen a defensive lineman within the first spherical was 2015 (Texas DT Malcom Brown, thirty second general).
–New England has drafted six complete large receivers up to now 4 drafts.
–Area Stage Media
