The 2025 NFL Draft will be a pivotal event for the New England Patriots. One year after landing Drake Maye with their first-round pick, the Patriots do not have the gaping need to target a quarterback in the draft but still have as many holes in the surrounding parts of their roster.
All the focus will be on the team's first-round pick, as they enter Green Bay with the No. 4 selection of the draft. The pick marks the second consecutive season New England owns a top-five pick after previously going without one since 1994.
However, the Patriots enter the 2025 NFL Draft with nine total picks to use across the seven rounds. They own a selection in every round except for Round Six and possess two picks in rounds three, five and seven. Historically, no team has been better in recent years at nailing late-round picks than New England.
Although still rebuilding, New England continues to be one of the most efficient organizations in the league. Entering his second offseason as executive vice president of player personnel, Eliot Wolf is tasked with building on his mostly successful 2024 draft class. As the Patriots' former scouting director, Wolf is adept at eyeing NFL Draft sleeper targets as well as standout prospects.
OT Ozzy Trapilo (Boston College)
After allowing the sixth-most sacks in 2024, the Patriots entered the offseason with a clear need to address their offensive line. New England addressed the need by signing veterans Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury in free agency but still has a gaping hole at left tackle.
As it currently stands, Moses projects to start at tackle with rising fourth-year Vederian Lowe. Both players come with their own concerns as age begins to factor into the play of the 34-year-old Moses and Lowe struggling for most of 2024. The outstanding needs have many projecting the Patriots to draft Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick. However, if they choose to go in a different route in the first round, Boston College's Ozzy Trapilo could be a sleeper target in the second or third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
With experience at both tackle positions in college, Trapilo is one of the most versatile prospects in the class. In a Boston College offense that was inconsistent for most of the past two seasons, Trapilo was arguably the most consistent Golden Eagle. His experience playing with a mobile quarterback in Thomas Castellanos further boosts his profile as a potential blocker for Maye.
Even if New England goes with an offensive lineman in the first round, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for Wolf to double up on the position with Trapilo. The Patriots' offensive line has been one of the most injury-prone position groups in the NFL over the past two seasons, making depth at the position a big priority.
WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)
The Patriots are going to leave the draft with likely more than one receiver, the only question being which one and how many. They seem more likely than not to target the position on Day Two, making Missouri's Luther Burden III more than worth a look. Although he might not be viewed as a top-five receiver prospect, Burden has the chance to be one of the best players of the draft.
With a 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame, the biggest criticisms of Burden have been primarily regarding his size. Pre-draft measurements posed questions about his weight and hand size, but neither has been a problem for him thus far. Burden hardly missed a game at Missouri and barely committed any drops, giving no ground to the durability and hand concerns some scouts pose.
Arguably the best receiver in the class with the ball in his hands, Burden is the type of playmaker the Patriots' offense desperately needs. Even with Stefon Diggs, New England's receiving class is still without a game-changing pass catcher who could truly supplement Maye's game. There may be better overall prospects available when New England makes its second-round selection, but few would be a better roster fit than Burden.
S Malik Verdon (Iowa State)
The Patriots' need for a safety is not high, but both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers enter 2025 with their own injury and consistency concerns. Peppers, in particular, played just six games in 2024 and is currently preoccupied with an assault and drug possession accusation that could affect his availability moving forward.
Either way, adding depth at safety could prove to be a smart move for New England in the long run. Their current situation should prevent a move early in the draft, but spending a late-round pick on the position is certainly a possible scenario. Coming off a solid, three-year career at Iowa State, Malik Verdon is a sleeper target the Patriots need to monitor late in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In just two seasons on the active roster, Verdon received an honorable mention All-Big 12 designation in 2023 before becoming a second-team All-Big 12 recipient in 2024. His lack of athleticism prevents him from being viewed as a prioritized prospect, but Verdon already has elite size and fits the mold of the type of player the Patriots love to bring into their organization.
Verdon currently lacks the coverage and ball skills to be an immediate every-down starter, making him a project to work on. Yet, few situations would be better for him to land in than on a Mike Vrabel team working behind veterans like Dugger and Peppers. In the right environment, Verdon has the potential to become an impact player within a few years.
