The New England Patriots still desperately need to supply quarterback Drake Maye with weapons, even after signing wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency.
While most of the focus is on who the Patriots will take in the first round of the NFL Draft, there should also be some sleeper options available for New England in the middle rounds.
One such potential candidate is Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson, who Michael DeVito of Musket Fire is predicting the Pats to select in Round 4.
"With their tight ends, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are both over 30, and the Patriots need a young developmental tight end," DeVito wrote. "A favorite here is Oregon's big pass-catcher, Terrence Ferguson. The 6'5", 247-pound Ferguson will provide an immediate boost as a playmaker. He caught 43 passes for 591 yards and three TDs in 2024. He'll immediately step into the third tight end role."
Ferguson may not be Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland, but he was actually one of the more productive tight ends in the Big Ten this past year and put together a very solid career at Oregon, accumulating 134 receptions for 1,537 yards and 16 touchdowns across four seasons.
Is tight end a pressing need for the Patriots? No. Actually, they boast one of the better tandems in the league at the position. However, as DeVito noted, New England needs to add a young player on the depth chart, and Ferguson could represent a great fit on Day 3.
Remember: Maye is hopefully going to be under center for a decade-plus, so it's important to begin assembling some developmental playmakers for him, and Ferguson fits the bill.
We'll see if the Pats decide to make a play for a tight end later this month.
