The New England Patriots' backfield certainly wasn't anything to write home about this past season, as neither Rhamondre Stevenson nor Antonio Gibson were overly impressive.
Gibson was a decent backup, but Stevenson fumbled the ball seven times and averaged 3.9 yards per carry, which came on the heels of the Patriots handing him a four-year contract extension.
As a result, New England will probably be selecting a running back at some point in the NFL Draft, with head coach Mike Vrabel confirming that the Pats will likely be trying to do so.
While the Patriots may not be spending a high pick on an elite halfback like Ashton Jeanty or Omarion Hampton, there are plenty of other players at the position who can help New England in 2025 and beyond, and ESPN's Jordan Reid specifically thinks the Pats should target a running back who can catch passes out of the backfield.
"Asked which draft prospects might fit a similar profile, ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid pinpointed Syracuse's LeQuint Allen (6-0, 204) and SMU's Brashard Smith (5-10, 194)," wrote ESPN's Mike Reiss. "ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller projects Allen and Smith (a converted receiver) as seventh-rounders in his full mock draft."
Allen hauled in 64 receptions for 521 yards and four touchdowns this past season while Smith caught 39 passes for 327 yards and four scores of his own.
This is a very deep running back class, so the Patriots should certainly be able to land an impactful one at some point between Rounds 3 and 7 (assuming they spend the first couple of rounds addressing more pressing needs).
The one caveat to selecting a pass-catching back is that Gibson himself can technically fill that role, as he snared 42, 46 and 48 balls, respectively, with the Washington Commanders between 2021 and 2023 before logging just 23 catches in limited use with New England this past season.
