Who Is on the Patriots’ Wide Receiver Wishlist?

The New England Patriots may have gotten former All-Pro Stefon Diggs, but their journey back to an explosive offense is far from complete.

The Patriots head into the 2025 NFL Draft with countless needs, but one stands out: consistent play at the wide receiver position.

A year ago, New England receivers ranked 28th in the NFL with 161 catches and were dead last in both total receiving yards and touchdowns.

Julian Edelman was the last Patriots receiver to accrue more than 1,000 yards in a season. Edelman served as Tom Brady‘s security blanket, a player that a quarterback entrusts to make the plays when it matters most, and maybe just as important, a player who wants the ball in their hands during crunch time.

That said, the Patriots have three picks in the top seventy in the draft, including the fourth overall pick.

While aspects of the receiving class are not as intriguing as previous drafts, these young potential NFL receivers offer significant upside that could propel Josh McDaniels’ offense back to familiar heights.

Travis Hunter

If you have not heard of this two-way standout, you have been living under a rock. The wide receiver/cornerback has taken the football world by storm, beginning with his allegiance to another former two-way star, Deion Sanders.

Hunter started his college career at Jackson State University and would follow Sanders to Colorado, where he won the Heisman Trophy due to his prowess on both sides of the ball.

After all, he was awarded the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver) and ranked in the top five in the country in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

His tape speaks for itself. The Colorado product showcases precise route running and an elite ability to corral the ball at the catch point. If he lasts to pick four, he will become the Patriots’ No. 1 receiver instantly.

He has all the tools to be Drake Maye‘s top guy.

Elic Ayomanor

An intriguing prospect due to his physical traits, the Stanford standout may be an option for New England at No. 38 or 69 overall. Ayomanor has been flying up draft boards after his stellar combine performance, in which he recorded a sub-4.4 forty-yard dash and 38.5 vertical jump.

Last season, he led the Cardinal in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore showcased an ability to get in and out of his breaks with precision despite lacking optimal quickness at the top of his routes.

While he consistently found holes in the zone to create throwing windows for his quarterback, his true dominance comes in man-to-man contested catches. The 6-foot-2 product maintains excellent body control and terrorizes opposing corners vertically.

While Ayomanor may seem like another classic Patriots receiver who lacks sudden quickness and struggles to separate at times, e.g., N’Keal Harry, he possesses great potential for an option that could develop into the vertical threat the Patriots offense has been looking for.

Jalen Royals

Royals is a prospect who has experience playing in the slot and the outside. A quick receiver from Utah State, Royals has drawn comparisons to Golden Tate.

While he may not be among the eye-popping prospects in the upcoming draft, the receiver can make plays with the ball in his hands, evident by his 26.4 percent forced missed tackle rate during his final season at the collegiate level. He’s a threat after the catch and has underrated abilities in contested catch situations. During his breakout 2023 campaign, he boasted a 74% contested catch rate.

Royals compares well to Green Bay Packer Jayden Reed, because neither of them necessarily brings burst off the line, but both have impressive body control, leading to a plethora of explosive plays.

Tetairoa McMillan

McMillan is one of the most polarizing prospects in the entire draft class.

Looking at his statistics last season, he began with a massive statement, recording a school-record 304 receiving yards in a blowout win against New Mexico.

He maintained command throughout the rest of the season, staying healthy and finishing with 1,319 receiving yards, good for third-best in the entire nation.

The Arizona standout is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound pass catcher with one of the largest catch radii in the entire draft and has a great feel for the game.

He simply finds a way to make plays beyond just his physical dominance.

While his potential is through the roof, concerns about adjusting to the speed of the NFL game and his lack of consistency vertically have lingered. Thus, maximizing his strengths early will be crucial to his success at the next level.

While Travis Hunter is the dream scenario for the Patriots, the team has multiple avenues to fill its desperate need for explosive playmakers. New England has been scrutinized in the past for their poor receiver development.

This may be the draft that they finally hit on their “guy”.