The New England Patriots enter the 2025 NFL Draft looking to become competitive again under new head coach Mike Vrabel. The franchise has its answer at quarterback in second-year starter Drake Maye and has been very busy in free agency. Now, the front office will have nine picks to continue to rebuild a roster with plenty of flaws. And there will be opportunities for the Patriots to move up or down in this draft.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Field Yates gave a full breakdown of New England's trade motivations in the first two rounds. For the first round, Yates mainly focused on the Patriots' leverage with the No. 4 overall pick.
“The Patriots have options. In Round 1, it would be practical business for them to keep the phone lines open. Shedeur Sanders could easily still be on the board, and while it doesn't feel like the Colorado QB has a robust market with teams picking in the top 10, there's a chance one falls in love with his skill set and won't want to risk losing him to another franchise. Look, this is a long shot. And it's an even bigger long shot if either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter is available. But it's at least something to watch and speaks to the good position that New England is in at No. 4.”
For the second round, Yates justifies that this could be where the franchise moves up to fill a key roster flaw.
“Let's jump to Round 2. The Patriots spent big in free agency on both sides of the ball, led by the acquisitions of defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis III, edge rusher Harold Landry III, linebacker Robert Spillane, and receiver Stefon Diggs. But there are still roster weaknesses, and a climb up from No. 38 for a preferred target would make total sense.”
The Patriots look poised for a major bounce-back season under their new leadership
New England is in a much better position as a team than it was a few months ago. The defensive and offensive lines have almost fully been rebuilt, which was last year's team's greatest flaws in 2024. Still, Drake Maye will need to avoid any kind of sophomore slump, and the franchise needs to continue to surround him with weapons. This draft will have plenty of talented wide receivers and running back players available in the second round. A move up to select North Carolina's Omarion Hampton or Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka could be ideal in this case.
Overall, the expectations for this upcoming season are not necessarily to make the playoffs, but the Patriots need to show ownership and their fanbase that they are heading in the right direction. Fortunately, Mike Vrabel has a track record of accomplishing just that.
