For the second year in a row, the New England Patriots have a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.
With one of the worst rosters in the league, there are plenty of holes to fill this off-season. Still, the future is promising in New England. In addition to their first-round pick, they hold the most cap space (by over $20 million) heading into free agency and already have their franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. As they look to hire a new head coach, selling the job won’t be a difficult task.
The question remains: what will the Patriots do with the fourth overall pick? Let’s take a look at some of their options.
Offensive Line
Anyone will tell you that the Patriots’ most pressing need is the offensive line. This unit was dreadful all season, with the young talent and veterans struggling mightily. It is imperative that they shore up the offensive line heading into 2025, or else we could see Maye regress as C.J. Stroud did in Houston behind their deficient offensive line.
The problem is that this draft class doesn’t have the same top-tier offensive line talent that we are used to seeing.
Tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas and Will Campbell out of LSU are the top guys at the position but are far from sure-thing prospects. Standing 6-foot-4, Banks is shorter than the prototypical left tackle. There are also questions about his explosiveness and footwork, with some suggesting he would have to be moved to guard in the NFL.
Still, Banks’s talent and upside are undeniable, and he will almost certainly be taken in the top ten, if not the top five of the draft.
I really appreciate Kelvin Banks Jr.'s helping hand during the run game. He keeps his attention on his responsibility but always does a great job giving help with the free hand. He gets to the next level and turns his hips inward to try and create a lane pic.twitter.com/HCcibpWBWU
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) December 30, 2024
Campbell, while two inches taller than Banks, lacks the desired length of an NFL Tackle— at least for an early first-round pick. At just 21 years old, Campbell may very well grow and improve into an elite NFL talent. But if the Patriots decide to go in this direction, it would be hard to argue that he is the best player available at the four spot.
Will Campbell with a #punishjumpers rep against Dylan Stewart. pic.twitter.com/xrQ9wopOzy
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) January 7, 2025
It is easy to say that this pick needs to address the offensive line. But at No. 4 overall, you want to add a transcendent talent or a sure thing. And neither of these guys is that.
Wide Receiver
There has been a lot of talk about getting Drake Maye some weapons.
And rightfully so. The Patriots’ receiver room is one of the worst in the league, and it must be addressed, whether through the draft or free agency.
Last year, the Arizona Cardinals used the No. 4 overall pick to select the consensus number one wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State. This year, the consensus number one wideout is Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona.
At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, McMillan is a powerful, imposing player who can stretch the field. He is a jump-ball machine and a safe target in the red zone. He runs smooth, fluid routes, has no problem going over the middle, and is good after the catch.
What separates McMillan from other receivers his size is his ability to play the X, Z, and inside in the slot. Expect him to be utilized in the “power slot” role often in the NFL, similar to what we have seen from players like Drake London, Chris Godwin, and Puka Nacua.
When the ball is in the air, McMillan has that unteachable awareness and body control that only some possess and is needed to be an elite receiver.
Tet McMillan with a GROWN MAN catch 😤 pic.twitter.com/1vT7Nz6kyP
— Zach Savage (@zaxavage) November 27, 2024
That said, the Patriots have had a terrible track record with drafting the wide-receiver position. Patriots fans have seen first-round wide receiver picks backfire time and time again. This history could be enough to sway the team in another direction.
I am 45 years old. Here is a list of the only good WRs drafted by the Patriots in my lifetime…
Irving Fryar (1st overall pick in 1984)
Troy Brown (8th round) in 1993
Terry Glenn (1st round) in 1996
Deion Branch (2nd round) in 2002
Julian Edelman (7th round) in 2009That’s it.
— Jay Lessard (@JayThePatsFan) January 2, 2025
Whether or not this is the pick, the Patriots have to make it a priority to get Drake Maye a playmaker on the outside and a trusted target.
McMillan could be that guy.
Defense
Going from a top ten-ranked defense a year ago to bottom ten this year, the Patriots could look to add a playmaker on that side of the football.
Abdul Carter would be that guy. Carter is the top-ranked edge rusher in the draft and has drawn comparisons to fellow Penn State edge rusher Micah Parsons.
At 6-foot-3, Carter is a lean but sturdy 250 pounds and possesses tremendous bend and athleticism. He has an innate nose for the quarterback, and his raw talent indicates room for improvement as he develops more refined pass-rushing techniques. His ability to rush the passer combined with the necessary power and size to be effective against the run makes Carter one of, if not the best player in the draft.
Abdul Carter has outrageous bend. pic.twitter.com/Cyf3wuKaPR https://t.co/rHfnw7Eqo3
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) January 1, 2025
The edge rusher has become one of the most valuable positions on the field, and getting a potential game-wrecker like Carter at fourth overall could elevate the Patriots’ defense in a big way.
Best Player Available
Last year, we saw six quarterbacks go in the first round. This draft class does not have nearly the same level of talent.
However, positional value is a real thing, and teams drafting in the top five of the draft are usually QB-needy teams. The Patriots are in a unique position, having seemingly found their franchise guy at number three overall last year. This means that if the Titans, Browns, and/or Giants, all teams that need a QB, decide that they will take one, the Pats could be left with a player worthy of the number one overall pick.
The first player that comes to mind in this year’s draft is Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
Travis Hunter is unlike any player ever seen enter the draft. There are less than four months until the 2025 NFL Draft, and we still do not know what position Hunter will enter the draft intending to play.
We may not even know on draft night. That is because Hunter is an elite talent worthy of a top-five pick at either position. Factoring in the potential of Hunter playing both at some capacity at the next level, this guy is a one-in-a-generation prospect.
Travis Hunter is RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/pkJArTctor
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 30, 2024
If I had to guess, Hunter will primarily be used on defense, where he can become a lockdown corner immediately. On top of this, expect him to be used in specific packages on offense, about 10-20 snaps a game. With the Patriots, he may be more valuable on offense. The team already has a young, number-one corner in Christian Gonzalez, who is developing into one of the best defensive backs in the league. And as mentioned before, they are in desperate need of a playmaker on offense.
The professional game will introduce new challenges to Hunter, and most NFL scouts do not expect him to affect the game on both sides of the ball the way he did in college. However, his elite talent as either a corner or a receiver, combined with the potential to do both, makes Hunter a can’t-miss prospect if he falls to New England at fourth overall.
Trade Back
Unless you became a Patriots fan in the last year, the idea of trading back to accumulate more picks is on your mind entering the draft.
This was a frustrating staple of the Belichick-era Patriots. Still, now that the team is selecting in the top five, a tradeback could generate some serious draft capital to build this roster for the future, especially if the team is undecided on who to select at No. 4.
If they trade back a few picks, they could look to land one of the top offensive linemen at better value. They could also move this pick to acquire an impact player at a position of need. If they do trade this pick, expect it to be done on draft night. If the top QBs start to fall, teams like the Raiders, Jets, or Saints may want to move up to ensure they get their guy.
That said, it is a very weak quarterback class. This Patriots pick would have been much more attractive in a trade a year ago. Even if they want to trade back, the Patriots might struggle to find a suitor, in which case they will have to stick and pick at four.
The draft process is only getting started, and things change so quickly this time of year. Players will rise, and others will slide as teams try to convince themselves one way or the other.
The New England Patriots have some front-office decisions to make before they can nail down their draft board. However, people in the organization have been and will continue to do their due diligence on this front, looking to improve on their 4-13 record with this fourth overall pick.
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