With just a couple of hours until the start of the 2025 NFL Draft, plenty of rumors are floating around that are meant to throw teams off in hopes of getting the competition off particular players that specific teams want. That could be the case with the Patriots, who are seemingly committed to taking LSU left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick, or it could be legitimate interest, and he will be the next New England Patriot.
At this point, it looks like that will come to fruition once they're on the clock. However, with the latest intel regarding teams trying to trade up into the top-3 selections, there's a chance the Patriots will have a much harder time deciding who the right player to take is in the first round.
Although reports suggest they're not looking to trade up and some of the teams ahead of them might not be willing to give up their position, other reports claim the opposite, focusing on the Browns.
That leads us to the Jaguars, who have the No. 5 pick, allegedly wanting to trade up as far as No. 2 with the Browns in hopes of drafting a specific player that would ultimately give the Patriots the best situation possible by the time they're on the clock a few picks later.
The Jaguars alleged interest in Ashton Jeanty could be great for the Patriots to land blue chip player
The Jaguars are a team looking to move into the top-3 with the most reporting suggesting they are incredibly interested in top running back prospect Ashton Jeanty.
If that is true, the Patriots would benefit from the Browns trading down by having Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter fall to No. 4, a scenario that didn't seem possible over the last two weeks. That's why Will Campbell became the favorite pick for New England.
Before that, however, Carter and Hunter looked like the next first-round picks for the Patriots, and for good reason. If either is available when they're on the clock, it would seem difficult for Mike Vrabel and Co. to pass on them for Campbell, despite the massive need at left tackle.
Fortunately, the incoming class of tackles is said to be deep, and the Patriots will have the benefit of selecting a starter late in the first round with a trade-up or in the second. That could ease their concerns about passing on a talent like Campbell after looking like he was a sure pick.