Disastrous NFL mock draft would be devastating for the Patriots in 2025

It might be far too early for some to be thinking about next year's draft since the current NFL season is just heading into Week 12. However, the Patriots are projected to have a high first-round pick again, just like they were at this point last season, and that has already sparked a lot of debate regarding who would be the best pick.

The assumption has been they should focus on the offense, especially if they land with a top-5 pick, and there are some standout weapons they could select to boost the playmakers around Drake Maye. So there is a lot of intrigue surrounding wide receivers Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan, both of whom would be incredible for the young quarterback and the progression of the offense.

But some talented left tackles should be available for their choosing, which might be even more important than adding another pass catcher.

Both positions have dominated most mock drafts up to this point until ESPN released their newest mock draft this past week and chose to have the Patriots pick a defensive player instead.

ESPN has the Patriots take a cornerback with their first-round draft pick in 2025

The latest mock draft by Matt Miller of ESPN leaves little to desire for those hoping the Patriots will prioritize the offense early on. The draft expert avoids taking a left tackle or a receiver and has New England select Michigan cornerback Will Johnson.

While adding another impressive cornerback to the secondary to pair with Christian Gonzalez is far from a bad idea, it is when other positions are much more dire to address.

“Left tackle is an important need for the Patriots, but the offensive tackle class isn’t strong beyond Kelvin Banks Jr. So instead of reaching, the Patriots could fill another need at corner with Johnson, my top-rated prospect in the class.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Johnson fits the mold of Pat Surtain II, showing excellent ball skills and the physicality to hang with NFL wide receivers. He has been limited by injuries this season but has two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

Pairing Johnson with 2023 first-rounder Christian Gonzalez would give the Patriots a legitimate spot of strength on defense, and having two top corners on rookie contracts would give New England flexibility to build around them.”

Reading the description of what Johnson could bring to the Patriots' defense makes it hard to argue against the team choosing him with their first-round pick. They would instantly have one of the best cornerback duos in the league and add even more dominance to their secondary.

The problem, however, is avoiding perhaps the biggest issue with their roster: the left tackle position. Although Vederian Lowe has been suitable this year, he's still not the ideal player to hold down the left side. And with the upcoming free agent class expected to be less than ideal, it doesn't make a lot of sense for the Patriots to pass on the top players of the class to snag another first-round cornerback.

Passing on a top-tier rookie receiver wouldn't be a horrible decision, given who will be available in free agency and the Patriots' projected cap space. But avoiding the real problem with the offense, the offensive line, would be a major disaster for the new regime.

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