Week 15 brought another loss to the Patriots, who are once again making their way toward the bottom of the AFC. The loss to the Cardinals keeps the Pats in their familiar third-overall position in the draft with three games to go. Not expecting much in these tilts, it's likely the Patriots will once again pick third in the April 2025 NFL draft.
With needs all over the field, the Patriots can select almost any position (save quarterback) and fill a big need. Some are more equal than others, however. One harped upon here is the need for offensive left tackles who can protect Drake Maye's pocket, which essentially doesn't exist at present.
Another need that's been screaming for remedy literally for years since Julian Edelman required it is the need for a top wide receiver, a bona fide No. One. The Patriots invested two second-round picks in the past three years in wide receivers. In 2021, it was Tyquan Thornton, a flop who is no longer with the team.
This year, it was Ja'Lynn Polk in the second round. He's racked up an unimpressive 12 catches for 87 yards and two TDs in 13 games, not exactly what they were looking for.
So, "LET'S GO" ahead and draft a 5-round mock and see how the Patriots address some of these needs.
Newest 5-round, 2025 mock draft for the New England Patriots
This is it, the pick Patriots Nation has been waiting for years. It's the first wide receiver taken in the first round since the disaster of picking N'Keal Harry with the 32nd pick in the 2019 draft. Harry was a total flop and was traded by New England to the Bears in 2022 for this year's seventh-round pick.
Hunter is the 2024 Heisman Trophy Winner and a generational two-way talent who can brilliantly play both wide receiver and cornerback. While you aren't going anywhere without a top offensive line, Travis Hunter is not a player you can pass on if he's there when you select. He is, and they don't.
Having shorn up their most urgent need, a quarterback with this year's third overall pick, Drake Maye, the Pats gave him a dream weapon to help kick-start an offense that needs lots of help almost everywhere.
In winning the Heisman, Hunter, a 6'3". 195-pound Hunter racked up 92 catches for 1152 yards and 14 TDs catching passes for Shadeur Sanders for Colorado and Coach Prime Deion Sanders. He also played cornerback in all 12 games and notched four interceptions to boot.
Hunter is a generational player who can help you on both sides of the ball. It's a no-brainer pick for the Patriots as Maye was last season, and it's one they just can't afford not to make. Interestingly, Pro Football Focus doesn't rank him in their top five wide receivers.
However, PFF does list him as their top cornerback. Here's what nfldraftbuzz.com has to say about this precocious talent, the best two-way player in decades,
"The 2024 season saw Hunter redefine two-way excellence with 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs as a receiver while allowing just 22 receptions on 38 targets (57.9%) with 4 interceptions and 11 pass breakups as a corner. His defensive passer rating allowed of 38.7 ranked first among Power Five corners with 400+ coverage snaps. Adding to his on-field achievements, Hunter maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while playing more snaps than any other FBS player, becoming the first player in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award (top defensive player), and the Biletnikoff Award (top receiver) in the same season."
No one should need any more convincing. He's the best player in college football, fills two needs on the field, and adds an electric aspect to the Patriots on both sides of the ball. This is a super pick by the Patriots personnel operation, the passing on a top left tackle notwithstanding.
In a trade with the Jets, the Pats dropped only one pick in the second round from pick 39 to 40 and moved up 33 spots from pick No. 142 in the fifth round to pick 109 in the fourth. With pick No. 40, they selected Princely Umanmielen from Mississippi.
This choice immediately shores up a massive hole in the Patriots' defense. They currently have no true edge players and have been forced to use defensive tackle Keion White outside in a role that's not his best. Umanmielen remedies that in a hurry. The 6'4", 260-pounder is a top pass-rush specialist who racked up 10.5 sacks for Ole Miss this season. He starts from Day One.
Here's commentary from 247sports.com about the Ole Miss star,
"Taller, longer-framed defensive lineman with outstanding frame potential. Ample space to add good mass. Fully scheme versatile with experience inside and outside. Frame suggests he could outgrow traditional SDE designation. Long arms allow for encouraging disengaging potential. Active against the run. Flashes impressive lateral quickness relative to size and position. Good athlete with a verified 5.07 40 and terrific 4.37 shuttle. Pursues well relative to size and position..."
In the third round, the Patriots use their own pick. No. 70 to select the best offensive left tackle left on the board, Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon. Conerly is a bit undersized at 6'4" and 315 pounds, but he'll be an immediate upgrade for the Patriots and a possible Day One Starter, depending on the teams' free agency activities.
Bleacherreport.com notes some of his strengths,
"Josh Conerly Jr. is a two-year starter at left tackle inside Oregon's 52-48 run-pass split, multiple run scheme. Conerly was a high school running back until moving to the offensive line as a sophomore before becoming the top-ranked offensive tackle recruit in the nation. Conerly has a lean, well-rounded build with good arm length, athletic ability and adequate play strength.
"Conerly wins as a run blocker by quickly getting out of his stance and into fits on time with proper leverage on angle-drive blocks to wall off and secure rush lanes. He is light on his feet with good burst as a puller, on screens and climbs to intersect targets..."
The Patriots continue to build up their lackluster wide receiver room by selecting dynamic smaller receiver Xavier Restrepo from Miami. Restrepo, at 5'10" and 195 pounds, isn't going to wow anyone with his size, but he's productive and has an impressive 16.3 yards per reception.
Thedraftnetwork.com notes this about the Hurricanes receiver who netted 69 catches for 1127 yards and 11 TDs this season,
"One of the country’s most reliable and productive wideouts,Xavier Restrepo embodies the qualities that often go unnoticed on the outside. Traits that live under the rug until they make the difference in critical situations, while his game lacks the flash of a pure burner or the physicality of a contested-catch specialist, Restrepo’s skill set showcases that of a high-level prospect on the outside whose game should translate exceptionally well to the NFL—where consistency and reliability often go undervalued. "
Having learned their lesson from last year's draft, the Pats went back to the tackle well and selected Grey Zabel from North Dakota State. The 6'6", 305-pound Zabel has played multiple positions along the offensive line, including left tackle, and gives the Pats some position flexibility since they need help all over the O-line.
Bleacherreport.com outlines some of his attributes,
"Zabel excels as a run blocker using very good pad level and leverage to work inside/underneath his target on angle-drive and base blocks, working to step on the toes of the defender, work his hips through and seal off rush lanes behind his back...
"In pass protection Zabel has smooth, calculated footwork to square up rushers with good strike timing and placement to create lift and quickly transition into his anchor to grind down the bull-rush..."
With their final pick in this mock draft, the Patriots use the fourth-rounder, pick 109, obtained from the Jets in the earlier trade, and select an offensive center, Jared Wilson from Georgia. The Patriots' 2024 offensive line was a disaster, and they've now used three picks to bolster this substandard unit.
Wilson comes from one of the premier teams, Georgia, in the best college football conference, the ACC. It's a terrific pedigree for any player. nfldraftbuzz.com notes,
"Wilson's plus athleticism and high football IQ make him a scheme-fit for zone-heavy offenses. His ability to climb to the second level and execute reach blocks will appeal to teams running wide-zone concepts. However, limited snaps may necessitate time on the practice squad to polish his technique. Teams investing in Wilson could unearth a plug-and-play center with three-down potential.
"Despite being raw in some aspects, Wilson's rare movement skills and ability to process defensive fronts provide a solid foundation ... As he refines his anchor and hand usage, Wilson has the tools to develop into a day-one starter.
"With his current skill set and developmental upside, Wilson projects as a day-two pick with starter potential. His transition from high school 'backer to SEC center demonstrates the football acumen and work ethic needed to carve out a long-term role in the pros."
That's the latest 5-round mock draft after Week 15. The Pats get the top receiver/cornerback in the draft, add a solid edge, two left tackles, another wideout, and a center. A defensive tackle would have been nice, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will the next Patriots juggernaut.