With excitement heightening regarding the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, speculation about who the teams with the top-5 picks will take has only grown. The Patriots hold the fourth overall selection and should have some good players to choose from on both sides of the ball, but recent reports have suggested they might not get the player they are eyeing the most.
Recent rumors have claimed that Penn State's Abdul Carter is on the Patriots' radar. He is the best pass rusher in the incoming class and fits the mold of a defensive player that Mike Vrabel and his defensive coordinator have traditionally liked. He would be the wrecking-ball-style player the Patriots' defense desperately needs.
The problem, though, is there are three teams picking ahead of the Patriots that are likely looking at Carter, too, and could take him before they're even on the clock. That has long been the narrative surrounding other players that have been deemed a good fit for New England, like CB/WR Travis Hunter, but the latest intel from NFL insiders suggest that might not be their fate come draft night.
Ian Rapoport believes at least two of the top-5 teams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft will pick a quarterback
During an appearance on the NFL Network this past weekend, NFL insider Ian Rapoport discussed what he had been hearing during the previous week of practices at the Senior Bowl. Much of it revolved around the draft, of course, which led to one of the best possible updates the Patriots could have received.
Rapoport believes two of the teams picking ahead of the Patriots in the first round, the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, will be looking to select a quarterback, which leaves even more options for the Patriots once they are able to pick at No. 4.
From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: A look at the top of the 2025 Draft and how a week in Mobile shaped it. pic.twitter.com/AMLEzYTkEh
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2025
That is the best possible outcome for New England, especially after most were somewhat understandably disappointed that their win over the Bills in Week 18 dropped them from the first overall pick to the fourth. If two quarterbacks go off the board before they are on the clock, that means they should only miss out on one of the top prospects who seem like the best fit for their roster.
Having their choice between EDGE Abdul Carter, LT Will Campbell, CB/WR Travis Hunter, or WR Tetairoa McMillan is a dream scenario for this year's draft, especially since most experts don't believe a trade-down is likely for the Patriots this year.
This is all just speculation, of course, but given how few quarterbacks are in this year's class and the lack of talent at the position, it makes sense for those who need a franchise player to use their high draft positioning to take that player right away, forcing others to look at free agency for the solution instead.
The Patriots can also address many of their biggest weaknesses through free agency, as they are loaded with the most cap space, which can ultimately change their draft plans, too. Plus, the bonus of quarterbacks being taken ahead of them means they're in prime position to get the franchise-altering player they have long needed.