The New England Patriots have put together possibly the most impressive season of any team in 2025. The Patriots went from worst to first, claiming their first AFC East title since 2019 and winning 14 games en route to the No. 2 seed, all while rostering 15 rookies during their playoff run. They've found ways to get production from players who have never had a foothold in the NFL.
While they have the opportunity to win a Super Bowl, scouts will be looking towards their very bright future. The Patriots have 12 picks in the upcoming draft, including their own selections in the first three rounds, meaning three top-100 talents.
While the team has had tremendous success, the roster construction isn't yet complete. Bleacher Report's Matt Holder recently suggested that New England should continue adding to its defense, specifically by targeting Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei.
The Patriots biggest roster hole going into the 2026 offseason is on the edge
The New England Patriots are a largely complete team, and their defense has been incredible as of late. They've allowed 16.3 PPG since the bye, and just 9.5 PPG through their two playoff games.
Despite their success, the most consistent way they've generated pressure is through blitzing. That shouldn't come as a surprise: it's the status quo for all teams, but New England lacks difference makers on the edge.
Chaisson is having a tremendous playoff run, and his performances against teams far better than those New England faced during the regular season have somewhat swayed my opinion on a rich extension for him this offseason.
Nonetheless, Harold Landry has largely been a non-factor. After a knee injury kept him out for several weeks, he's gone without a sack and has just an 8.7% pressure rate over the past two playoff games: disappointing for a player brought in to be the team's premier pass rusher.
Matayo Uiagalelei could be the Patriots' first round pick
Uiagalelei could be the answer to New England's pass rush woes. A four-star recruit in 2023, Matayo was the 5th-ranked player out of California and 47th-ranked nationally. His last name may sound familiar: his brother, DJ, quarterbacked Clemson, Oregon State, and Florida State before signing with the Chargers as a UDFA. Once the second-ranked player in his class, DJ is now on L.A.'s practice squad.
Matayo's size won't be an issue at the NFL level. Standing at 6-foot-5, 272 pounds, the Oregon product has been a successful collegiate player, recording 18.5 sacks in three years. Despite a drop in sacks from 2024 (10.5), he still recorded a 13.6% pressure rate for the year, the highest of his career.
His 31.8% missed tackle rate this season will no doubt be a source of concern, but Chaisson's is also quite high this season. With linebackers like Spillane at the second level, the defense can afford to play more pure pass rushers on the edge like Uiagalelei.
In Holder's mock, he has him landing in New England at No. 30 overall, the sixth edge rusher selected. The Bills snagged Keldric Faulk just a few picks earlier, a player who also could end up in New England.
Whether it be Uiagalelei, Faulk, or another edge rusher, New England should strongly consider the position in the first round of the draft, should they not throw money at the problem in free agency.