There is always a bit of mystery surrounding the NFL Draft, especially in the first round, about who each team will take with their most valuable selection. For the Patriots, it's been fairly obvious who they were going to pick since they had a top-5 selection, which led to QB Drake Maye and LT Will Campbell making their way to Foxboro.
This year, however, because of their Super Bowl run, they aren't on the clock until No. 31, resulting in far fewer players deemed first-round talent to select from.
There are plenty of holes that need to be addressed, with most analysts believing they will go for either an offensive lineman or a pass rusher. But it's clear there is no frontrunner in the eyes of the experts putting out mock drafts.
The newest batch prove their is likely a direction Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf will go in, but who that player will be is still up in the air. There is no favorite, lending far more mystery than Patriots fans have dealt with over the last two years, and that could either be exciting or worrisome.
Hopefully, they'll get it right no matter who they choose.
Latest batch of mock drafts doesn't provide much clarity on who the Patriots will select at No. 31
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: OT Caleb Lomu - Utah
"Lomu is a little green, but he's talented in pass protection. He would give the Patriots the ability to mix and match Will Campbell and Lomu at either tackle spot once Morgan Moses departs."
Charles Davis of NFL.com: OT Max Iheanachor - Arizona State
"Plenty of development lies ahead for Iheanachor, but the Patriots have to improve the pass protection in front of QB Drake Maye."
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com: EDGE Keldric Faulk - Auburn
"The big-bodied Auburn product displays enough versatility to enable New England to seamlessly transition from a 3-4 front to a 4-3 without a personnel change. As a heavy-handed, run-stopping edge defender, Faulk would elevate the Patriots' early-down defense while adding a developmental pass rusher to the rotation."
Mike Dussault of Patriots.com: EDGE Zion Young - Missouri
"Young fits the late–first-round profile as a long, powerful edge defender who can stay on the field for all three downs. He wins with strength, leverage and effort more than pure explosiveness, but his ability to set the edge and collapse pockets makes him a strong schematic fit for the Patriots defense.
With a stacked edge class, there are other, more explosive pass rushers to consider, but Young's play style and size could help him make a more significant impact than a player who might only play on third downs out of the gate."
Todd McShay of The Ringer: EDGE Cashius Howell - Texas A&M
Evan Lazar of Patriots.com: OT Blake Miller - Clemson
"As for Miller, his game has shades of Ravens OT Roger Rosengarten as a well-schooled technician. Miller made 54 starts at right tackle for Clemson, starting every game since his true freshman season. He's quick out of his stance to cut off the angle to the quarterback, forcing rushers to widen their path around his outside edge.
His punches stall initial rush moves, he has foot speed to carry rushers around the arc and is an athletic run blocker with a 9.90 relative athletic score. You'd like to see him add play strength to improve his anchor and power, but that can come in time since he'll have a year to develop his 6-7, 317-pound frame."
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com: EDGE T.J. Parker - Clemson
"Edge help is needed, and Parker has some juice. Parker didn't play as well last year as he did in 2024, but the talent is there."