Having significantly bolstered the Patriots' defense in free agency, Mike Vrabel goes on the offensive and selects six top players on that side of the ball in this mock draft. Vrabel shunned any trade offers and followed the optimum strategy, choosing the best players available, all at positions of need.
In doing so, Vrabel discards the alternative and counterproductive strategy of taking the "best player available" approach to the trash. He has several defined needs to fill, and in this draft, he fills them all with aplomb. It's the right strategy to improve his team where it needs reinforcement.
Let's Go! with a five-round draft in which Vrabel sets up the 2025 Patriots offense for success. He'll fill positions of need with consensus solid players who will compete either to start immediately or as backups who will be expected to contribute right out of the box. Vrabel "gets it". He knows there's only one season, 2025, and he drafts to win now.
Round 1, pick No. 4: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
It's a best-case scenario for Mike Vrabel, as the top player in the draft, a star at two positions, falls into the Patriots' lap at pick No. 4. It's a no-brainer, as the Patriots run up to Commissioner Roger Goodell before they wake from a dream. It's no dream. Colorado's Travis Hunter is a Patriot.
The best player in the draft slips to New England at pick No. 4. Vrabel knows he's the best option in the entire draft for the star-player starved Patriots. Hunter, arguably the top wide receiver in the draft, is likely to start at wideout No. 1 while free-agent signee Stefon Diggs recovers to full strength.
Hunter had a terrific 2024 for the Buffaloes, racking up 96 catches for 1258 yards and 15 touchdowns. He's a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver right out of the gate for the Pats, and he'll start immediately. He and Diggs, when he gets on the field, will present a totally different look for the Patriots' receiving corps, which has lacked either a No. 1 or No. 2 wideout for several seasons.
Additionally, Pro Football Focus ranks the dual-threat Hunter as the best cornerback in the draft, as well as the best player overall. This gives Vrabel tremendous flexibility to use Hunter as a top 2 receiver and deploy him as a super nickel cornerback at times. He'll also be available at the corner in case injuries present difficulties.
nfl.com, in its Overview of the player, has this to say about this generational talent, and not much more needs to be said,
"Exciting two-way player whose world-class athleticism and ball skills help him shine on both sides of the ball. Hunter is an instinctive, natural football player with a feel for making the biggest plays at the biggest times. He was the best player on his team by a long stretch. On offense, Hunter gets by on talent over technique but will need to smooth out the journey from press release to catch with better route running. He has the burst to uncover over three levels with ball skills and catch focus that are reminiscent of DeVonta Smith in his Heisman Trophy-winning season. The cornerback tape was solid in 2023 and improved across the board in 2024. Hunter takes his skills and instincts from receiver and transfers them to cornerback, where they amplify his ball-hawking talent and production. Hunter plays with excellent anticipation from man or zone with burst and playmaking range that should terrify quarterbacks. He possesses rare ball skills and leaping ability to make challenging interceptions and he will contest a high number of passes."
Round 2, pick No. 38: Aireontae Ersery, T, Minnesota
The Patriots had two massive needs entering the 2025 NFL Draft. One is a left tackle, and the other was to bolster a lackluster wide receiver room. With his first two picks, Vrabel has added top performers to both positions. This time, it's Minnesota's huge left tackle, Aireontae Ersery.
The 6'6", 331-pound Ersery will immediately contend for the starting left tackle position, likely alongside another tackle selected in the draft or acquired through trade. No one on the current roster plays to NFL standards. The position is wide open. Vrabel wasted no time, and with pick No. 38 early in the second round, he brings Ersery into the fold.
bleacherreport.com comments on Ersery's ability to pass-block, which he'll be doing for Drake Maye in 2025,
"In pass protection Ersery has good footwork in his sets to work at a 45-degree angle, get vertical and expand his set points against upfield, high-side rushes and power step with an effective 'catch' hand to close the door on inside counters. Ersery quickly sorts basic line games and stunts with proper spacing and timing..."
nfldraftbuzz.com adds this,
"In a league that increasingly values mammoth tackles who can hold up in pass protection while still moving bodies in the run game, Ersery profiles as an intriguing Day 2 prospect with starter upside. His combination of size, power, and steady technical improvement suggests a player whose best football may still be ahead of him."
Round 3, pick No. 69: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
In the third round, with Pick No. 69, the Patriots selected an exciting wide receiver from Iowa State, Jaylin Noel. Noel is a solid prospect. He'll provide insurance should Digg's return be delayed and/or an injury hit him or Hunter.
Noel is a playmaker. For the Cyclones in 2024, the 5'11". 200-pounder caught 80 passes for 1194 yards and eight touchdowns. His 14.9 yards per catch average indicates a receiver who gets open and makes big catches for first downs. Added to Diggs and Hunter, the Patriots' receiving corps on the outside will be ready to rock.
You have to like the way nfldraftbuzz.com highlights his game,
"Noel has 'dangerous weapon' written all over him as a vertical slot receiver with deep-ball tracking ability that jumps off the film. The way he stresses defenses downfield belies his modest frame – this isn't your typical underneath slot guy. When he gets a clean release, defenders are immediately in survival mode. Watch how he manipulates safeties with his eyes before breaking into wide-open space on deep posts and seams – that's NFL-level route craft right there."
Round 3, pick No. 77: Emery Jones Jr., T, LSU
Vrabel knows he's very thin at offensive tackle, so he goes back to the position in the third round with the pick obtained from Atlanta in the Matt Judon trade. He drafted big Tigers' right tackle, Emery Jones Jr. The 6'5", 315-pound Jones is another blue-chip tackle prospect from LSU.
Jones had the misfortune to be teamed with the best left tackle in the draft, Will Campbell. That situation would tend to mitigate for playing on the right. Yet, Jones may be a candidate to earn whatever position he can, including left tackle. Regardless, he's a solid right tackle from an elite ACC program. He'll be battling to start from Day One.
thedraftnetwork.com comments on the big Tigers' tackle,
"The story for Jones starts with his natural abilities. He’s a lengthy, well-put-together lineman with a strong grip and overwhelming motor. He’s able to mirror rushers in protection, play in close quarters, and manufacture power off the snap. I liked Jones’ strike and intention with defenders, he tried to attack with his hands consistently..."
Round 4, pick No. 106: Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon
The Patriots are a bit long in the tooth at tight end. Both top-two tight ends, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, are in their 30s. The Patriots have neglected to draft the position much in recent years, and it makes sense in the mid-rounds of this draft to do so.
Ferguson has all kinds of potential, especially as a receiving tight end. The 6'5", 247-pound Duck had a nice season in 2024. He notched 44 passes for 548 yards and three TDs. nfl.com has these comments about the Ducks' big tight end in their Overview of the player,
"Productive pass catcher with good size but an alarming lack of tenacity and fire when it’s time to run block. Ferguson saw adequate short-catch volume but was rarely asked to venture beyond the front yard as a route-runner. He has not shown enough technique or toughness to neutralize an NFL edge defender at the point of attack, but he can hit targets as a move blocker. Ferguson could improve in that area with additional coaching, but he might need to find the grit needed to compete against NFL tough guys as a run blocker to realize his full potential."
Round 5, pick No. 144: Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
In the fifth round, Vrabel addresses another depth need. With Christian Barmore's health situation a concern, it makes perfect sense to bring in a solid defensive tackle like Phillips. The 6'2", 312-pound Phillips plays on the nose and will be helpful on short-yardage situations.
Vrabel will slot Philips in behind his more mobile defensive tackles to back up Barmore, Milton Williams, and Keion White. The team needed to fill numerous holes on offense, but another area requiring attention was the defensive tackle position. Vrabel gets a solid backup in Phillips.
thedraftnetwork.com provides their outlook on the nose tackle, a former wrestler who they say "explodes off he ball",
"Jordan Phillips is a powerful presence within the middle of a defensive line with a driving hunger and passion to disrupt the ground game. A former elite high school wrestler, Phillips is a stoutly built 1- and 3-technique with a compact frame who explodes off the ball, allowing him to hold and dominate the point of attack at times in isolation, similar to his days on the wrestling mat.
That's the latest top-round draft where the Patriots load up their offense with top additions to accompany Drake Maye. Maye will likely appreciate adding two top tackles, as well as the three young pass-catchers Mike Vrabel drafted, including the impressive Travis Hunter. The Patriots have effectively addressed their needs in this draft. Let's get going with the mini-camps to see how they play.