Going into this year's NFL Draft, the agenda was clear for the Patriots after how they operated free agency: the offense needed to be the priority. That was easily accomplished early by selecting the best left tackle, a highly regarded running back, and an explosive receiver. That allowed Mike Vrabel and Co. to address the rest of the team in later rounds, which included special teams.
Typically, special teams-specific players are drafted in the seventh round or tend to go undrafted, meaning teams sign them immediately after the draft concludes. The Patriots chose to forgo that, which earned them a lot of criticism, and used late-round picks on a kicker and long snapper.
Given how finding a solid kicker has been an issue in New England since Bill Belichick regrettably cut Nick Folk before the 2023 season, picking Andy Borregales. However, after they chose the Miami alum, they drafted long snapper Julian Ashby, a decision immediately deemed questionable given his position, but also because Joe Cardona had been a tenured staple on the roster.
Knowing now that they planned to release the veteran makes Ashby's pick much more sensible. But there's also the tidbit about how many teams the special teamer met with during the pre-draft process that makes the Patriots look far wiser to have used a draft pick on him.
The Patriots using a draft pick on a long snapper no longer seems so controversial
When the selection was announced, it was apparent that Ashby was considered a gem that most teams likely passed on. Because the Patriots have long prided themselves on having a top-tier special teams, he fit the identity of what they like in their players.
That has been made even more clear by ESPN's Mike Reiss, who revealed that Ashby had met with and had private workouts with nine teams before the NFL Draft, proving the Patriots didn't want to risk not having him on the roster by hoping he went undrafted.
"The Patriots made Vanderbilt's Julian Ashby the first NFL long-snapper drafted since 2021 when they selected him in the seventh round (No. 251), and sources familiar with the matter said Ashby had private workouts with nine teams before the draft, including one with the Patriots in Nashville that Vrabel was part of alongside another scout and special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer."
Considering Ashby was clearly highly sought after and would have had nearly half the league to choose from had he become a UDFA, it's smart that the Patriots avoided the likelihood of watching him sign with another team, especially if they had already been contemplating Cardona's future.
They have now put together what appears to be a solid special teams group that should be a much more capable group than the Patriots have had in quite some time. They have been a weak point of the roster in recent years, even shockingly under Belichick, and have also been the reason for some losses. That shouldn't be the problem this year, with Ashby being one reason.
They fortunately have an impressive coach to work with, Jeremy Springer, who made a name for himself among a litany of underwhelming coaches during the 2024 season. The expectation is that this will continue, and the Patriots will (once again) have a top-of-the-league special teams that will force other teams to prioritize their third unit for years to come.