The last few NFL drafts - save for Drake Maye - have left a lot to be desired for the New England Patriots. There have been more busts than home runs, and one of the biggest cases in point came earlier this season when 2024 second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk was shipped to the New Orleans Saints.
The Patriots have appeared to have turned the tide in that department. Through the first four games of the 2025 campaign, rookie left tackle Will Campbell has helped make significant changes to an offensive line that was among the worst in the NFL a year ago.
Offensive linemen often aren't heralded as superstars, but if you talk to any running back or quarterback after a game, they'll be among the first to thank the guys up front. Even though Maye has been sacked 13 times through four games, a lot of those have been due to his receivers being blanketed down the field, not because of pass rushers coming into the backfield unmolested.
The combination of Campbell and running back TreVeyon Henderson has the Patriots ahead of the curve, and they'll only pick up steam as the season goes along.
TreVeyon Henderson's breakout is coming - the Patriots just have to remain patient.
The rookie running back is due for a breakout game. The first time he put his hands on the ball during the preseason, Henderson returned a kickoff for a touchdown. He's got the flash and the physicality to be a great NFL running back, but New England's running back room is crowded, and it's clear Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel are easing him in.
Shelf lives for NFL running backs are typically the shortest among skill positions in the league, and since Henderson was part of a two-back rotation in college, he has plenty of tread on his tires. There's no reason for the Patriots to bald them during his rookie campaign.
That being said, Henderson did score his first official NFL touchdown in the Patriots' 42-13 pummelling of the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. McDaniels clearly wants to involve him more in the offense, and it's just a matter of time before Henderson has his breakout game.
Campbell and the offensive line are also showing signs of growth. After Maye was sacked five times against a great Pittsburgh defensive front, the Patriots yielded just one sack - for zero yards - against Carolina.
That unit is going to be a work in progress, and the Patriots' run blocking could be better, but Campbell hasn't given up many negative plays.
The rookie class led by Campbell and Henderson could be the Patriots' best in quite a few years, and that's a big win.