The New England Patriots' loss against the Buffalo Bills may have irritated some fans who are simply tired of the team's woeful performances of late, but there was a silver lining that could help this team build a much more sustainable roster around budding quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots' loss and Las Vegas Raiders' win helped New England jump up to No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft order, while the Raiders fell all the way down to No. 6 overall. If the Raiders want to select their next franchise quarterback in a weak class, they may need to trade up.
The Patriots could be an ideal trade partner for the Raiders. Las Vegas moves up to land their quarterback of the future, while the Patriots can use high-quality assets to beef up what may be the worst overall roster in the league ahead of a pivotal 2025 season.
New England Patriots 3-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 6: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Trading down and still ending up with a player who could protect Maye's blindside for most of the next decade would be an absolute godsend for this Patriots team. While he is facing some stern competition from Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr, Campbell still appears to be the best offensive lineman in this class.
Campbell is a supremely talented athlete for the position with a tremendous pass protection anchor and a history of dominant performances against future professional players in the SEC. Maye has been running for his life this season, and Campbell coming to town will be a big help.
Round 2, Pick 38: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
The disappointing play of Ja'Lynn Polk alongside New England's already noteworthy lack of wide receiver talent has made this position such a gigantic need for this team that the Patriots must use multiple Day 2 picks to address it. Adding Harris, who has recorded at least 900 yards and seven touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, would be a good start,
Harris lacks great speed, and he comes from an Ole Miss offense that gave him the furthest thing from an NFL route tree, but he makes up for it with great hands and versatility. Maye's ability to throw deep down the field hasn't been utilized to full effect this season, and Harris could rectify that if he comes up to Foxborough.
Round 3, Pick: 68: Armand Membou, IOL, Missouri
There's no such thing in this league as too many quality offensive linemen. Membou's stock has been on the rise lately, as scouts are quickly becoming enamored with his impressive movement skills in the open field and surprisingly solid technique for someone over 320 pounds.
Membou has some technical flaws that need to be ironed out, but those issues with hand placement and being overly aggressive out of his stance can be knocked out of him by a quality coaching staff. Membou could be a rare third-round player who becomes a Day 1 starter as a rookie.
Round 3, Pick 69: Donovan Ezieruaku, EDGE, Boston College
While New England's poor offense has been the subject of much consternation, the defense has taken a step back despite having some big names hovering around that unit. The front four's lack of a consistent pass rush is one of the main reasons for these struggles, and Ezieruaku should help patch things up quite quickly.
The All-American, who amassed 16.5 sacks in his final collegiate season, is likely going to be a situational pass rusher in the pros due to his slight frame and questionable play strength. However, his speed and technique really jump off the screen, and he is so excellent at this one trait that he should be considered for any team that needs an injection of talent on the edge.
Round 3, Pick 83: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
Horton could be a diamond in the rough worth digging for. After two impressive 1,000-yard seasons and 15 minutes in the national spotlight during his first two seasons at Colorado State, the 6-3 Horton was limited to just a handful of games in his final collegiate season.
Horton has a lean build that makes for some difficult moments in press coverage and some issues with drops. Beyond that, he has shown tremendous speed, whip-like route-running, and some of the best downfield ball-tracking skills in this class. Horton could be a stud by Year 2 if he adds some weight.