It's that time of year when plenty of NFL Draft analysts look back on previous classes and reimagine what could've been had things gone differently. For the Patriots, it's something fans often do, since Bill Belichick wasn't known for hitting the jackpot through the draft and actually accomplished the opposite.
However, that has fortunately not been a problem over the last few years, and that's likely why the latest re-draft by Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic kept the Patriots selecting left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick.
The same cannot be said about their divisional competition, though, and that's a disaster for New England, since the re-draft has a team like the Jets getting a much more explosive player on their roster than the one they actually picked.
In fact, Baumgardner has New York swapping their pick of offensive tackle Armand Membou for pass rusher Abdul Carter, the best at his position in last year's class.
Latest 2025 re-draft would have been a disaster for the Patriots
If there wasn't a dire need for a franchise left tackle, the Patriots would have easily pursued Carter with the No. 4 pick. Instead, he went to the Giants just one pick before. But if things had gone differently, he could've been a monster in the division that Drake Maye would have to battle twice a season.
"The Jets and the Giants wound up doing pretty well early last season, all things considered. Carter led all rookies in pressures (66), QB hits (18) and hurries (43). And even though his sack total could’ve been higher, it’s important to remember the coming season will be just his third as a full-time edge defender. Stock up."
Although Carter didn't live up to the hype during his rookie season, we also have to remember that he went to the Giants, who had a dysfunctional season that included head coach firings and a quarterback carousel. Things might have been different if he were in a more stable environment.
The problem with the re-draft, though, is that the Jets aren't much better. However, it's fair to assume that a down rookie season wouldn't define Carter's career, and the dominance he displayed during his days at Penn State would surely make its way to the NFL in short order.
That would be a major problem for Maye and the Patriots' offense, as they hope to continue their rise in the division and maintain their spot at the top beyond the 2025 season. Facing one of the best defenders in the league has already proven to be a rough outing for the offensive line, and surely, facing Carter wouldn't be any better.
Luckily, Carter remains in New York with the Giants, and they're not a team the Patriots face all that often. A re-draft is fun and all, but this is one that they should feel lucky didn't become a reality last year.
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