Perhaps the most exciting part of the Patriots' 2025 offseason thus far has been hiring Mike Vrabel as the next head coach and many of the personnel he brought with him to New England, most notably offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. With a much-improved coaching staff, the potential for success this fall has seemingly skyrocketed, prompting many to believe the draft will be just as good.
The mostly underwhelming 2024 rookie class still lingers in the background in the hours leading to this year's draft, especially since presumed general manager Eliot Wolf is still at the helm for making picks. However, the need to prove they can put together a better group and the collaborative effort with Vrabel and the staff he hired makes for more optimism regarding how this year's draft will be handled and achieved.
The new regime, along with some staffers who were with the team last year, seem to be on the same page with their objective going into the draft, which should make for a well-rounded class of football players to join the Patriots for the 2025 season.
But there is an underlying possibility of a power struggle rearing its ugly head throughout the draft weekend, especially since reports have indicated that Vrabel has a lot of say in roster building, which might become an issue with Wolf.
The Patriots need to have a smooth draft to put them on the right path for the 2025 season
Because Vrabel has plenty of experience as a head coach and navigating a draft, he comes with a lot of knowledge that the previous regime in Foxboro did not have. He also brought in some of his most well-respected figures from his time with the Titans, including VP of football operations and strategy John Streicher and VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden.
Both are said to be actively involved in evaluating players and giving their input regarding the roster, which appeared to be something that Wolf primarily operated during the 2024 season.
The group has suggested they share the same objective going into the draft: to take the best player available when they're on the clock, which is not necessarily how the Patriots have operated in years past. That could result in some problems throughout the weekend, but it seems more possible that a power struggle between Vrabel's guys and those with the team last year could become a storyline.
Wolf did anything but impress with how he handled free agency and the draft last year, so there will inevitably be a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver this time. Vrabel will want to ensure it goes well, too, especially seeing how Jerod Mayo was only given a year to turn the team around, but he might not be on the same page with Wolf.
Time will tell, and it's certainly something to look out for throughout the draft weekend, and hopefully, it won't be an issue that happens at or extends beyond the next few days. The Patriots don't need any further distractions and have a lot to accomplish with their decisions this weekend, as the 2025 season's success hinges on their picks.