Mike Vrabel stocked his defense at all three levels in free agency. He added arguably the best defensive tackle available, a top cornerback, two productive edge players, two linebackers, and a safety. The catchword was "improve," and he did just that on defense.
On offense, he added three veterans at right tackle, guard, and center, upgrading the talent-deficient O-line substantially. He additionally added a solid, No. 2B receiver. Positions still missing are a No. 1 and 2 wide receiver and left tackle. Vrabel ignores that one at his and the 2025 Patriots season's peril. Expect him to add big-time both at left tackle and wide receiver (WR).
In this draft, Vrabel will heavily invest in those positions and add a running back. Drake Maye needs more accompanying players with talent. He'll get them in this mock draft. So, Let's Go with a top-of-the-draft exercise, adding lots of talent to the Patriots' offense.
The Patriots trade their No. 4 pick to the Panthers for more draft capital
Speculation has abounded in NFL circles that Colorado's Travis Hunter may just fall to the New England Patriots at pick No. 4, and he does just that. Yet, the Patriots rolled the dice and traded that pick to the Carolina Panthers for their picks No. 8, 57, and 74. That added two premium picks for dropping four spots to the Patriots' inventory.
Then, the Pats got lucky and still snagged the best player in the draft, arguably at two positions. They still nab Travis Hunter at pick No. 8! It's a masterstroke by Vrabel as the board falls exactly as hoped. Hunter is a No. 1 wide receiver, a massive need on the team, and the best cornerback in the draft. It's a no-brainer, and Mike Vrabel pounces after a brilliant trade.
Hunter is a generational talent who is able to play both wide receiver and cornerback with equal ability. He'll start as the Pats' No. 1 WR and can be utilized as a third-down nickel back. You get a chance to select the best player in the draft at a position of need; you take him.
Hunter's 2024 credentials at wide receiver were top-notch. He caught 96 passes for 1258 yards and 15 touchdowns. Add him to a TD-needy team quarterbacked by Drake Maye, and you've got a winning combination.
Here's how nfl.com describes the Heisman Trophy Winner,
"Exciting two-way player whose world-class athleticism and ball skills help him shine on both sides of the ball. Hunter is an instinctive, natural football player with a feel for making the biggest plays at the biggest times. He was the best player on his team by a long stretch. On offense, Hunter gets by on talent over technique but will need to smooth out the journey from press release to catch with better route running. He has the burst to uncover over three levels with ball skills and catch focus that are reminiscent of DeVonta Smith in his Heisman Trophy-winning season. The cornerback tape was solid in 2023 and improved across the board in 2024. Hunter takes his skills and instincts from receiver and transfers them to cornerback, where they amplify his ball-hawking talent and production..."
Even absent the fact that Hunter was rated as Pro-Football Focus's No. 1 cornerback in the draft, he was worthy of the Patriots' top pick. He's a great wideout and will assume the No. 1 WR spot from Day One. He's far and away the best wideout on the team.
With Pick No. 38, the Patriots select Minnesota left tackle Aireontae Ersery
Aireontae Ersery often appears as the presumptive Patriots' second-round pick for two good reasons. First, the team failed to land a left tackle in free agency and has no capable ones on the roster. Second, there will still be good options after the first-round talents are selected. Ersery is one and the Patriots select the big Minnesota left tackle with their own pick, No. 38 in the second round. He'll compete for the starting left tackle position right out of the gate.
bleacherreport.com comments on the big Golden Gopher's ability,
"Ersery is a well-versed zone run blocker with good pace and feel on combo blocks to get into proper fits, overtake and release on time. He shows solid athletic ability to gain ground laterally to cut off the backside, line up backers on climbs and pulls around the edge...
"In pass protection Ersery has good footwork in his sets to work at a 45-degree angle, get vertical and expand his set points against upfield, high-side rushes and power step with an effective 'catch' hand to close the door on inside counters..."
In the second round, the Patriots select left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon
With pick No. 57, acquired in the trade with the Jaguars, the Patriots go back to the left tackle well and select Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr., who may have been off the board when the Pats pick next at pick No. 73.
bleacherreport.com comments on Conerly's abilities,
"Conerly wins as a run blocker by quickly getting out of his stance and into fits on time with proper leverage on angle-drive blocks to wall off and secure rush lanes. He is light on his feet with good burst as a puller, on screens and climbs to intersect targets...
"In pass protection, Conerly is a loose, fluid mover with efficient footwork to his spot using angled or vertical sets with the redirect skills to mirror counter moves. Conerly uses his length well with solid placement to work inside the frame of rushers and keep them at his fingertips..."
Patriots select wide receiver Jaylin Noel from Iowa State after a trade
Seizing the moment, the Patriots make another draft-day deal. This time, they send their third-round pick, No. 69, and their 144th pick to the Jets for picks No. 73 and 110. They pick up another fourth-round pick while sending a fifth, No. 144, to the Jets and only move down four picks in the third round.
With pick No. 73, they select exciting Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel. The 5'10", 194-pound Noel is a big-play receiver. In 2024, he caught 80 passes for 1194 yards and eight touchdowns, with a 14.9 yards per catch average. Noel will be expected to vie for the No. 2 wideout spot behind Hunter.
thedrfaftnetwork.com says this about the Cyclones' wideout,
"He isn’t the biggest receiver in stature, but he was given plenty of opportunities to showcase his toughness as a receiver at the catch point in 2024. He plays with great timing to get the football, has strong hands at the apex, and the strength to play through contact when in the air. He won’t catch everything, but he’ll give you his best effort every time the ball comes his way...
"Noel is a quick Swiss army knife receiver who offers immediate impact as a special teams player on an NFL roster with legit WR2 upside to his game. Cleaning up some of his concentration drops and adding some “make-you-miss” sauce to his game could see this guy explode at the next level..."
The Patriots select wide receiver Xavier Restrepo from Miami in the third round
With the pick acquired from Jacksonville, No. 74 in the third round, the Patriots select another receiver, Xavier Restrepo, from Miami. The 5'10", 190-pound Hurricane caught 69 passes for 1127 yards and 11 TDs in 2024. Vrabel is stacking the deck with wideouts, knowing that his current room is flimsy.
profootballnetwork.com comments on the smaller wide receiver's ability,
"Although Restrepo sports a sawed-off build, his frame density makes him a weapon akin to the way that Sean McVay has usedCooper Kuppthroughout the years. Kupp often motions around the tackle box to be used as a battering ram against backside defensive ends and linebackers on split-zone action...
"Restrepo’s pride and effectiveness in the run game should get him on the field immediately at the NFL level. He produces devastating crack-back blocks on short motions while handling himself well in one-on-one situations from the slot against apex defenders...
"However, receivers are drafted and paid to catch the football, and in that respect, Restrepo is a quarterback’s best friend. He is a natural separator with efficient, explosive feet in tight spaces while providing at least a marginal threat to the field’s intermediate and deep areas because of his hands’ consistency."
The Patriots select offensive tackle Hollin Pierce from Rutgers in the third round
Having been shut out in signing a top free agent left tackle, Vrabel goes after the position again with pick No. 77, acquired from Atlanta in the Matt Judon trade. He selects Rutgers's huge left tackle, 6'8", 344-pound Hollin Pierce. His size will remind Patriots' fans of former left tackle Trent Brown.
While drafting multiple left tackles may seem excessive, it's not. Vrabel is fully aware that left tackles can easily move to the right side or even inside with their skills, while the opposite, as the Patriots found out in 2024, isn't likely. It's an astute strategy by Vrabel, who is clearly determined not to be undermanned at this second-most important position on his team.
nfldraftbuzz.com talks about the massive Scarlet Knights' tackle,
"The mammoth tackle's 2024 campaign solidified his draft stock as he anchored an offensive line that ranked third in the Big Ten in rushing (175.3 YPG) while allowing two or fewer sacks in 9 of 13 games. Pierce's massive frame helped pave the way for the Scarlet Knights' most productive offensive output since 2008, generating 28.9 points per game and 4,975 yards of total offense – the fourth-highest season total in program history. His invitation to both the NFL Combine and Shrine Bowl validated his transformation from walk-on to legitimate NFL prospect."
In the fourth round, the Patriots select running back DJ Giddens from Kansas State
Vrabel continues to stock the offense in the fourth round with the Patriots' own pick, No. 106. He selects running back DJ Giddens from Kansas State. The 6'1, 200-pound Giddens ran for 1343 yards, with a 6.6 yards per carry average and seven TDs in 2024. He also caught 21 passes for another 258 yards and a score. He'll add depth to a room that needs additions.
nfl.com has this to say about the Wildcats' running back,
"A productive runner with good size, Giddens lacks explosive elements in his game. He defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power. He’s a long-strider with wiggle between the tackles. He’s patient behind his blocks and quickly processes run-lane development. He’s not sudden and lacks the burst to outflank defenses, so running behind his pads and picking up the tough yardage inside might have to be his ticket into a rotation."
The Patriots select offensive left tackle, Anthony Belton, NC State
With their final selection in this draft, the Patriots continue to restock their offensive line in style. Pick No. 110 was acquired in the trade with the Jets, and they added another huge LT in 6'6", 336 pounds, Anthony Belton from NC State. Again, Vrabel goes against what might be considered conventional wisdom by loading up with left tackles. Instead, he's doing what should have been done the past half-decade or so.
The Patriots have largely shied away from drafting left tackles or many tackles recently. They tried in the 2024 third round, taking Caedan Wallace from Penn State. He was injured last season and contributed little. Vrabel won't be caught short upfront in 2025.
Loading up on left tackles allows him the flexibility to move these talented linemen around the offensive line, as necessary, a winning strategy. Belton is a prime candidate to not only provide competition at both tackle spots but also to compete at guard.
nfldraftbuzz.com says this about the Wolfpack tackle,
"Anthony Belton brings a tantalizing combination of massive size and surprising pass protection skill that smart offensive line coaches will be eager to develop. His film reveals a player with significantly better technique in pass sets than run blocking, suggesting he's more advanced in the former despite his intimidating physical presence. While he sits outside the top 100 prospects in this draft class, Belton's exceptional length and pass protection upside make him a Day 3 selection with starter potential."
That's it—a massive offensive draft in the top four rounds that provides eight new Patriots offensive players. After landing the best wide receiver/cornerback in the draft, Vrabel subsequently added four left tackles, two additional wide receivers, and a running back to the mix. If he can accomplish this draft, the Patriots will be ready to compete in the AFC East.