For most of the offseason, it was widely agreed that the New England Patriots would likely take an offensive tackle or an edge defender with their first-round pick, as most concluded they were the weakest groups on the roster. In the days leading up to Round 1, that still appears to be the direction they'll go in.
There is a chance, however, that they will prioritize the best-player-available mentality over drafting for need, and there's a chance they could see a dream scenario unfold that is too good to pass up.
In fact, CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles has the Patriots doing just that in a recent mock draft, projecting that the AFC Champions will trade up for their next top target for Drake Maye rather than cross their fingers he falls into their lap.
Considering it would be a massive risk to put all their eggs in an AJ Brown trade basket, trading up for a player who would immediately become their next WR1 seems like a smart move, especially when that player is Denzel Boston.
Trading up for their next superstar receiver might not be a bad idea for the Patriots in the NFL Draft
Seeing how the draft board would unfold, Pereles decides that the Patriots will trade their first-round pick, No. 31 overall, and No. 125 to the Texans for pick No. 28 in order to draft Washington's top receiver.
Because the only upgrade they made to the receiving corps this offseason was signing Romeo Doubs, this feels like a solid move to ensure that Maye is surrounded with more talent in Year 3, and keep the offense moving in the right direction after a season ending in a Super Bowl appearance.
"The Patriots jump up three spots, sending the Texans picks No. 31 and No. 125, to take Denzel Boston. Boston is a big body at 6-4 and 210 pounds who moves with the skills of a player smaller than that. He can win downfield, and Mike Vrabel will love his willingness to block. Drake Maye gets a major talent here."
The 22-year-old impressed over the last two seasons, recording 125 receptions for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns at Washington, and is considered one of the best weapons of the incoming class.
That's enough to warrant the Patriots to keep an eye on him when their time is near, particularly if he falls into the lower half of the first round. He would be the deep-threat player the current offense lacks, while giving Maye an explosive option with good size and impressive red zone skills that will help one of the weakest parts of the 2025 season: scoring.
This would be a good move if Brown is not coming to New England, but even if a trade is inevitable, putting Boston and Brown on the same team would give the offense a superstar tandem that the Patriots haven't had the luxury of having in a long time, immediately giving their quarterback the ability to rise to a new level in just Year 3.
At the very least, it should be something Vrabel and Wolf consider if Boston falls further down the draft than expected. It would save them from a lot of regret if a trade for Brown doesn't go through.
Add us as a preferred source on Google