Patriots NFL Draft 2025: Ranking top 5 options for New England in first round, including possibly trading back

For the second time in as many years, the New England Patriots find themselves inside the top five of the NFL Draft. While it’s nearly impossible to label a team in such a position as fortunate, Mike Vrabel’s club enters the 2025 draft with their franchise quarterback already secured in Drake Maye, who was the third overall pick a year ago. That takes away the pressure of forcing a signal-caller atop the draft at No. 4 overall this time around and allows them to address other needs on their roster with the best non-QB available. But what do they specifically address? And who could be coming to Foxborough? 

Given that this team went 4-13 in back-to-back seasons, there are a lot of needs across the roster, which was arguably the least talented in the league in 2024. So, this injection of a possible top-five talent coming aboard is much needed. 

Below, we’ll dive into and rank an array of options that New England could opt for with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round this year, along with a possible trade-down. 

1. Draft Abdul Carter at No. 4 overall

The Penn State pass rusher is arguably the top overall prospect in this class, and there’s a chance — albeit slim — he could be on the board when the Patriots are on the clock. Because the teams ahead of New England — Titans (No. 1), Browns (No. 2) and Giants (No. 3) — all need quarterbacks, that could push talent down the board as they opt to address that position under center. So, if Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are both taken, that means an elite talent will fall to the Patriots, and they should be praying it’s Carter who does. 

New England signed edge rusher Harold Landry in free agency, but that’s hardly a set-and-forget addition. Carter is the type of talent that could transform a defense and be the face of that unit for years to come. While the Patriots have leaned heavily on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, they are not in a position to draft for need and should simply go best-player-available. If he’s there, they should sprint to the podium to submit the pick. 

While I view Carter falling to the Patriots as the preferred option for the franchise, that doesn’t take anything away from what would be a coup d’état for New England to land Travis Hunter. He’s a unicorn. The Heisman Trophy winner is an elite prospect at both the cornerback and wide receiver positions, and it’s going to be fascinating to see how that dual-threat ability translates to the NFL. 

Most project Hunter to “major” at corner in the pros and “minor” at wide receiver. However, from a Patriots perspective, they might prefer it to be the other way around. The team already has Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis at the starting corner spots, and have a dire need at wide receiver. Hunter did win the Fred Biletnikoff Award — given out to the nation’s top receiver — so he certainly has elite upside on offense and would automatically become Maye’s No. 1 weapon. Anything they’d get from him defensively would be a bonus. 

While it’s fun to consider the possibility of Carter or Hunter falling to the Patriots, there’s a chance the teams ahead of them forgo their pursuit of a quarterback atop the draft. If that unfolds, the Patriots selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell isn’t a bad consolation prize. He’s CBS Sports’ No. 6 ranked prospect overall and fills a massive need along the offensive line. Ideally, New England drafts Campbell to be its left tackle of the future, but his combine measurements — specifically his 32 5/8-inch arm length — raise some red flags for him actually being able to man the blindside. Worst case, the Patriots get an elite left guard, which isn’t something to turn your nose at even if it’s a little steep at No. 4. 

4. Trade down, target best available offensive tackle

Let’s play this scenario out: Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall to the Titans and then the Browns and Giants take Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter. Sure, the Patriots could do what we illustrated above and simply take the likes of Will Campbell to solidify a key piece to their offensive line and gear up for Day 2.

Or they could get on the phone and talk trades. Why not field offers from teams like the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6) or New Orleans Saints (No. 9), who could be in the market for a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders? In either of those situations, the Patriots could move down slightly, pick up additional assets, and still be within range to address a need like offensive tackle. Campbell may slide down, but if he doesn’t they should then go with the top offensive tackle available on the back end of the top 10. That could be Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas or Missouri‘s Armand Membou.  

While it’s more fun to think of pass catchers or pass rushers coming to New England with that first pick, Maye was sacked 34 times in 13 games played during his rookie season. He needs time to throw before we get concerned with who he’s throwing the ball to. 

5. Trade down, target best available pass catcher

Same scenario as above, but the Patriots opt to give Maye a pass-catching target. And notice how I said “pass-catching target” and not wide receiver. If the Patriots move down the board with the intent of adding a weapon to their offense, they should be open to all options. So, while that certainly puts Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan on their radar, they should also have a conversation about Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. 

McMillan has drawn comparisons to Drake London throughout the pre-draft process and has a good frame (6-foot-5, 219 pounds) to be a big-bodied target for Maye. He also reportedly ran between 4.46 and 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash during his pro day, easing concerns about his speed. Meanwhile, Warren could come in and be the latest tight end to flourish under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. During his final year at Penn State, Warren caught 104 balls for 1,233 yards receiving. He has a chance to be an elite weapon, and the Patriots shouldn’t ignore him if they were to move down the board.