The New England Patriots are looking to complete an entire franchise turnaround headlined by their young franchise quarterback, Drake Maye.
Maye was very impressive in 2024 which should provide the Patriots faithful with some serious hope for the future. The 22-year-old threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and ten interceptions en route to a 3-9 record across 12 games started. The signal caller was named a Pro Bowler and finished 7th in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
As the offseason begins, the Patriots have quite a lot of room to improve and plenty of means to do it. They have the most money to spend in free agency and plenty of draft picks to use. The draft is likely where they'll find their most promising players though.
Who could the Patriots be eyeing in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft?
Round 1, Pick 4: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
With their first pick, the Patriots will likely be going with the best player available. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter will likely go in the first three picks as well as the top two quarterbacks, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. That leaves Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter as the best pick for the Patriots at pick No. 4.
Hunter was awarded the Heisman trophy for his incredible season in 2024. But it's unlikely that he'll be able to play both sides of the ball full time in the NFL. Many experts predict that he'll play cornerback in the NFL, though he could be used on both sides of the ball at times.
Hunter tallied 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. He was also tasked with covering the opposing team's top wide receiver as the CB1 in college football. If he's available for the Patriots at pick No. 4, he's the clear selection. The two-time All American has game-changing, franchise-altering abilities on both sides of the ball.
Round 2, Pick 38: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
After selecting Hunter, who's likely to play on defense a majority of the time, in Round 1, the Patriots will likely turn to offense in Round 2. They didn't give Maye much of a chance to succeed with the supporting cast around him in 2024. In fact, the Patriots may have had the worst offense in the league, besides Maye, and it might not have been close.
In Round 2, the Patriots could eye Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson at pick No. 38. Johnson could have been looked at as the RB1 in the draft class if it wasn't for generational talent and potential top ten pick Ashton Jeanty.
The 21-year-old All American carried the ball 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also flashed in the passing game as he reeled in 22 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns. His 6.4 Y/C and 128.1 Y/G were both among the best in the country.
Johnson would enter New England as the clear top running back. He would have the potential to open up the running game quite a bit for Maye and the Patriots.
Round 3, Pick 69: WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL)
After selecting Hunter and Johnson in the first two rounds of the draft, the Patriots would need to select a wide receiver in Round 3. They clearly had one of the worst wide receiver units in the league in 2024, which only hurt their young quarterback.
In Round 3 of this mock draft, the Patriots land on Miami (FL) wide receiver Xavier Restrepo.
Restrepo, a fifth-year senior, brought in 69 catches for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to All-American honors in 2024. He doesn't have the notable size or strength that some of the top pass catchers in this draft have, but he is a nightmare for opposing defenses to cover, especially when he gets the ball in his hands.
He may not end up being the Patriots long term WR1, but he could be a great complement for New England alongside a big free agent signing like Tee Higgins.
Round 3, Pick 77: EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan
The Patriots have two third-round picks in the upcoming draft. Instead of piling on another offensive weapon, which could make sense, we'll move to defense for pick No. 77. Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart makes a lot of sense at this pick.
Stewart registered 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2024. He also tallied 5.5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss as a part of the dominant Michigan defense which carried the squad to a National Championship in 2023. Across his four-year college career which includes two seasons at Coastal Carolina and two seasons at Michigan, Stewart totaled 30 sacks, 48 TFLs and 6 forced fumbles.
Stewart would be a huge addition to a Patriots defense that struggled to get pressure on the quarterback in 2024.