The New England Patriots went 4-13 last season, averaging 17 points per game (30th in the league) and allowing 24.5 points per game (22nd in the league). They feel they found their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, who they selected third overall in the 2024 draft. They were active spenders in free agency, but still have some holes to fill via the 2025 NFL Draft.
They have nine picks overall, and in this full seven-round mock draft, they will use each and every one of them. There are no trades, and this is who they should take with each pick, more so than a prediction of who they will take.
Round 1, Pick 4: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
In this mock draft, the Titans took Cam Ward, the Browns took Travis Hunter, and the Giants took Shedeur Sanders. This would be a dream-come-true scenario for the Patriots, as arguably the best player in the entire draft would fall to them at four. New England’s top pass rusher last season had just five sacks, and Abdul Carter from Penn State could remedy that.
Carter is 6’3 and 252 pounds, and has a motor that never quits. He can get after the quarterback, accumulating 43 hurries and 13 sacks on 350 pass plays last season. This gave him a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 91.3. He is an elite player for the next decade.
Round 2, Pick 38: Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
The Patriots’ offensive line play was atrocious last season, and while they signed Morgan Moses to play right tackle in free agency, the rest of the line is a question mark. The team could add one answer by taking Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker with the 38th overall pick.
Booker is 6’5 and weighs 325 pounds. His PGG grade was just 66.6 last season, but it was 86.5 when pass blocking. He becomes a day one starter, and likely kicks Mike Onwenu out to tackle, or Cole Strange out of the starting lineup altogether.
Round 3, Pick 69: Isaiah Bond, Wide Receiver, Texas
Maye will see a significant upgrade in protection heading into 2025, but who is he supposed to throw the ball to? It’s unlikely to be Mack Hollins, and since the Patriots weren’t able to swing a trade for Tee Higgins, that makes their number one option Demario Douglas. They need speed, and they will get that by selecting Isaiah Bond out of Texas.
Bond doesn’t have elite size (5’11 and 180 pounds), but he does have elite speed (4.39 seconds in the forty). He was targeted 56 times last season, hauling in 34 catches for 540 yards (15.9 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. He’s a homerun hitter, and the Patriots would be the ones swinging for the fences by taking him in round three.
Round 3, Pick 76: Harold Fannin, Jr, Tight End, Bowling Green
This is going to be the steal of the entire 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots have a couple of tight ends already, but they are both 30, and neither one is a very good blocker in the run game. Despite some rankings, Harold Fannin Jr is the best tight end in the draft, and the Patriots get him at pick 76.
Fannin is 6’4 and 230 pounds. He secured a 95.9 PFF grade last season, thanks to hauling in 117 passes for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns. He didn’t just get it done in the passing game, though. His 75.2 run block grade would have been the 47th best by an offensive tackle in the nation. He could be the Patriots’ number one weapon as a rookie.
Rounds 4, Pick 106: Ozzie Trapillo, Offensive Tackle, Boston College
Speaking of offensive tackles, the Patriots still need help on the outside. Moses may have to shift to left tackle and Onwenu to right tackle, or maybe the team has to rely on Vederion Lowe again. In this mock draft, at pick 106, they take a hometown guy in Boston College tackle Ozzie Trapillo.
Trapillo is a big man (6’8 and 309 pounds). He posted a PFF grade of 76.8 last season. He has played right tackle the past two years, but played exclusively left tackle in 2022. He only allowed 2 sacks and 12 hurries last year on 362 pass blocking snaps.
Round 5, Pick 144: Brashard Smith, Running Back, SMU
Rhamondre Stevenson is on the decline already, even getting benched last season. He’s not the same running back who gained 1,000 yards in 2022. Last season he carried the ball 207 times for 801 yards (3.9 yards per carry. That will not get it done.
Brashard Smith out of SMU is like Lightning McQueen. He is speed. He posted a 4.39 forty at the Combine, and last year for the Mustangs, he carried the ball 232 times for 1,326 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 41 passes. He would be a great change of pace back, or maybe even replace Stevenson as the starter.
Round 5, Pick 171: O’Donnell Fortune, Cornerback, South Carolina
Using the pick they acquired from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for “Bazooka” Joe Milton, the Patriots get some depth at cornerback. South Carolina corner O’Donnell Fortune has decent length (6’1 and 185 pounds), and had good production for the Gamecocks in 2024. He intercepted three passes and posted a PFF grade of 86.0.
Round 7, Pick 220: Tim Smith, Defensive Line, Alabama
The Patriots can always use more big run stuffers, and they will always love their big guys from Alabama (Christian Barmore). With pick 220, they take Tim Smith, who posted a 73.7 PFF grade in Tuscaloosa last season. He had a 78.9 rating against the run and 64.7 against the pass. Football is a game of attrition, and it never hurts to have extra big bodies as depth pieces.
The Patriots can always use more big run stuffers, and they will always love their big guys from Alabama (Christian Barmore). With pick 220, they take Tim Smith, who posted a 73.7 PFF grade in Tuscaloosa last season. He had a 78.9 rating against the run and 64.7 against the pass. Football is a game of attrition, and it never hurts to have extra big bodies as depth pieces.
Round 7. Pick 238: Will Shepard, Wide Receiver, Colorado
With their ninth and final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Patriots take Will Shepard, wide receiver from Colorado. He has good height (6’3) and loads of talent. He hauled in 48 catches for the Buffaloes last season, for 621 yards and six touchdowns. He could be a good possession receiver, or worst case scenario, he’s a great practice squad player, which is fine, at pick 238.
