2025 Mock Draft 3.0: Patriots trade down to bulk up in the trenches originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It was clear to see. The Eagles got a great performance from quarterback Jalen Hurts, but the reason they ended up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy was because of what they had in the trenches.
Without having to blitz once in Super Bowl LIX, Eagles pass-rushers tortured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Offensively, their linemen kept Hurts clean, and the threat they posed as run-blockers forced Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to send waves of defenders at the line of scrimmage to slow down Saquon Barkley.
Chalk up another win for the timeless football truth that games are decided on the line of scrimmage.
The Patriots are as far away from making a Super Bowl as any team in football. But in order to get back to relevancy, they can follow the blueprint drawn up by Philadelphia roster-building mastermind Howie Roseman: Find the talent necessary to dominate up front.
And that’s exactly what we have the Patriots doing in our latest mock draft.
1. Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Unfortunately for the Titans, they have the No. 1 overall pick in a year where there’s not going to be a lot of interest in trading up for the No. 1 overall pick. Or so it seems. Instead of selling, they stand pat and take one of the two blue-chippers available.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Of the aforementioned blue-chippers, this is the only one remaining. The Browns need another quarterback, but they can’t force the issue here with Hunter on the board.
3. New York Giants: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Brian Daboll and the Giants need a quarterback. And fast. They take the most physically-gifted of the consensus top passers in this year’s class.
TRADE: New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders
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Raiders receive: No. 4 pick
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Patriots receive: No. 6 pick, No. 37 pick
4. Las Vegas Raiders (via New England): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Desperation is a stinky cologne. And though Tom Brady undoubtedly knows his way around men’s fragrances, he’s less experienced in the player-evaluation realm, which could lead him to throw his support behind a move up the board to land Sanders.
While Sanders has plenty going for him when it comes to accuracy and competitiveness — qualities Brady would appreciate — he would not have been a top-five pick last year, and he probably would not have been among the top-quarterbacks taken in 2024.
In this move, the Raiders give away a second-rounder to scoot up two spots in order to ensure they can outbid the Saints and Steelers.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Graham may be getting left out of the mix in the blue-chip discussion when he shouldn’t be. He looks like a well-rounded, three-down defensive tackle who’ll make an immediate impact.
6. New England Patriots (via Las Vegas): Jalon Walker, ED, Georgia
In this scenario, the new Patriots regime puts its stamp on its first draft by taking a player who brings a familiar trait to the table for Mike Vrabel: versatility. Walker doesn’t have the size that made Vrabel a moveable front-seven chess piece for Bill Belichick, but he has the ability to be a hybrid player in the new-look Patriots defense.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Walker won the Butkus Award as a 20-year-old this past season as an off-the-line ‘backer who showed an innate talent for rushing off the edge when given the opportunity. He was wickedly disruptive against Texas, Tennessee and Clemson, showing his sideline-to-sideline athleticism and high-level football IQ. He’s also thought to have outstanding football character.
For Vrabel, who will be looking to make a significant impact on both the overall talent on his roster and add to the culture he’s hoping to establish with his first pick, Walker feels like the kind of player he’d be willing to bet on.
Vrabel could’ve taken Will Campbell here to address a major need, but the opportunity to take a player who can harass quarterbacks and function as a leader on that side of the ball for years to come was too hard to pass up.
If the Patriots can add a tackle or two in free agency, it would free them up to make this kind of pick the following month.
7. New York Jets: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Jets could use a top-flight corner to play opposite Sauce Gardner with D.J. Reed set to hit free agency. They’re buying low to a degree on Johnson, who finished his final collegiate season injured.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Bryce Young? Meet your new favorite target, whose length and hand-eye coordination make him worthy of being a top-10 pick this year.
9. New Orleans Saints: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
New Saints head coach Kellen Moore just left Philly, where his offensive line was the most dominant in football. Adding a top-flight blocker — whether he’s a tackle or a guard — will put Moore on the road to eventually replicating what he had with the Eagles.
10: Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Caleb Williams is going to need a much better offensive line if Ben Johnson is going to cobble together a competent offense in his first year as head coach. Kelvin Banks, whether it’s at tackle or guard, will provide competent play in short order.
11: San Francisco 49ers: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Deebo Samuel is on the trade block. What better way to replace him than by drafting the closest thing to Samuel in terms of after-the-catch playmaking in this year’s class?
12. Dallas Cowboys: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
One of the most talented players in the draft slides a bit due to positional value here. But the Cowboys pounce on the Dallas-area product where he’ll be peppered with Emmitt Smith comps from Day 1 due to his tackle-breaking ability.
13. Miami Dolphins: Mike Green, ED, Marshall
Paired with Chop Robinson for the foreseeable future, the Dolphins will have a couple of fearsome rushers to lean on. Mike McDaniel may want to go with an offensive player here, but Green’s talent is too hard for him to ignore.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Chris Ballard has never shied away from taking high-end athletes in the draft, and he snags another here. Warren has all the size and movement skills to be worthy of being taken in the top half of the first round despite playing a position that doesn’t have as much value as others league-wide.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Mykel Williams, ED, Georgia
Long arms. Lightning quick off the line. The Falcons seem to always be looking for pass-rush help and they land one of the most physically-impressive in this year’s class here.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
Stewart has excellent size and quickness off the line, and he flashed big-time potential at the Senior Bowl. The Cardinals defense needs help getting off the field, and if Stewart can learn to finish at the next level, they could have one of the steals of the first round.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Cincinnati was dreadful defensively last season and needs all the talent it can get its hands on. Nolen is a former five-star recruit with excellent quickness off the line of scrimmage who could give the Bengals a game-changing (and cost-effective) pass-rusher.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Seahawks could use some help opposite Charles Cross. Can Simmons flip to the right side of the line and give them the guy they’ll ultimately need? That’s a real question here. Simmons might’ve been the top tackle off the board had he not injured his knee in the fall.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: James Pearce Jr., ED, Tennessee
If you’re looking for burst off the edge, Pearce is for you. The Bucs might have to refine the Tennessee product’s eye-opening physical traits, but his gifts are rare — and worthy of middle-of-the-first-round investment.
20. Denver Broncos: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Can Egbuka be for Bo Nix what Marques Colston or Mike Thomas were for Drew Brees under Sean Payton? He’s dependable. He’ll work the middle of the field. He may not be a game-breaker as an athlete, but Payton might not care given what he’s succeeded with in the past.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Like Egbuka, Golden might not blow anyone away with his physical traits. But he’s a surehanded player who appears to do just about everything well. The Steelers could use a quarterback, but they’ll take a reliable pass-catcher as a consolation prize in a draft class short on high-end passers.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Add the ball-hawking Barron to the Chargers secondary — pairing him with do-it-all defender Derwin James — and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter could have a lot of fun.
23. Green Bay Packers: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
Green Bay is in an interesting spot in that they have two young tackles going into contract years at the same time. If they feel they can’t get both taken care of, adding another layer of depth at the position would be wise. Membou could ultimately land at guard, but they should give him a shot at tackle with the future of that position in doubt.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
Never a bad idea to solidify the interior of the offensive line when looking for answers there. The Vikings will be forced to do exactly that after finishing the season unable to keep Sam Darnold clean. Booker is Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 14 player in his top 50.
25. Houston Texans: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
Offensive line issues plagued the Texans all season, and in Zabel they add a player who could potentially contribute wherever they need him. His best spot will be on the interior, but he played four different positions as a collegian and then dominated in his competitive reps at the Senior Bowl.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Questions linger at the tackle spots in Los Angeles. They also could be in rebuild mode if they opt to move on from both Cooper Kupp (which looks imminent) and Matthew Stafford. No better way to build than through the trenches with a promising left tackle prospect.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Baltimore’s defense was uncharacteristically bad at times last season so adding another versatile, smart and sure-tackling defender would make all kinds of sense for them.
28. Detroit Lions: Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
Opinions seem to be split on Scourton, but he looks the part coming off the edge at at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds. He has the tools to defend the run more consistently than he did in college, and in this scenario, the Lions are willing to bet on those.
29. Washington Commanders: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Zach Ertz will eventually hand the torch to Loveland, who will help Jayden Daniels get better and better at attacking the middle of the field. Scary duo here for the rest of the NFC East.
30. Buffalo Bills: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Buffalo could go for a big-bodied defender for the middle of their defense here, but they’re in real need of corner help in the quarterback-loaded AFC. Morrison, who finished the season banged-up, is perhaps the best option left at that spot.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Some offensive lineman. Any offensive lineman. Guard. Tackle. The Chiefs could use ’em all. Lucky for them, Jackson looks like he has the ability to play both after filling in admirably at tackle last season.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Donocan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
Josh Sweat looks like he’s about to move on. So what does Roseman do? Reload. Ezeiruaku has the athleticism and bend to be an impact player from Day 1.
ROUND 2
37. New England Patriots (via Las Vegas): Aireontay Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Patriots can’t assume a second-round pick will be the long-term answer for them at left or right tackle. But at this point in the draft, given what they have there now, he’s worth a shot.
At 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honoree has the kind of size that could mesh well with a downhill running game implemented by Josh McDaniels.
In pass-protection, while long (34-inch arms) and quick for his size, the three-year starter at left tackle was not always the smoothest mover in college. He could be better served by landing on the right side of the line as a pro.
But Ersery put together some impressive reps against Penn State’s Abdul Carter last season that seem indicative of promise. He also held his own against some of the best pass-rushers in the country at the Senior Bowl.
38. New England Patriots: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
If the Patriots want to load up in the trenches under Vrabel, Collins could be his kind of guy.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder is chiseled and possesses long arms perfect for early-down dirty work. He seems wired for it, too, making him exactly what the Patriots need. In 2024, they were 23rd in rush yards allowed per game (131.4), 22nd in rush success rate allowed and 21st in rush EPA allowed.
Under Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, both adept when it comes to developing defensive linemen, Collins appears to have the length and motor that could eventually make him an impactful pass-rusher as well.
Paired together with the first-rounder Jalon Walker, Collins — one of the most physically-gifted interior defensive linemen in a loaded class at that position — could help make the spine of the Patriots defense more formidable as soon as he hits the field.
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