Patriots should target these WRs on Day 2 – NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots’ top-two roster needs entering the 2025 NFL Draft are left tackle and wide receiver.

They should be able to address one of those weaknesses with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round. Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter might be available at No. 4. He’s the only wideout worth taking that high in Round 1. If he’s off the board when the Patriots are on the clock, it would make sense for them to take LSU tackle Will Campbell.

If the Patriots do go with Campbell or another offensive tackle in the first round, then it would be wise to use a Day 2 selection on a wide receiver. New England currently owns pick No. 38 in the second round and picks No. 69 and 77 in the third round.

This draft class doesn’t have the same level of elite talent at wide receiver compared to recent years, but there should be plenty of quality prospects in the second and third rounds.

Which of these wide receivers make sense for the Patriots? Here’s a list of seven names to keep tabs on.

Luther Burden III, Missouri

Burden’s draft stock decline is a little perplexing. He was a top 10 pick in many mock drafts before the 2024 season, and now he’s being projected to land in the second round by some experts. One of them is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who has Burden going to the Patriots in the second round (No. 38 overall) of his latest mock draft.

Getting a player of Burden’s caliber at No. 38 would be a massive steal for New England.

He’s a fantastic player whose stats in 2024 (61 catches, 676 yards, six TDs) were not as good as his 2023 numbers (86 catches, 1,212 yards, nine TDs) due to several factors beyond his control, including some lackluster play at quarterback and his usage in the offense going down. He’s a fast (4.42 40 at the scouting combine), physical wide receiver who runs routes very well and can make contested catches consistently. Burden is a true vertical threat, which the Patriots still need, even after signing Stefon Diggs.

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Egbuka isn’t entering the draft with the same fanfare as previous Buckeyes stars such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but he was highly productive at Ohio State.

Egbuka tallied a career-high 81 receptions last season, as well as 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns (his second season with double-digit scores). He also had five receptions of 30-plus yards, including this touchdown against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Egbuka has great athleticism and is a good blocker. He has all the tools needed to be successful in the pros. If he drops to the second round, he’s worth trading up to acquire.

Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Higgins is 6-foot-4, 214 pounds with impressive quickness. He has a lot of athleticism for someone at his size.

He’s a reliable deep threat, but he can also excel on short routes, especially in key third down situations. Higgins tallied a career-high 87 receptions for 1,193 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cyclones last season. His 90.3 grade from Pro Football Focus was the second-highest for a wideout in 2024.

Jack Bech, TCU

Bech tallied career highs of 62 receptions, 1,034 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Horned Frogs last season. Before 2024, he had never posted more than 43 catches, 489 yards or three touchdowns in a single season.

His breakout senior season has made him a legit second-round prospect. Bech, who’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, is great as a runner after the catch. His ability to break the initial tackle and accelerate is impressive.

The best part of Bech’s skill set is his reliability. He dropped only one pass on 91 targets last season. And according to The 33rd Team, “Bech and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith were the only FBS players with 1,000-plus receiving yards and a drop rate under 1.5 percent last season.”

Isaiah Bond, Texas

After two seasons at Alabama, Bond transferred to Texas and played an important role in Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Bond tallied 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns for the Longhorns. He has the speed (4.3 40-yard dash at his Pro Day) to beat defensive backs and make catches deep down field.

Bond doesn’t have the best size (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), but he’s a smooth route runner with big-play ability. The Patriots need some of that explosiveness at wide receiver.

Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Noel projects to be a good slot receiver at the NFL level. He’s a good route runner, he’s quick and he has good hands. Noel tallied 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cyclones last season.

In addition to his impressive production at wide receiver, Noel also excelled on special teams last season and earned Co-Special Teams Player of the Year honors in the Big 12 conference. He showed strong leadership skills, too, as a two-time captain.

The Patriots reportedly hosted Noel for a top 30 visit this week, so he’s definitely on their radar.

Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Ole Miss largely disappointed last season after coming into Week 1 with genuine playoff hype, but Tre Harris certainly lived up to expectations. He caught 60 passes for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned the sixth-highest grade (89.7) among wideouts from Pro Football Focus.

He’s also the only wideout in this draft to tally 1,000-plus yards on fewer than 80 targets. His run blocking is really impressive, too.

Harris, who’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, excelled on the outside for Ole Miss last season. He has the tools to be a real playmaker at the next level.