The New England Patriots had one of the NFL’s worst wide receiver groups in 2024. So, even after signing Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, they should still invest significant resources at the position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But if two-way star Travis Hunter — viewed as the best wideout in this year’s class — is off the board when the Patriots pick at No. 4, who else can they target? What are their best options if they if they want to take a receiver with one of their three Day 2 picks (No. 38, No. 69 and No. 77 overall)?
If you ask NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystrom, New England should keep a close eye on Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel, who’s currently projected as a late-second- or third-round pick. Nystrom joined Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry on a new Patriots Talk Podcast and shared a rave review of Noel’s game.
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“He gets nitpicked because of the size, and then he’s confined to the slot. But Noel is going to start from Day 1 in the NFL in the slot, and he’s going to start there for a decade,” Nystrom said. “He’s super duper reliable, he can handle the volume, he’s a good route runner, he’s athletic.
“But the thing where it sort of elevates with him beyond some of these other guys of that ilk is, he wins at the third level of the field. He can do that for you. And to have a field stretcher at the slot who also gives you the efficiency I think is cool with him.”
Noel is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds but has serious big-play potential: He averaged a career-high 14.9 yards per catch in 2024, hauling in 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cyclones.
So, while the Patriots already have a traditional slot receiver in the 5-foot-8 DeMario Douglas and a crisp route runner in Diggs, Nystrom believes Noel would fit well in New England as a field-stretcher out of the slot.
“In this crappy receiver class, I think he’s undervalued,” Nystrom added. “The return that you’re going to get back at the slot you take him is more attractive in that case than with a lot of these other guys, and I think in that offensive system, he would make a ton of sense.”
If the Patriots are looking for a bigger-bodied receiver, they may prefer Noel’s Iowa State teammate, the 6-foot-4 Jayden Higgins, who projects as a second-round pick. But if New England goes in a different direction at No. 38 and Noel is still available in the third round at pick No. 69, he could be an enticing option for a team in need of an offensive jolt.
Also in this episode:
- Thor Nystrom loves J.J. McCarthy more than Tom Curran does
- Is there OL depth behind Will Campbell and Armand Membou?
- Thor’s picks for the Patriots in his mock draft
- NFL comps for players in the draft
Read the full article here
