It’s beginning to look like a real possibility that the New England Patriots will earn the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
We’d have to watch four more months of swill for that to come true, but the reality of the situation is it would allow New England to make a major upgrade at one, if not multiple, premium positions.
It’s not all bad.
We are fully aware that the draft isn’t for another six months, but it’s never a bad time to ignore the current product this team is putting on the field. If you’re interested in keeping an eye on the future throughout the remaining weeks of this abhorrent season, make sure to have these specific prospects in mind.
OT Will Campbell (LSU)
The Patriots don’t just need an offensive tackle, they need one who will raise the play of everyone around him and who excels in just about every phase of the position. Campbell is that guy.
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It’s widely expected that he’ll be among the first players off the board this coming April, as his blend of balance, strength and agility make him one of the more polished prospects we’ve seen at the position in a few years. LSU has loved this guy ever since he stepped foot on campus, making him an immediate starter and eventually slapping a “7” patch on his jersey, symbolizing him as the team’s top playmaker from the state of Louisiana. New England is expected to have options with its pick, but none would be an easier sell than Campbell.
OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas)
Campbell or Banks? The Patriots just might have to answer that question in a few months, as the latter has slowly played into discussion of being the first tackle off the board.
Banks has never missed a start across his three seasons, and has only allowed one (yes, one) total pressure this season. Pro Football Focus ranks him in the 98th or 99th percentile in both overall pass blocking and zone run blocking, which is what the Patriots have desperately been trying to implement over the last few seasons. New England certainly wouldn’t mind adding some nastiness, and Banks can provide that and then some, but there’s a lack of polish that will need to be worked on — which would provide a test for offensive line coaches Scott Peters and Robert Kugler.
OT Wyatt Milum (West Virginia)
Milum is a representative of the second, or maybe even third, wave of offensive tackles that will come off the board in April. The Patriots are so bad they might consider taking more than one, though, so it’s worth taking a look at the second- or third-round guys.
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Milum should be able to compete for a starting job right away as a rookie, and in a world where New England feels confident rolling with Vederian Lowe at left tackle, the youngster would be an acceptable option to come in on the right side. What would they do with their first-round pick in that scenario?
CB/WR Travis Hunter (Colorado)
The Patriots would take the best player in the draft, that’s what they’d do.
Hunter is third in the nation in catches (46) and eighth in receiving yards (561), all while recording two interceptions, three pass breakups, a game-winning forced fumble and allowing just 81 yards and zero touchdowns on defense through six weeks — playing in 620 of 689 total snaps. He’s the best player in the country, and has made it possible for Deion Sanders to begin turning around one of the worst programs in college football in Colorado.
New England doesn’t necessarily need a cornerback, which will be his primary position, but Hunter’s ability to play both ways at an all-world level is something we literally haven’t seen this millennium. He just might be too good to pass up.
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WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
New England should prioritize investing in the offensive line early, but there’s plenty of options for the club to “weaponize the offense” in the middle rounds. Egbuka, for instance, will be the most polished wide receiver prospect available and it’s widely expected that he slides out of the first round.
Egbuka has spent four seasons in Columbus, Ohio, and although he’s routinely played second, third, fourth and even fifth fiddle to the likes of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and now Jeremiah Smith, there’s no doubt he’s got what it takes to be a premiere slot option in the NFL. The Patriots could use an upgrade at almost all of their receiver spots, and Egbuka’s mix of size and versatility would certainly help.
TE Gunnar Helm (Texas)
The Patriots need to start looking into tight end upgrades. Hunter Henry was extended this past offseason, but things are starting to look bleak when it comes to finding his eventual replacement. Austin Hooper is somehow not as old as you’d think, but still is almost 30, while Jaheim Bell has made minimal improvements since being brought in as a seventh-round pick and shouldn’t be relied upon to eventually fill those shoes.
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Helm is one option that could be available on Day 3, and would immediately add a level of athleticism that New England’s tight end room hasn’t had in years. He can jump over dudes, so the cool factor is there, too.
TE Bryson Nesbit (UNC)
Speaking of cool…
How cool would it be to reunite Drake Maye with one of his favorite college targets in Bryson Nesbit? The Patriots probably want a tight end with more polish, but he’s a good athlete and has the size to improve as a blocker.
LB Harold Perkins Jr. (LSU)
New England didn’t address the defensive side of the football last season, but it could be afforded an opportunity to steal one hell of a player in 2025.
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Perkins suffered a season-ending knee injury a few weeks back, and there was already concern that he was too small (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) to play off the edge at the next level. The Patriots could take full advantage of a crappy reality and take Perkins, one of the most versatile linebackers in the country, in the second or third round and unleash him in a hybrid role, though. You can’t watch him, but don’t forget the name.
LB/S Sonny Styles (Ohio State)
Styles is one of the most gifted defenders in the country, and we’re going to use this platform to highlight him heading into the second half of the regular season. The Patriots could literally play him anywhere from safety, to linebacker, to defensive end — and if there’s a coach that would be infatuated with the prospects of doing something like that, it’s Bill Belichick.
Jerod Mayo probably wouldn’t mind finding a spot for him, either, though.
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Featured image via Scott Kinser/Imagn Images
