NFL Draft Analyst Pinpoints Two Potential Patriots Running Back Targets

The New England Patriots could use the upcoming NFL draft to pick up some toys for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

Drafting a wide receiver, especially in the first few rounds, would be a splashy move for the Patriots, and probably one that’s needed, too. Getting a young tight end into the system wouldn’t be a bad decision, either.

But New England taking a running back is going under-the-radar and it’s trending like the Patriots will add to that position through the draft. The Patriots already have Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson as their top running backs, but they could use a more exclusive pass-catching back in their offense.

That’s been a fixture in offenses run by Josh McDaniels, who returned for a third stint as New England’s offensive coordinator. McDaniels certainly made good use of Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead and James White during their tenures with the Patriots.

So what draft prospects would fit that mold? ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid pointed out two in Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen and SMU’s Brashard Smith. Both are projected to be seventh-round picks, per ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller.

Allen played three seasons for Syracuse and really took off as a pass-catcher this past fall. After recording 55 catches combined in his first two college seasons, the 6-foot, 204-pound pound back hauled in 64 receptions — the most of any FBS running back — for 521 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Allen also got the job done on the ground as he ran for 1,021 yards with 16 touchdowns.

Smith, who stands at 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds, is a converted wide receiver and ranked fourth in FBS with 1,977 all-purpose yards this past season. Smith ran for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with 39 receptions for 327 yards and four more scores. He spent the first three seasons of his college career at Miami and also has experience as a kick returner, which is an added plus if the Patriots look to draft him.

The Patriots obviously have more pressing areas of concern they need to address before getting a pass-catching back. But drafting one, especially in the later rounds, doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all.