Patriots Draft Grades: Scoring Each Of New England’s 11 Selections

Nothing says silly quite like grading an NFL draft class immediately after the event ends.

But silly is fun.

The New England Patriots made 11 selections during the 2025 NFL Draft. They added explosiveness on offense and might have landed a few steals on defense. It should be viewed, at least at this point, as a very favorable start for Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf and the new regime.

With that, let’s get to the grades:

Round 1, No. 4: LT Will Campbell
The Patriots didn’t get cute. They addressed their biggest need and selected the best player available for them. Is Campbell the perfect prospect? No. But it was an imperfect class where every prospect behind Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter came with question marks. Campbell feels like he’s going to be a key contributor on the left side for a decade-plus, and isn’t far away from being a team captain.
Grade: A–

Round 2, No. 38: RB TreVeyon Henderson
It initially felt like the Patriots reached a little bit, given they had more pressing needs elsewhere. But now, with having the benefit of hindsight and knowing the Patriots selected a wideout on Day 2, it’s easy to see Henderson as a weapon for Drake Maye. He has three-down ability and should be able to provide a nice complement to Rhamondre Stevenson.
Grade: A-

Round 3, No. 69: WR Kyle Williams
Williams is one of the best receivers in the class when it comes to creating separation, and that allows him to be a threat anytime he has the ball in his hands. This scribe would have preferred Jaylin Noel, who was available at 69th overall before being drafted by the Texans. But the Patriots loved Williams’ versatility, separation and ability to beat man coverage.
Grade: B+

Round 3, No. 95: C Jared Wilson
To trade back twice, acquire two additional picks, and still land Wilson was an impressive display of how to play the board. Wilson, an athletic freak and arguably the best center in the class, feels like he could be snapping the ball to Maye for the next decade.
Grade: A

Round 4, No. 106: S Craig Woodson
This was the biggest reach for the Patriots, who didn’t need to add to their safety room. Woodson will bring a lighter frame (6-foot, 200 pounds) and skillset (4.45 40-yard dash) than Jabrill Peppers (5-foot-11, 217 pounds) and Kyle Dugger (6-foot-1, 216 pounds), but most viewed him as a fifth- or sixth-round pick.
Grade: C

Round 4, No. 137: DT Joshua Farmer
New England traded up seven spots (acquired No. 137 for Nos. 144, 238) to get Farmer, the best defensive tackle available. He was a top-80 prospect, according to multiple draft experts, and the Patriots got him nearly 50 picks later. Farmer fills a need, too.
Grade: A-

Round 5, No. 146: EDGE Bradyn Swinson
Another late-round steal for the Patriots? Swinson might be. The second team All-SEC selection was thought to be a potential third-round pick and fell to New England in the back half of the fifth. There’s a lot to like about Swinson’s ability off the edge after he led LSU in sacks (8 1/2), tackles for loss (13) and pressures (59).
Grade: A

Round 6, No. 182: K Andres Borrengales
New England wanted to add competition to every room and did so by taking the first kicker in the 2025 draft. Borrengales excelled during four seasons at Miami. It’ll be interesting to see how that translates in New England.
Grade: B-

Round 7, No. 220: OT Marcus Bryant
Bryant plays a premier position and has a really nice blend of size (6-foot-7, 320 pounds) and athleticism (4.97 40-yard dash). It makes plenty of sense to try to throw a seventh-round dart, even after drafting Campbell.
Grade: B

Round 7, No. 251: LS Julian Ashby
Ashby reportedly was going to be a hot commodity if he were to become an undrafted free agent. And with longest tenured Patriot Joe Cardona nearing the end, we understand the thought process. It’s still a long-snapper, though.
Grade: B-

Round 7, No. 257: DB Kobee Minor
Mr. Irrelevant! The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Minor as his 127th cornerback in the class. Other options — arguably better options like cornerback Cobee Bryant — were on the board. In the end, however, it’s hard to get too worked up about the very last pick in the draft.
Grade: C

Overall: A-

(I’m no mathematician so I hope that equates correctly, maybe throw a weighted grade or two in there if needed.)

How do you feel about these grades, Patriots fans? Sound off in the comments or yell at @BySeanMcGuire on X.