The Patriots’ Draft Blueprint

The New England Patriots will select fourth in the 2025 NFL Draft, barring any trade up or down the draftboard.

The Patriots’ Draft Blueprint

Too many bad teams played in the NFL this year, shoving New England down to the No. 4 hole. In a normal season, a 4-13 record should fetch a Top 3 pick the following year. No cigar for the Patriots.

So, with the NFL Draft 12 weeks away, the Patriots should follow this roadmap.

The Hard Part Is Out of the Way

Last year, New England nailed it. Plain and simple. Quarterback Drake Maye performed wonderfully as a rookie — so much so that the Patriots don’t even have to remotely entertain Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward this cycle.

Figuring out the most difficult spot on an NFL roster is done for New England.

Quarterback-needy teams, like the Minnesota Vikings, probably called the Patriots to inquire about their 3rd overall pick in 2024. But they didn’t flinch — that, or they asked for way too much. Props to New England for sticking-and-picking when it could’ve accrued about three 1st-Rounders for Maye.

Maye will be the real deal.

Sign Tee Higgins (WR)

After that, the Patriots have a not-so-secret secret: cap space.

Eliot Wolf owns the NFL’s most cap space entering 2025 free agency, and he should unload some of that to Tee Higgins, a free-agent wide receiver. The price will be close to $30 million annually. Wolf won’t have $120 million in cap space to spend any time soon, so he should use it on a proven commodity in Higgins. The Cincinnati Bengal is thirsting to command a WR1 workload of his own after four years of sidekicking for Ja’Marr Chase.

Higgins can handle the job, Maye needs a primary, beyond-the-shadow-of-a-doubt WR target, and New England has the funds to land the ship. Sign Higgins; don’t overcomplicate this thing.

Sign a CB like D.J. Reed or Charvarius Ward

Of course, Wolf’s spending bonanza does not have to stop at one expensive wide receiver.

He can sign the NFL’s top cornerback on the open market, which is probably D.J. Reed of the New York Jets. The 28-year-old can cash in this March, and once again, the Patriots have the funds.

The Patriots could cross their fingers and hope Travis Hunter (Colorado) tumbles to No. 4, but that’s unlikely. Pair Reed with Christian Gonzalez and prosper.

If they strike out on Reed, Charvarius Ward is worth a free-agent look, too.

Draft Will Campbell (OT) or Abdul Carter (EDGE)

Finally, the crescendo. The Patriots will not regret selecting Campbell or Carter — whoever is on the board. Both could be there at No. 4.

Drafting offensive linemen and EDGE defenders is perhaps the least risky of all premium spots on a depth chart because they’re not quite boom or bust like quarterbacks.

Wolf should decide which need is greater, the offensive or defensive trenches, and pick Campbell or Carter.

Not for nothing: it might be a bit easier to find an EDGE rusher on the open market in free agency. Premium offensive tackles are rare. Campbell might be the wisest choice.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the Minnesota Vikings, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.