The Patriots are heading into an offseason where there's one buzzword to describe their biggest needs: trenches.

After ranking last in most offensive line metrics and 29th in team pressure rate on defense last season, head coach Mike Vrabel and personnel chief Eliot Wolf set an expectation at the NFL Scouting Combine that their primary focus will be beefing up on the line of scrimmage.

However, reaching to address a need with the fourth-overall pick in April's draft might not be the best approach. When picking this high in the first round, it's often wise to take the best player available on the board. The Pats will likely make a list of four prospects they'd feel comfortable taking at No. 4 overall and then weigh that against a cluster of players they'd feel good about taking after executing a trade down.

Assuming a trade-down isn't there, and stud pass-rusher Abdul Carter is a top-three selection, it's debatable whether or not this draft has an elite OL/DL prospect worthy of selecting fourth overall. For instance, LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Michigan DT Mason Graham are the top prospects that fit. However, neither has ideal measurables for their positions, with Campbell having shorter arms for a tackle (32 5/8") while Graham is a smaller D-Tackle (6-3, 296 lbs). Both are great players, but they aren't squeaky-clean prospects, which is what you want in the top five.

With that in mind, our first stab at a seven-round mock draft for the Patriots has a clear theme: don't reach to fill positions of need. With some luck from two quarterbacks going in the top three picks, the Patriots can go BPA to keep stacking talent on the roster. Following a week at the NFL Combine, here is mock draft 1.0 for the Patriots.

First Round, No. 4 Overall - WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

There's an argument to be made that Hunter is the best overall player in this class, as the Heisman Trophy winner is an elite prospect on both sides of the ball. However, all three teams picking in the top three need quarterbacks, and although it's not a great year for QBs, Cam Ward and Shadeur Sanders might be enticing enough to get two of the three teams to bite. After the Rams re-signed QB Matthew Stafford, the Titans, Browns, and Giants are left with Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson, and possibly Aaron Rodgers as veteran options. With the Raiders and Saints also being QB-needy teams picking in the top 10, there's a lot of demand, as always.

The Patriots benefit from teams reaching on quarterbacks, allowing them to land Hunter. My gut says the Pats would want Hunter to major in playing receiver, where his elite play speed, ability to win vs. press coverage, and ball skills give him a WR1 ceiling. Although he has elite cornerback traits, the Patriots could play Hunter at wide receiver and pair him with QB Drake Maye for years to come. Hunter could also pair well with All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez to form a "no-fly zone" in Foxboro. Given their need for game-changing talent at the top of the roster, Hunter would inject some juice into a program that needs new life under head coach Mike Vrabel.

Second Round, No. 38 Overall - EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

The Patriots could address their need at offensive tackle here, but my instincts say they'll want a proven commodity to protect Maye's blindside. New England waited until day two of the draft to address a hole at left tackle last offseason, and it cost them when veteran Chuks Okorafor didn't work out, and third-rounder Caedan Wallace battled injuries as a rookie. One would expect the Patriots to be suitors for top free-agent tackles Ronnie Stanley and Cam Robinson if he's available to get a surer thing this time around.

Rather than going OT here, the Pats get to work on improving their defensive line by selecting Sawyer from Vrabel's Alma mater. Sawyer is a sturdy edge defender with good instincts, play strength, leverage, and lateral quickness as a hand-down even front defensive end, who fits the anticipated scheme change under Vrabel. Sawyer is also effective on line stunts, where he has a good feel for working with others in the pass rush. Along with being a high-floor run defender and pass rusher, Sawyer checks the "effort and finish" boxes and is lauded for his leadership. There are prospects with higher pass-rushing upsides in this range, but Sawyer will help rebuild the culture in New England.

Third Round, No. 69 Overall - OT Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College

The Patriots address the offensive line with a top-100 pick by taking Trapilo, who has plenty of connections to the organization. Along with playing for Vrabel confidant Bill O'Brien in Chestnut Hill, O-Line coach Doug Marrone was an analyst at BC last season, and Pats Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia trains Trapilo. New England will have excellent intel on the local product.

When you turn on Trapilo's film, you can tell he has been well coached by the Pats connections associated with the BC program. Trapilo plays with NFL-caliber play strength and hand-fighting skill to change up his approach on pass-rushers. Trapilo can also move the line of scrimmage with effective sustain skills to get on double teams and run his feet through contact. Some stiffness in his movements could lead to issues against high-end speed rushers, but Trapilo has an impressive savviness in his game. The Patriots can add Trapilo to Caedan Wallace, hoping that a starting right tackle emerges from two recent third-round picks. Again, we're operating under the assumption that the Patriots will acquire their starting left tackle and possibly a veteran (left) guard via free agency, so waiting until the third round to address the offensive line is about creating competition at right tackle.

Third Round, No. 77 Overall - TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon

When a position group is a strength in the draft, the mindset here is to tap into the depth of the class rather than reaching on a lesser prospect at a more garing position of need. The Patriots still have a very productive Hunter Henry as their TE1, but Henry heads into his age 31 season in 2025, while 2024 seventh-rounder Jaheim Bell is the only developmental prospect in New England's tight end pipeline. Given the talent at tight end in this draft, the Pats can select a high-upside backup to Henry who can take over as TE1 down the road.

Ferguson has a nice blend of a good catch radius, body control, and ball skills, with some untapped seam-running potential to project him into a pass-catching role. The Oregon product finished the 2024 season with 591 receiving yards and followed that up with a solid Senior Bowl week and a 9.81 relative athletic score at the combine (out of 10). Ferguson will need to add bulk and sustain power to blossom into a better in-line blocker, but he has the frame to improve in that area. Between his natural ball skills and good straight-line speed (4.63 40-yard dash), Ferguson has the makeup of a tight prospect who usually translates to the next level. If he lasts long enough to pick him in this range, LSU tight end Mason Taylor is another day-two possibility for the Patriots.

Fourth Round, No. 105 Overall - DT CJ West, Indiana

The Patriots round out their defensive line with projected additions at EDGE (Sawyer) and a possible run at Eagles three-technique Milton Williams in free agency by replacing NT Davon Godchaux (reportedly seeking a trade) with an explosive interior run defender. West is an active rusher who has the explosiveness to knife into gaps and active hands to work through blocks in the trenches. He isn't a typical two-gapper nose tackle, but West fits the mold of a gap-shooting DT, with the Patriots possibly moving to a more aggressive scheme.

Fifth Round, No. 145 Overall - RB Donovan Edwards, Michigan

Like at tight end, it's hard to envision a Patriots draft where they don't tap into a loaded running back class, especially after lead-back Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling issues in 2024. The Pats should be able to get a running back early on day three who can join their RB committee and possibly push Stevenson for reps in an early-down role. From this perspective, Edwards is getting overlooked in a crowded class, and some consensus boards have him way too low. The Michigan product is a well-rounded player with high-end speed (4.44s 40-yard dash), a compact frame to run through arm tackles and an efficient rushing style. He can also use his speed to win on verticals out of the backfield, like stacking linebackers on wheel routes. Edwards isn't the flashiest back in this class, but he has the juice to get the job done.

Seventh Round, No. 219 Overall - C Drew Kendall, Boston College

The Patriots dip back into the BC well with another familiar prospect for offensive line coach Doug Marrone. This time, they land an interior O-Line prospect to add another body to their options behind aging captain David Andrews at center. Kendall doesn't have the ideal raw power to give him true guard flexibility, but he's an easy mover on tape with very good athleticism in the run game and plays with a stout anchor in pass protection to hold the middle of the pocket. Kendall made 37 career starts and was a team captain for the Eagles. According to reports, center is a sneaky need that the Pats could address this offseason.

Seventh Round, No. 222 Overall - S Dante Trader Jr., Maryland

I became a fan of Trader's when he was patrolling the middle of the field at the Senior Bowl and sticking with a very good tight end group in man coverage. The Maryland product has Patriot-like versatility to play in the box, deep, or in the nickel spot, which is something Vrabel likes to do with his safeties as well (example: Amani Hooker). Trader should be able to compete for a roster spot as a special-teamer and maybe push for a role similar to Hooker's in the Titans defense. He's not as stalky as Hooker, but his game is a day-three version of the Titans safety.

Seventh Round, No. 240 Overall - CB Zah Frazier, UTSA

At this point in the draft, the Patriots are looking for players who can make the roster on special teams and have NFL-caliber athletic traits. Frazier posted a 9.28 relative athletic score with a 4.36s 40-yard dash. That'll allow him to compete for a roster spot as a coverage ace, while he has some size (6-3, 186) to develop at outside corner. This feels like a similar pick to Marcellas Dial and Isaiah Bolden as a late-day three grab on high-end athletic traits.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer