The Patriots came out of the initial free-agency wave with a remade defense after filling several holes on that side of the ball.
Following a season where they ranked 30th in DVOA, head coach Mike Vrabel and the Pats brass made positive strides in fixing the defense, which was as in need of a facelift as the offense. It was good to see a calculated approach with a clear vision for how the coaches will integrate the defensive players added in free agency. For example, prized free agent addition Milton Williams projects nicely into a game-wrecking role in the interior defensive line, a spot that Vrabel and DC Terrell Williams have utilized well over the years, while CB Carlton Davis will pair great with All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez to form a shutdown tandem.
Although the defense improved, the Patriots still have work to do on offense. They've yet to add a left tackle or a needle-moving playmaker. However, following a thoughtful approach to rebuilding the defense, one would think that the "big three" decision-makers of Vrabel, EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, and VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden will come out of draft weekend with a major acquisition at tackle and receiver.
After doing a "dream scenario" mock draft where Heisman winner Travis Hunter fell to the Patriots at No. 4 overall, this simulation will project a seven-round draft for New England where Hunter and top pass-rusher Abdul Carter are off the board, so keep that in mind.
Here's a second stab at a Patriots mock draft following the initial wave of free agency.
First Round, No. 4 Overall: OT Will Campbell, LSU
This pick won't be popular with everyone. However, the Patriots need to upgrade the talent level along their offensive line. They have holes to fill at left tackle and left guard, and mock drafts are about predicting what the Patriots might do. For those reasons, we can't dismiss Campbell because he doesn't have the ideal arm length to play tackle in the NFL.
The LSU product is the draft's best blocker with the high football character that Vrabel wants to build a sustainable program in New England. Campbell blends elite athleticism (9.98 RAS) with smooth lateral movements and an excellent anchor to be a high-level pass blocker. He's also an effective move-blocker in the run game who can use his upper-body power to create rushing lanes. Although he stands tall in his stance, Campbell has great flexibility in his lower half to create leverage as well.
Campbell can make it as a tackle by improving his hand placement and picking his spots more with his aggressiveness in pass protection. He'll overshoot his landmarks at times to meet rushers at the junction point, leading to clean losses where he opens the inside pathway to the quarterback. With more consistency in those areas, Campbell has the athleticism, savvy, and snarl to be a foundational pillar on an offensive line.
Second Round, No. 38 Overall: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
After coming up short in their pursuits for a top wide receiver in free agency, it's hard to imagine that the Patriots won't make a considerable investment to upgrade QB Drake Maye's supporting cast in the draft. Along with the question of how early they'll take a receiver, the other dilemma from the outside perspective is what type of receiver they will target. From this perspective, an outside (X) receiver makes the most sense with their current roster.
Higgins has many of the same qualities that draw people to Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan in the first round: great fluidity, body control, hands, and alignment flexibility in a jumbo 6-4, 214-pound frame. He wins at the first two levels of the defense with his ability to snap off routes on vertical stems, cross defenders' faces on in-breakers, and find voids in zone coverages. Creative offensive coordinators will also move Higgins inside to hunt matchups against slower defenders as a big slot.
The Iowa State's products' ceiling will be determined by how much his timed speed (4.47s 40-yard dash) translates to vertical wins at the next level. Higgins doesn't consistently run by defenders on the outside. Although he tested like an elite athlete (9.92 RAS), his play speed is more crafty than it is dynamic. My pro comparison for Higgins is Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr., but if he plays to his testing numbers in the pros, then he could hit a ceiling closer to Tee Higgins or Drake London.
Third Round, No. 69 Overall: G/C Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
The Patriots biggest need along the O-Line is left tackle. Still, they also have to solidify the interior, with center now being a need after longtime captain David Andrews was released. My gut says the Pats will bank on Ben Brown, Layden Robinson, Cole Strange or Sidy Sow to fill one spot, leaving an open interior spot to a rookie. The vision here is to pair Campbell (LT) and Milum (LG) to remake the left side, with Brown and Strange competing at center.
The West Virginia blindside protector projects to move his power-oriented game to guard or even center in the NFL. Milum doesn't have the length (32 â…›") or athleticism to pass protect as an offensive tackle in the pros. But he plays well in a phone booth with heavy hands and body control to stay centered on blocks. Milum also has active eyes to sniff out post-snap line movement and adjust to targets on the fly in the run game, giving him the skillset to be a starting-caliber interior lineman.
Milum worked at all three interior spots at the Senior Bowl, and based on the tape, there might be a learning curve. Still, you feel good about projecting him as a future starter on the interior. The following line combination is a decent starting point for the Patriots: LT Campbell, LG Milum, C Brown/Strange, RG Onwenu, and RT Moses.
Third Round, No. 77 Overall: EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
The Patriots targeted free agents to upgrade the front seven, with Milton Williams, Harold Landry, Robert Spillane, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Khyiris Tonga added to the mix. However, it's hard to envision Vrabel passing up on the talent along the D-Line in a stacked class.
Kennard is in a similar mold to Chaisson and Landry as a long-striding speed rusher who uses good arm length (34" arms) to separate from blocks to corner the edge. He'll complement his speed rushes with quick-twitch inside counters to slip inside. Kennard needs to add mass to be more sturdy on his rush tracks, but he seems like a Vrabel fit who is cut from the same cloth as the EDGEs the Patriots just added in free agency.
Fourth Round, No. 106 Overall: RB Devin Neal, Kansas
The next combination of talent in the draft class and sneaky need for the Patriots? Running back. There are 30-plus RBs with draftable grades in this class. With lead-back Rhamondre Stevenson's ball security issues last season, it makes sense for New England to target a mid-round running back who can serve as a safety net in case Stevenson's fumbling woes continue. With that in mind, my feeling is it'll be an early-down back.
Neal is one of my favorite mid-rounders in this class due to his size (5-11. 213 lbs.), vision, elusiveness in tight quarters, and low center of gravity to run through tackles. Neal is more slasher than a home-run hitter, but he has enough burst to turn the corner and get past the first level of the defense. He'll also be an asset in short-yardage situations with a knack for churning out tough yards. As a receiver, Neal is a reliable check-down option. He fits the downhill style that McDaniels and Vrabel will likely play.
Fifth Round, No. 144 Overall: TE Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
The last combination of a stacked draft class and sneaky need is at tight end. The Pats re-signed veteran Austin Hooper to keep Maye's productive tight end duo of Hooper and Hunter Henry together. However, it doesn't feel right to pass on this loaded tight end class, and with Henry and Hooper's age, adding a prospect into the developmental pipeline is intriguing.
After tearing his ACL in 2023, Evans took some time to get his burst back in 2024. But he'll now be two years removed from the injury and has the size (6-5, 258 lbs), above-average speed (4.74s 40-yard dash), and ball skills to be a well-rounded tight end. Evans is at his best boxing out with his large frame on seam runs and in-breakers, while he has the chops to be a useful run blocker. This is a flier on a player who could've gone higher without a severe knee injury in college.
Trade: Patriots trade 7.217 and 7.220 to Cleveland for 6.192
The Patriots consolidate late-day three picks to get back into the sixth round. It makes some sense to bridge a 73-pick gap at a point in the draft where teams are unlikely to have many draftable grades left on their boards. Vrabel calls up pals Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry to make it happen.
Sixth Round, No. 192 Overall (via Browns): DL Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech
The Patriots have projected starters on the interior defensive line in Milton Williams, Keion White, and hopefully Christian Barmore. However, Tonga is the one space-eater that naturally slides into a role as a nose tackle at the zero or one technique. Biggers is a nice project for Vrabel and DC Terrell Williams. He is oozing with physical traits (6-5, 321 lbs., 9.80 RAS), but needs significant technique work. If the Pats coaches can get Biggers to play with better pad level, he could play on the nose in a 4-3 front.
Seventh Round, No. 238 Overall: K Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh
New England's only kicker under contract is Parker Romo. They'll likely add another kicker at some point, and Catch-22 co-host Alex Barth, our resident specialist guru, says you better call Sauls.
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
