We’ve finally made it – it’s time for our final Mock Draft of the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. Let’s close out with one last seven-round projection of what the New England Patriots will do this weekend.

This mock draft balances what we’ve learned about the Patriots’ apparent strategy over the last four months, with the unpredictability that comes with this year’s class. “It’s not a stars draft, but a starter draft” has become one of the lines of the year.

How will the Patriots navigate this class to put a cap on the first offseason of the Mike Vrabel era? Let’s take a look, picking things up where we left off in NFL Mock Draft 3.0…

Round 1, Pick 4:
OT Will Campbell, LSU

With Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter off the board in the top three, the Patriots are stuck in the spot most have projected them to be in since winning their Week 18 game against Buffalo back in January. With the true blue chip talent gone, where do they go?

While Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is seen by some to be a third blue-chip talent, it may not be that simple. During his pre-draft press conference last week, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talked about the important of taking a player at a premium position this high in the draft. He also talked about how, ideally, approaching the pick in terms of filling a need and taking the best player available syncs up.

That all leads to Campbell who at this point is arguably the best player on the board at a premium position – most people have tackle second or third on that list behind quarterback an maybe edge rusher. It just so happens that it’s also the Patriots’ most glaring need right now. Combine that with the fact that there’s a chance all of the projected starting caliber tackles will be gone by Pick 38, and the Patriots do what they need to in order to make sure they have the blindside protected.

Round 2, Pick 38:
OLB Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

After transferring from Purdue to Texas A&M last year, Scourton was projected to be in the mix to be a top-15 pick in this draft. However his production fell off as a part of a talented Aggies front, and his sack total went from 10 in 2023 to five in 2024.

Despite that dip in pass rush production, Scourton showed many of the same skills that led to success at Purdue as he dropped his playing eight from the 280s to the 260s, adding quickness. He brings that ‘violent’ nature Patriots coaches have referenced throughout the offseason, and his motor always runs hot.

The biggest thing for Scourton in the pros will be working on and refining a rush plan, which will allow him to create moves off of his power rather than just relying on it. That’s something this defensive coaching staff certainly has experience with. Scourton also has a higher ceiling as one of the younger players in this draft – he doesn’t turn 21 until late August.

Round 3, Pick 69:
WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Predicting the Patriots’ interests in wide receiver in the top 100 is tough. Will they add size and look for the true outside ‘X’ receiver? Or make a bigger investment in finding a slot receiver – which tends to be a higher-impact role in Josh McDaniels’ offense? What makes this tough is the decision will likely be based on part on the plan for Stefon Diggs’ usage, which could go multiple ways.

In this scenario the Patriots go with ‘X’ receiver in Harris. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds Harris would give the Patriots a big body receiver on the outside, who knows how to use his athleticism to his advantage and can create after the catch. Harris is more of a big play threat than a chain-mover.

With this pick, the Patriots’ base offense would feature Harris at the ‘X,’ Diggs in the slot (once healthy), and Pop Douglas as the third ‘Z’ receiver. The remaining receivers would then compete for depth roles.

Round 3, Pick 77 (from ATL):
RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee

It seems likely the Patriots will take a running back at some point in this draft – but where? Based on their other needs and where the strengths of the class are, their final Day 2 pick or first Day 3 pick make the most sense.

We’ll have them getting a little more aggressive here, but for good reason. Sampson – who took a top-30 visit to New England – is a big play threat with his speed and elusiveness in the open field. His skillset makes him an ideal complement to Rhamondre Stevenson, as a home run hitter to come in after Stevenson wears the defense down with his powerful running style.

While Sampson wasn’t used much in the passing game at Tennessee, he has the individual skills to improve there. In the short term, Antonio Gibson could slot into the passing down back role.

The Patriots originally received this pick in the Matthew Judon trade

TRADE!

Patriots get:

-116th overall pick (4th round)
-155nd overall pick (5th round)

Dolphins get:

-106th overall pick (4th round)

The Patriots make just one trade in this mock draft, and it doesn’t come until the start of Day 3. In a rare in-division trade, they move back a bit adding an extra pick for more flexibility. This is a slight overpay by the Dolphins on the trade chart but that’s typically the case for teams moving up, and the Dolphins can afford it – with seven scheduled picks on Day 3 alone it wouldn’t be surprising if they’re looking to consolidate.

Round 4, Pick 116 (from MIA):
G Miles Frazier, LSU

Going back to the offense to start Day 3, in particular the offensive line. At 6-foot-6, 317 pounds Frazier began his college career as a left tackle an was a Freshman All-American at Florida International in 2021. He transferred to LSU and moved inside to guard, where he started both on the left and right side over the last three years, and hasn’t allowed a sack since October of 2023.

Frazier is the kind of mauler Josh McDaniels has traditionally looked at at the guard position, and Mike Vrabel has said he values versatility from offensive linemen. Frazier would come in right away as a top backup at multiple spots, and should be able to compete for the starting left guard job as a rookie.

Round 5, Pick 144:
TE Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame

Tight end isn’t an immediate need for the Patriots, but with both starters over 30 and Austin Hooper on an expiring contract the team should start looking ahead. In a deep draft at the position, they can wait until Day 3 to do so.

That brings them to Evans, who may be viewed as a ‘sleeper’ by some. Evans’ potential as a pass-catcher is untapped – he missed time in 2022 (foot injury) and 2023 (torn ACL), and was still working back from that ACL injury last year. There should be an expectation that he can tap into another level athletically two years removed from the injuries. He also played in a run-first offense, that didn’t showcase him as much as a pass catcher.

As a blocker, Evans is a factor at 6-foot-5, 258 pounds. He’d come right in and be the Patriots’ best blocking tight end immediately, giving him a role in the short term while he develops as a receiver to take on a bigger role down the road if all goes well.

Round 5, Pick 155 (from MIA):
OL Jalen Travis, Iowa State

Travis spent his first four years in college at Princeton, where he started at left and right tackle. He joined the Cyclones last year, starting 11 games on the left side where he allowed just 11 pressures and one sack.

At 6-foot-8, 339 pounds with 34 7/8-inch arms, Travis can overpower defenders but has the movement issues that tend to come with bigger offensive linemen. He could be a swing tackle if needed, but in the long term projects mainly as a right tackle in the NFL. He’d give the Patriots depth at both spots, and could potentially contend for the starting right tackle job once Morgan Moses’ tenure in New England is over.

Round 5, Pick 171:
C Drew Kendall, Boston College

One more offensive line pick, as the Patriots continue to overhaul their unit up front. Kendall is a smart, physical center whose three years of starting experience show in how he plays. He’d be in the mix to start at center as a rookie, and even if he doesn’t win the job then could step into it sooner rather than later.

Round 7, Pick 220:
DB Mac McWilliams, UCF

The first thing that stands out about McWilliams is how physically he plays in the secondary, especially at the catch point and when he’s at the point of attack in the run game. He also has good speed, allowing him to cover ground on the back end. At 5-foot-10, 191 pounds he played mostly on the boundary in college but should move primarily into the slot in the pros, with the potential to play some deep safety as well. His skillset should also translate to a core special teams role.

Round 7, Pick 238 (from LAC):
LB Karene Reid, Utah

Reid, a four-year starter and two-time captain for Utah, is slightly undersized for the linebacker position at 6-foot, 231 pounds but plays the position exactly the way the Patriots want it played. He flies around the field, gets in the right place at the right time, and isn’t afraid of contact. In New England he could factor in as a rotational linebacker, and has the makeup of a core special teams player.

The Patriots originally received this pick in the J.C. Jackson trade

UDFAs

There are, of course, some needs the Patriots have/are expected to fill that aren’t addressed in this mock draft. That will likely be the case by the time they’re done picking on Saturday, given the state of the roster right now. Let’s take a look at what those needs are, and how the team could address them in the UDFA market.

Backup quarterback: The Patriots still need to add another quarterback to the room with Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs. If Max Brosmer from Minnesota, Seth Henigan from Memphis, or Graham Mertz from Florida fall, they’d all be likely targets.

Early-down running back: The Patriots added a speed back here, but do they want to add another bowling ball-type back to add depth on early downs. Phil Mafah from Clemson runs with great power at 6-foot-1, 234 pounds but is projected to go undrafted.

Slot wide receiver: The Patriots got their ‘X’ wide receiver in Tre Harris, but might want to add to the competition in the slot as well. Efton Chism III was highly productive in that role for Eastern Washington, catching 120 passes for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Colorado also has a couple of very elusive and fast slot receivers in Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester, although both could go undrafted due to being undersized.

Fullback: When he was hired, Mike Vrabel made it sound like he plans to bring the fullback position back in New England. Right now the closest such player the Patriots have on their roster is hybrid tight end Giovanni Ricci. Do the Patriots go find competition for him in the rookie market? Alabama’s Robbie Ouzts, Utah’s Brant Kuithe, and Northern Illinois’ Brock Lampe could all be fits. If UNC guard Willie Lampkin goes undrafted, he could also be a candidate to move to fullback.

Run-stopping defensive tackle: The Patriots have gotten more athletic and improve their pass rush group up front, but as a result parted ways with some of their run stoppers. Free agent Khyiris Tonga is the main player who fills that role right now. If the Patriots are looking for another situational run stopper or two, that might be the deepest group of all of the UDFAs with defensive tackle being one of the deepest positions in the class. Names to know include James Toia from UCLA, Nazir Stackhouse from Georgia, Zeek Biggers from Georgia Tech, Thor Griffin from Louisville, Joseph Evans from UTSA, and Desmond Watson from Florida.

Free safety: Perhaps the biggest miss of this draft is not adding a true free safety who would allow Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers to play primarily in the box. The Patriots could try to get that guy as a UDFA to play situationally, but there aren’t many options. Dante Trader Jr. from Maryland would probably be their best bet if he falls. Alijah Clark from Syracuse and J.J. Roberts from Marshall would also be fits.

Kicker: Usually, this is the kind of year I’d be campaigning bigtime for the Patriots to draft a kicker. However it’s just not that kind of class, with only one or two kickers likely to be drafted at all. At the same time veteran Matt Gay – who worked with Jeremy Springer in Los Angeles – was recently released and is now a free agent. His experience seemingly would make him a better option to compete with John Parker Romo for the job. Still if the Patriots want a rookie (maybe it’s a three-kicker battle in camp), Ben Sauls from Pitt, Ryan Fitzgerald from Florida State, Caden Davis from Ole Miss, and Tyler Loop from Arizona should be among the top kickers in the UDFA market. Springer was Arizona’s special teams coordinator for Loop’s freshman year in 2020.