Gaffney's Final 2025 Patriots Team Mock Draft
- Jack Gaffney
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
We now sit over 48 hours away from the 2025 NFL Draft, which is believed by many to be an overall down class from a year ago but still has many starting-caliber players right away, along with some good depth in the day-two range. The Patriots, picking fourth for the first time since they selected Willie McGinest back in 1994 and John Hannah in 1973 before that, are largely expected to come away with LSU Tackle Will Campbell, but based on the tea leaves, is that a 100% lock?
I'm going to show you two paths: what I believe will happen as of Tuesday, April 22nd, and the secret second option that I also think has a legitimate chance of happening as of this moment. Let's take a look and get right into it.
(Scouting Reports for the first round selections will be linked)
Scenario 1: Odds On Favorite
A little over 48 hours before Round 1 kicks off, I'd get prepared to see LSU Tackle Will Campbell be the initial selection for the New England Patriots. He's by far the betting favorite, and while I was nervous about his prospects as an NFL left tackle thanks to his historically small wingspan and arm-length numbers, after scouting him for myself, I think that's a tad bit overblown, but something to keep in mind, surely. I'll have my Top 75 big board up later tonight, but he's comfortably a top 10 player in this draft in my book.
As for some other names here, Patriots fans should be very familiar with Mason Taylor's father, Miami Dolphins legend Jason Taylor. It doesn't show here, but we jumped up eight spots to get in front of the Chiefs, mainly to get younger at tight end, with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper both on the back nine. He's more of a move tight end, but he's got some good chops. The Pick right before him, Jayden Higgins, is your prototypical X receiver out of Iowa State, who's drawn comparisons to Texans' stud Nico Collins. He has impressive route running and separation skills for a guy his size.
Josiah Stewart is another guy I think the Patriots would like to add to their pass rush rotation, and despite the fact he's a size outlier, the advanced analytics would tell you he's the most efficient pass rusher in this entire draft, and his football makeup has been lauded by that Michigan staff. Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin would be a great day-three pickup as a future center option, and Texas back Jaydon Blue could be a worthwhile addition in a third-down role.
Scenario 2: Run the Goddamn Football
With the draft days out, I 100% believe the smoke that the Patriots are at least interested in the idea of drafting Ashton Jeanty at fourth overall. Now, for those who say/think, " Why should the Patriots burn a top-five pick on a running back?" Take this from me, who believes that the art of paying running backs second or third contracts (over 10 million dollars in AAV) is the secret eighth deadly sin. There's a difference between your above-average back and a game-changing talent at running back. Jeanty is COMFORTABLY in the latter category. If it weren't for Travis Hunter, he'd be my top player in this draft.
Jeanty's contact balance is legitimately Marshawn Lynch-esque, and he possesses elite vision, burst, and change-of-direction ability as a runner. I understand entirely if Mike Vrabel wants to get himself his own back since Rhamondre Stevenson wasn't one of his picks and try to recreate somewhat what he had down in Tennessee with Derrick Henry.
Now, picking Jeanty at four would guarantee that the Patriots would have to trade up to get a left tackle, and here, that's Ohio State's Josh Simmons, who has the best physical profile of any round-one graded tackle I have in 2025. What scares me about Simmons is this: He tore his patellar tendon six games into 2025, which, if you don't remember, is what cost Cole Strange essentially all of 2024. That's not a nothing injury, and it's an injury in other sports that guys have never recovered from. Think ex-NBA guard Victor Oladipo, for starters. Case in point, he'd be off my board unless the medicals are perfect. That said, if a guy like Kelvin Banks (who's my top tackle in this draft) doesn't slip and Josh Conerly goes higher than expected (which he did here), you're hands are tied unless you like Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery, he's your best option outside of Campbell or Armand Membou.
I would also imagine that Mike Vrabel would look something like this if the Patriots get to the fourth round and Jack Sawyer is still available for the sole fact that he's an Ohio State edge rusher.
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