A 1-6 start for the New England Patriots has many fans already thinking about April and how de facto GM Eliot Wolf can build the roster. Although rookie QB Drake Maye has shown flashes, the Patriots haven’t won a game since opening weekend and enter the meat of their schedule searching for answers.
While Maye attempts to keep them competitive as questions and rumors swirl about the next steps, here is an early look at where the Patriots could go come April.
Round 1 (No. 1 overall): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
While Travis Hunter has been battling a nagging shoulder injury the last few weeks, it's nothing long-term and he remains college football's premier player and the headliner of the 2025 class. He has an All-Pro ceiling at both corner and wideout, something we've never seen from the college level. Here, he can immediately form a dynamic corner tandem with Christian Gonzalez, or immediately become Drake Maye's top weapon on offense. While not to the same snap count as we've seen in college, I expect him to make plays on both sides of the ball at the next level.
Round 2 (No. 35 overall): Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia
Wyatt Milum continues to pop up in conversations as the season progresses. A four-year contributor for the Mountaineers who initially began his career at right tackle, Milum has evolved into one of the Big 12’s elite offensive tackles with a stock rising rapidly. To provide a glimpse of how dominant he’s been in 2024, Milum hasn’t allowed a sack, QB hit, hurry, or pressure in 193 pass pro snaps.
Round 3 (No. 66 overall): Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
The edge group continues to grow with names as the weeks progress. While NFL evaluators have searched for more from many of the headlining talents in the class, players like Bradyn Swinson have provided a breath of fresh air. In seven games, Swinson has totaled 28 pressures and seven sacks and has quickly become one of LSU’s headlining draft prospects on the defensive side of the football after the injury to Harold Perkins Jr. He’s a high-effort player who can anchor the edge on early downs, only to pin his ears back and win isolated matchups on pass-rush situations at 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds.
Round 3 (No. 84 overall): Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
The Sooners offense has been, well, not good in 2024. However, talent remains in the form of Deion Burks on the perimeter. He’s remained on the shelf the last few weeks battling a nagging ‘soft tissue’ injury, but looking long term, he projects as an inside-out versatile weapon with a similar skill set to that of Pop Douglas. Burks, a transfer to Norman after three years at Purdue, is a smooth and sudden route-runner with the explosiveness to expand a playbook.
Round 4 (No. 102 overall): De’Braylon Carroll, IDL, Texas Tech
Another name rising on boards is De’Braylon Carroll, an undersized 3-technique that is best pushing vertical on passing downs. Size remains a concern for teams, and he doesn’t have the twitch of a Calijah Kancey from two years ago to mask those worries in totality, but he moves extremely well and has the hands and technique to absolutely challenge for a key rotational role in New England. Name to watch as day three begins next April.
Round 5 (No. 141 overall): Nohl Williams, CB, Cal
A former transfer from UNLV, Nohl Williams has used 2024 as a springboard for his draft stock. He looks the part at 6-foot-1, has been excellent against good competition (see his Miami and Auburn tape), and has totaled six interceptions in seven games, the most in college football. I expect him to earn an opportunity at a pre-draft showcase this winter, per conversations around the league, which should allow his stock to continue to rise as the spring nears.
Round 7 (No. 217 overall): Aeneas Peebles, DL, Virginia Tech
With it being so early in the process, I like to use these selections to introduce players to the audience that are currently unknown to the public eye. Aeneas Peebles, a transfer to Blacksburg after four years at Duke, doesn’t have a ton of flair to his game—he’s just a flat-out good football player. Rotational work is his floor right now, with the potential to work into a heavier workload as he improves his pass-rush repertoire and ability to counter higher-level OTs in the run game.
Round 7 (No. 220 overall): Ethan Onianwa, OT, Rice
Another prospect to get familiar with, Ethan Onianwa recently popped in a conversation when discussing risers in the OT class. A massive man who uses his length to his advantage, Onianwa sits in his lower half well and is a nightmare to work around due to his blend of overall mass, length, and footwork. He’s not the best athlete in the world, and he has room to grow in the ground game, but he’s a name to bold as we move forward.
Round 7 (No. 231 overall): Tyree Skipper, SAF, Louisiana-Lafayette
Ball production has remained Tyree Skipper’s elite trait for the Ragin Cajuns. He’s totaled a trio of picks so far in 2024 and is a player who projects as a multi-phase contributor due to his size, instincts, and tackling ability. Louisiana-Lafayette seemingly produces an NFL talent annually, and Skipper could be their headliner in 2025.
