It’s been an unfortunate season as a whole for the New England Patriots, which has led many fans to already think about April and how de facto GM Eliot Wolf can build the roster. Although rookie QB Drake Maye has shown flashes, the Patriots have struggled all year long and have an evident amount of roster holes that must be addressed.
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. 4 overall): Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Players like Will Johnson allow you to remain creative at all levels of a defense. With Christian Gonzalez on one side and Johnson on the other, New England would quickly showcase one of football's elite young corner tandems. Talent-wise, he's a top-three player in the class.
Round 2 (No. 36 overall): Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia
Wyatt Milum is a name that continues to pop up in conversations, and he could find himself in the mid-day-one conversation by springtime. 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 or QB hit in 335 pass-pro snaps.
Round 3 (No. 68 overall): Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
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. This fall, Swinson has totaled 51 pressures and nine sacks, quickly becoming one of LSU’s headlining draft prospects on the defensive side of the football. 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.
Round 3 (No. 83 overall): Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
Looking long term, Xavier Restrepo projects as an inside-out versatile weapon with a similar skill set to that of Pop Douglas. Miami’s all-time receptions leader, Restrepo touts one of the highest performance floors in the class, regardless of position, and would be a favorite target of Maye’s for the next decade.
Round 4 (No. 105 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. 142 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 seven interceptions this fall, most in the ACC. 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. 220 overall): Zane Durant, DL, Penn State
Zane Durant’s profile varies depending on who you talk to. For some, he’s a highly projectable defender with the ability to slide up and down a defensive front. For others, he’s much more of an athlete than a football player, with a long way to go up front before a team ever asks him to play substantial snaps. In this spot, the league agrees with the latter, seeing Durant drop to day three where New England takes a flier on a player whose best football remains down the road.
Round 7 (No. 223 overall): Ethan Onianwa, OT, Rice
Another prospect to get familiar with, Ethan Onianwa is 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. 241 overall): Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona
With so much to still be ironed out as the months wear on, I like to use this pick to familiarize you all with players that have received more buzz league-wide, than you’ll see around the industry. You won’t find much Jacory Croskey-Merritt tape from this fall outside of a few snaps in Week 1, but the former New Mexico and Alabama State transfer will enter the process with 2,440 yards rushing and another 313 through the air. Eligibility questions arose with the NCAA, which limited his ability to play this fall, but he’s another name to know in a deep RB class that has received buzz this fall.
