Patriots 2025 NFL Draft Class Evaluation

For each and every organization around football, the goal of the NFL draft is to find contributing starters and key depth pieces. Succeeding can often put a team in a position to exceed expectations, while failing to capitalize on certain picks can set a club back. 

While the overall narrative on whether the class is a ‘hit’ or ‘miss’ won’t come for a year or two, let’s dive into the group of young talent added by the New England Patriots last week, one of my personal favorite draft hauls of anyone in football.

Round 1 (No. 4 overall): Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Head coach Mike Vrabel couldn’t care less about Will Campbell’s less-than-adequate arm length, and good for him in trusting his evaluation and taking a player whose success in the SEC showcases a high-level, plug-and-play NFL tackle from day one. For me, punch timing and hand placement supersede arm length, and Campbell’s ability to dominate in pass pro remained on display year after year for the Tigers. Considering who Campbell is in between the ears, New England got a flat-out stud in the top five and a player who will keep Drake Maye upright for the next decade. 

Round 2 (No. 38 overall): TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

From Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson to Washington State WR Kyle Williams and Georgia IOL Jared Wilson, I can’t say enough good things about what New England did in the middle rounds. Henderson, arguably the most electric ball-carrier in the class, will immediately challenge for heavy snaps while serving as a constant presence on third downs due to his elite, All-Pro type of ability and effort in pass protection. 

Round 3 (No. 69 overall): Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State

For Williams, he remained one of the class's elite separators at the position and is someone who, at minimum, should become a favorite of Maye’s in the intermediate areas on high-leverage downs. There are a lot of names to know within the Patriots’ WR room, but Williams should have no issue in carving out a top-four role for himself in his rookie campaign. 

Round 3 (No. 95 overall): Jared Wilson, IOL, Georgia

Wilson was one of the few players at his position to really carry the torch from last summer to the completion of the draft. Discussed as the top center for months, Wilson indeed was the first primary center off the board when the Patriots called his name with the 95th overall selection, and he projects as a versatile interior piece that should earn every opportunity to start in year one if I’m Vrabel. Don’t be surprised if he beats out veteran Garrett Bradbury in camp. 

Notable Day 3 Picks

The Patriots’ excellent class lingered into day three, where two names really pop off the page considering value and potential production: Florida State IDL Joshua Farmer (fourth round) and LSU edge rusher Bradyn Swinson (fifth round). Two players that were top-100 players for me heading into the week, I expect both to outplay their draft slot quickly. 

Swinson lives in the opposition’s backfield and can win a variety of ways as a pass rusher, while Farmer’s ability to overpower and slash through gaps on run downs, only to win with athleticism and twitch on third down showcases a potential three-down contributor—there’s a reason why Farmer had a few first-round grades from teams. You can find a little bit more on Swinson below, a player that I will be keeping an eye on throughout the summer months and into the fall as a prospect, for me, that went drastically undervalued by the NFL during the process.

Cal safety Craig Woodson, a ‘riser’ in the process, adds depth and range on the backend, and the Patriots also added their future at kicker in Andres Borregales out of Miami (sixth round), as well.