Patriots Will Be Forced To Make Uncomfortable Move In NFL Draft

The New England Patriots need to select an offensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they need to do it early.

Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden did a tremendous job filling needs throughout free agency, adding a proven veteran wide receiver (Stefon Diggs), multiple linebackers to help with system changes (Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens), a well-respected offensive lineman (Morgan Moses) and high-upside players who could make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball (Milton Williams, Carlton Davis and Harold Landry Jr.).

Drake Maye still needs to be kept alive, though.

The Patriots are in desperate need of a blindside protector, with the likes of LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou, Ohio State’s Josh Simmons and Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery all being floated as potential options. New England should be able to pick of them, but based on recent history, this group just doesn’t cut it.

Do we need to spell it out for you?

Campbell, Membou, Simmons and Ersery all have short arms, which likely will force two very important people to get uncomfortable when selecting one of them — if they select one of them.

Vrabel and offensive line coach Doug Marrone value arm length for offensive tackles. It has defined how they scout the position, as that duo has combined to select nine offensive tackles across their stints as head coaches. Those players averaged an arm length of 34 3/4″.

How many players meet that threshold in this class? Four, which is not enough.

Rutgers’ Hollin Pierce (36″), Miami’s Jalen Rivers (34 7/8″), Iowa State’s Jalen Travis (34 7/8″) and William & Mary’s Charles Grant (34 3/4″).

No, none of those players will be in consideration at No. 4.

It’s a legitimate problem, because that will either force these decision makers to get very uncomfortable, or screw up the value of their selections.

We could be dealing with an issue at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, which is definitely something to keep in mind. Campbell was one of many who measured in at a low number in Indianapolis, before gaining considerable size when being measured by NFL evaluators at his school’s Pro Day.

Must be nice.

The Patriots could choose to wait and select an offensive tackle, as fudging the numbers does open up their options. Nicholas Petit-Frere and Jaelyn Duncan had the shortest arms (33 5/8″) of those prospects drafted by Vrabel and Marrone — a threshold which is met by 13 prospects, including the likes of Texas’ Cameron Williams (34 1/2″) LSU’s Emery Jones Jr. (34 1/4″) Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea (33 7/8″) and NC State’s Anthony Belton (33 7/8″).

New England will have options, but none of them will be what the club would have hoped for.