Patriots Expected To Prioritize These Positions, Prospects On Day 3

The New England Patriots had an obvious focus through the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Do everything possible to support Drake Maye.

New England selected LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick, putting months of talk behind them by taking what they believed to be the best player at a position of need. How did they follow that up? Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson at No. 38, Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams at No. 69 and Georgia interior offensive lineman Jared Wilson at No. 95 — all serving as additional support for the face of the franchise.

Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf are probably itching to address other needs, though, so let’s take a round-by-round look at their options based on reports, team needs and what those in charge actually said ahead of Day 3.

Round 4

Wolf spoke with the media following the conclusion of Day 2 and all but confirmed they’d be looking toward the defensive side of the ball to start Day 3. The Patriots have been expected to pursue a run-stuffing defensive tackle in the middle rounds of the draft, per Chad Graff of The Athletic, so this might be the spot where they consider the big boys.

I’d imagine these guys are at the top of their list:

DT Deone Walker (Kentucky)
DT Joshua Farmer (Florida State)
DT Jay Toia (UCLA)
DT Yahya Black (Iowa)
DT Zeek Biggers (Georgia Tech)
DT Cam Horsley (Boston College)
DT Ty Hamilton (Ohio State)

Round 5

New England has addressed all of its needs, and by the fifth round, could just take the best player available. I would like to take a stab at what that group might look like!

IOL Clay Webb (Jacksonville State)
IOL Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State)
IOL Drew Kendall (Boston College)
DT JJ Pegues (Ole Miss)
EDGE Kyle Kennard (South Carolina)
EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech)
WR Nick Nash (San Jose State)
WR Xavier Restrepo (Miami)

Round 6

The Patriots don’t view tight end as a major need, it is “believed to be much more likely they make an addition in the later rounds,” per Graff. Do we think they wait to take one in the sixth? No, not necessarily, but here’s a big group to work with.

TE Jake Briningstool (Clemson)
TE Moliki Matavao (UCLA)
TE CJ Dippre (Alabama)
TE Thomas Fidone II (Nebraska)
TE Jackson Hawes (Georgia Tech)
TE Jalin Conyers (Texas Tech)
TE Bryson Nesbit (North Carolina)

Fidone, Hawes and Conyers are all in-line options who could contribute immediately. Evans, Matavao and Dippre are more hybrid players, which might be more to the liking of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Nesbit played with Maye.

Round 7

The Patriots held pre-draft visits with two prospects who are expected to remain available late into the evening:

WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Auburn)
LB Ruben Hyppolite II (Maryland)