Patriots’ Marcus Bryant Pick Intentional, Could Answer Major Question

The New England Patriots added tons of talent in the 2025 NFL Draft, so we decided to take a more in-depth look at their selections and see how they can help the franchise move into a new direction. Marcus Bryant, you’re up!

The Patriots didn’t have any major needs left on their draft board by the time their first seventh-round selection rolled around on Saturday, but their decision still took many of us by surprise.

Marcus Bryant?!

Bryant, despite being Missouri’s starting left tackle over Armand Membou, wasn’t considered to be a draftable prospect by many of the experts. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him rated as the 36th tackle in this class. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. didn’t even mention the name in his post-draft write-up — nor did The Ringer’s Danny Kelly or NFL Media’s Chad Reuter.

Why was he the pick then?

I tossed out a half-baked take saying this was a “troll” selection, and while many could appreciate the hyperbole, others… well, you know how people are. New England obviously isn’t wasting picks on guys that have no chance of cracking the roster, but what the organization clearly did was find a representative to the other side of an argument it had been enthralled in for months.

Will Campbell, who was selected in the first round, has tremendous tape but was knocked for his subpar measurements. Bryant, on the other hand, has every measurement and testing number you could ask for, but didn’t exactly look like a world-beater on the field.

Bryant’s most impressive attributes are his length and athleticism, which is half the battle.

Hollin Pierce (Philadelphia Eagles) and Jalen Travis (Indianapolis Colts) were the only two offensive linemen selected in this class who measured taller and had longer arms than Bryant — who is 6-foot-7 1/8″ and has 34 5/8″ arms.

New England has been successful chasing those measurements since 2000, as Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder and Conor McDermott are their only selections at the position who can match those numbers. What’s that old song by Meat Loaf — “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad?”

Bryant also tested extremely well at his pro day, impressing with a 31.5″ vertical jump, 111″ broad jump and 4.97 40-yard dash — good for an 8.99 Relative Athletic Score. The Patriots aren’t going to take any of that and expect him to become a starter, but they made the pick with something in mind.

Campbell is a good football player, and they’re trusting he’ll continue to be that despite coming up short (pun intended) of most measurable benchmarks. Bryant is a good athlete, and they took him to see exactly how far they can push him in the right direction.

The Patriots will soon find out what matters more: tape or measurements and athleticism?