Field Yates doesn’t believe the Patriots will be content with only one first-round draft pick later this month.
Yates released a new two-round mock draft Wednesday and projected New England to take a “best player available” approach to its first selection. The ESPN NFL analyst had Travis Hunter going to the Patriots at No. 4 after Cam Ward, Abdul Carter and Shedeur Sanders were taken with the first three picks, respectively.
“The Patriots are likely rooting for two quarterbacks to go ahead of their pick,” Yates wrote. “That would mean either Carter or Hunter would be available to them at No. 4, and either player could be a building block for New England. Hunter would change the dimensions of this offense if slotted alongside newly acquired Stefon Diggs. He is a natural playmaker with elite ball skills, catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 scores last season. And he could even be used as a part-time cornerback on the other side of the ball, with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III as the two full-time starters.”
While New England is scheduled to make its second pick early in Round 2 — 38th overall — Yates has Mike Vrabel and company trading back into the first round to select offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 30.
“Despite a fruitful free agency, the Patriots could still use better protection and more playmakers around quarterback Drake Maye,” Yates wrote. “They had the second-worst pass block win rate last season (50.9%). Those needs and a steady supply of draft capital might embolden them to move up for Conerly, an ever-steady left tackle who had an excellent 2024 season. He allowed one sack over 14 starts. The Patriots can make this trade to get ahead of Kansas City and Cleveland, who could both be interested in the tackle market.”
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New England took an aggressive approach to free agency, so we probably shouldn’t be surprised if the organization employs a similar strategy for this all-important draft. After all, Patriots owner Robert Kraft has a lofty goal for his team in 2025.