After Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season, the New England Patriots are sitting pretty with the first pick in the draft in their hands. While it is transitory, let’s draft as things stand now and compose a mock draft that would fill in lots of the blanks in the Patriots’ woeful roster.

The Patriots have needs virtually all over the field so almost any position but quarterback, which they filled nicely with Drake Maye in the 2024 draft requires additions. Let’s take a shot at a quick three-round draft that will utilize that first pick overall to help fill even more numerous deficiencies all over the roster.

The Patriots roster is a calamity, needing lots of help on both sides of the ball. The objective is to add quality to this Patriots’ squad that sits at or near the very bottom of the NFL regarding top players. So here we go with a three-round mock draft after Week 17 to rebuild the lackluster Patriots roster. Can we succeed? Let’s see.

Latest 2025 3-round mock draft for the New England Patriots

If there’s any position the Pats don’t need to replenish in 2025, it’s the QB position. Exec. VP of Personnel, Eliot Wolf’s maybe only good offseason decision was drafting Drake Maye with the third pick overall in the 2024 draft. Everything else is a need.

Astute teams know they need a quarterback to win, so the Pats take advantage of that and trade down with the New York Giants and score a windfall of picks.

With the third pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Patriots do the right thing and take WR/CB, the electric Travis Hunter Jr. from Colorado. Heisman Trophy winner Hunter is a generational player who excels, like his former coach, Deion Sanders, at both the wide receiver and cornerback positions. Where will he play? Who knows. But wherever it is, he’ll be great.

Hunter at wide receiver was exceptional. He racked up 96 catches for 1258 yards and 15 touchdowns. As if that weren’t enough, at cornerback, he logged 36 tackles with four interceptions and 11 passes defensed. It’s a no-brainer pick for New England and they get it right.

Here’s what thedraftnetwork.com has to say about the versatile Hunter,

“Overall, Hunter projects as a versatile coverage cornerback with primary zone principles. His athleticism, instincts, and ball skills give him a Pro-Bowl caliber ceiling, potentially higher. Hunter compares to Marcus Peters but with more explosiveness and speed…

“Overall, Hunter is a highly skilled wide receiver who excels in attacking all three levels of the defense. His combination of coverage recognition, explosive athleticism, ball skills, and run-after-catch ability creates an impact offensive playmaker.”

The Patriots bulk up their defensive line with Oregon’s Derick Harmon

The Patriots need to strengthen their defensive tackle position, and Christian Barmore’s health issues are a concern. To help bolster the position, the Pats moved expeditiously to select Derrick Harmon, a 6’5″, 330-pound wrecking machine defensive tackle from Oregon, with their own 34th pick.

Harmon notched 42 total stops with 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes broken up. He’s a super addition to the Patriots’ defensive tackle unit, and with Christian Barmore and Keion White, he helps create a pocket-collapsing nightmare for NFL offenses.

“Harmon’s toolkit as an interior defensive lineman is highlighted by his impressive physical attributes and flashes of disruptive play. His ability to penetrate and create havoc in the backfield will intrigue NFL defensive coordinators looking for versatile pieces in their front seven. The raw power and size Harmon brings to the table provide a solid foundation for his continued development at the next level.”

The offensive line is finally addressed with Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery

With the second-round pick acquired from the Giants, No. 35, the Patriots shore up a position of uber-weakness in 2024 and select offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery from Minnesota. The 6’6″, 331-pound tackle will step right into the starting lineup in 2025 at left tackle.

“Aireronte Ersery is a three-year starter at left tackle inside Minnesota’s balanced, zone-based run scheme. Ersery has a well-rounded, lean build with long limbs, good play strength and solid athletic ability.

“Ersery is a well-versed zone run blocker with good pace and feel on combo blocks to get into proper fits, overtake and release on time. He shows solid athletic ability to gain ground laterally to cut off the backside, line up backers on climbs and pulls around the edge. Ersery shows good competitive toughness and physicality as a finisher to strain and set the tone. He will get over-aggressive, two-hand strike and overextend on kick-out blocks that stutters and slants across his face can slip by with ease.

“In pass protection Ersery has good footwork in his sets to work at a 45-degree angle, get vertical and expand his set points against upfield, high-side rushes and power step with an effective ‘catch’ hand to close the door on inside counters…”

Going back to the defense, the Patriots select JT Tuimoloau from Ohio State

With no edge players of note on the roster, the Patriots select one with their own pick in the third round, No. 65, and take J. T. Tuimoloau from Ohio State. The 6’4″, 277-pound Buckeye racked up 48 total stops with 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2024. The Patriots need edge rushers, and Tuimoloau is one.

“JT Tuimoloau projects as a high-floor, potentially high-ceiling defensive end at the next level. His combination of size, strength, and football acumen make him an ideal fit for teams running a 4-3 base defense or multiple fronts. Tuimoloau’s ability to set the edge in the run game will make him an immediate contributor, while his developing pass-rush skills offer intriguing upside.”

Another tackle is added with Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr.

Having learned a harsh lesson in 2023 and 2024, the Patriots go back to the offensive left tackle well and draft another top tackle, Josh Conerly Jr., from Oregon, with pick No. 66 acquired from the Giants. Bleachereport.com notes some of the 6’4″, 315-pound left tackle’s strengths,

“Josh Conerly Jr. is a two-year starter at left tackle inside Oregon’s 52-48 run-pass split, multiple run scheme … Conerly has a lean, well-rounded build with good arm length, athletic ability and adequate play strength.

“Conerly wins as a run blocker by quickly getting out of his stance and into fits on time with proper leverage on angle-drive blocks to wall off and secure rush lanes. He is light on his feet with good burst as a puller, on screens and climbs to intersect targets. While Conerly gets into place and can stay attached to blocks well, he shows below-average power that results in stalemates and being pried open gradually to allow penetration across his face.

“In pass protection, Conerly is a loose, fluid mover with efficient footwork to his spot using angled or vertical sets with the redirect skills to mirror counter moves. Conerly uses his length well with solid placement to work inside the frame of rushers and keep them at his fingertips…”

Why not double dip at EDGE? Patriots take South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard

Like offensive tackle, edge is a top need for the Patriots this offseason. They address it for the second time with the pick acquired from Atlanta in the Matt Judon trade with Kyle Kennard from South Carolina. The 6’5″, 250-pound edge can bring the heat from the outside. In 2024, Kennard racked up 28 total stops with 16 tackles for loss and a solid 11.5 sacks.

Here’s what thedraftnetwork.com has to say about the big pass rusher,

“Kennard has showcased his explosiveness, physicality, and high motor, which appear to help set the tone for one of the best defensive fronts in college football. Kennard’s relentless motor and effort set the stage for him to be productive in both the run game and as a pass rusher…

“As a pass rusher, Kennard is most effective on the edge of the defense. At the snap, Kennard has an explosive first step and he gets upfield quickly to win around the arc. Kennard’s quickness forces offensive tackles to react and they will at times lose their technique and open their gate. In this position, Kennard has the opportunity to maintain around the arc or use his strength to convert speed to power…”

That’s a monster three-round mock draft that addresses key Patriots’ needs on offense and defense—and with Travis Hunter Jr. on both sides of the ball!