The New England Patriots currently hold the No. 1 overall pick heading into the last week of the 2024 NFL regular season. What should they do with the pick?
If, they secure the top pick in the draft, one of the big stories heading into the offseason will be what should the Patriots do with the pick. Furthermore, how can they use the pick to surround Drake Maye with playmakers?
With quarterback hungry teams drafting behind them, the Patriots could be in the driver’s seat to receive a haul of an offer that could change the direction of the team’s future…if they play their cards right.
Top of 2025 NFL Draft features two top signal callers 4 NFL teams need
The 2025 NFL Draft will be an interesting one for teams in search of a quarterback. There are two QBs who are obvious top 5 picks, but beyond that there are a clutter of quarterbacks with the talent to succeed in the NFL if picked by the right team and the right situation. So, while teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and perhaps the Tennessee Titans would love to be in position to take Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward, there will be opportunities on Day 2 or Day 3 to land talent at the position.
So, what will a team like the Patriots do to reset their franchise and surround Maye with talent? This 2025 NFL Mock Draft starts with an offer the Patriots can’t refuse:
The Patriots may get even more here, but with the move, the team moves back and still gets an impact player, gains an additional second rounder and a first-round pick in 2026. The Raiders will be aggressive to leapfrog over the Giants and Browns to guarantee they land one of the top two QB’s in the draft.
In a match made in NFL dream heaven, the Raiders get their quarterback in Shedeur Sanders. This is the best fit for the Colorado star as it’s a team with history and a warm-climate location his dad and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders won’t complain about. Other than Sanders playing in Vegas, the talent at the position is a desperate need for a Raiders team that missed out a season ago.
With Brock Bowers as a top target and a reliable chain mover like Jacoby Myers in place, Sanders will be in a prime position to succeed playing for a team that would instantly put him in the spotlight. The Raiders will need to add another playmaker and continue to build a solid offensive line to protect him. They can do that with the rest of the draft.
The Titans will pretend they are in the market for a top QB, but they will ultimately stick with Will Levis another season and instead take the top overall player in the draft. In Travis Hunter, the Titans not only get an elite defender in the secondary, but they also add some firepower on offense. Even if he’s only used in a limited role offensively, Hunter along with Calvin Ridley would be a nice pair of receivers for any young QB to throw the ball to.
With the Browns drafting this high, fans will want the team to go with Cam Ward here, but the team may be in better position to go with a player who will solidify the offensive line in Will Campbell. The LSU star tackle provides an instant upgrade on the left side of the line and will help protect Deshaun Watson when he does return. The Browns can dip into the second level of quarterback talent in this draft and maybe find a player who could enable them to move on from Watson if and when the team decides to move in that direction.
The Giants will kind of play the waiting game here. They will be rumored to be in on the No. 1 overall pick via a trade with the Patriots, but they are a team with needs as well. While fans will still be upset about the team’s Week 18 win, all is well when Miami’s Cam Ward slips past the Browns and in their hands at No. 4.
In Ward, they are getting a dual-threat QB who has the clutch gene. With Malik Nabers featured in the offense, Ward will have a prime weapon to get the ball down the field to. If Ward is gone by the time the Giants select, don’t be surprised if Carson Beck is a Day 2 option for the GMEN as he is a player like Drake Maye as far as size. The Giants were rumored to be targeting Maye a year ago.
The Jaguars get their elite cornerback in Michigan’s Will Johnson with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Hunter would’ve been perfect for Jacksonville, they will get the second-best defensive back in the draft and a player who instantly upgrades their secondary. Don’t be surprised if the Jags double-dip at the cornerback position in this draft.
The Panthers are searching for an identity and will get a player who will help secure that in Penn State’s Abdul Carter. Now that second-year QB Bryce Young has proved he’s worth sticking with, the Panthers can focus on adding playmakers on both sides of the ball. They get a key piece in Carter, who is a force against any offensive line.
The Jets will be a team rumored to take a QB here, but it will be hard to pass up on a player like Michigan’s Mason Graham. With his high motor and flexibility along the defensive line, he will be the perfect player to pair with Quinnen Williams in the middle of that line. Jets go with the sure bet here and take their chances on a QB on Day 2.
The Patriots win this draft by selecting the top wide receiver in the draft while moving back to do so. Tetairoa McMillan will be perfect for Drake Maye. He has the size, physicality and route running to finally fill that role the Patriots have been searching for.
In obtaining additional draft capital via the trade with the Raiders, the Patriots will have 4 picks in the 2nd and 3rd round to get their offensive line help and land an edge rusher. They also have the flexibility to move any of those picks for additional draft capital in the middle rounds of the draft.
The Bears will focus on the offensive line and protecting Caleb Williams. In selecting Texas tackle Kelvin Banks, the Bears not only get size and athleticism at the position but get a player with outstanding awareness against stunts and picking up blitzes. He’s massive at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds and custom made to protect the blind side of a young QB like Williams.
The Saints are a team that could take a quarterback, but instead will focus on rebuilding their defense. What better way to do that than by selecting Georgia’s Mykel Williams. At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, this versatile defender will give the Saints youth coming off the edge and a player who will bring leadership to the defense through his hard work and high football IQ.
2025 NFL Draft: Bengals move on from Tee Higgins; 49ers form ferocious pass rush duo
In predicting No.11 through No. 20 in the 2025 NFL Draft, Joe Burrow gets an elite weapon to replace Tee Higgins, the San Francisco 49ers add more EDGE to the defensive line and the Denver Broncos select another weapon for Bo Nix. The highlight in the middle rounds of the draft will be the Dallas Cowboys landing Ashton Jeanty to add an explosive element to their offense to take some pressure off Dak Prescott.
No. 11: San Francisco 49ers – Nic Scourton, EDGE Texas A&M
No. 12: Indianapolis Colts– Jalon Walker, LB Georgia
No. 13: Dallas Cowboys – Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State
No. 14: Arizona Cardinals – Kenneth Grant, DL Michigan
No. 15: Miami Dolphins – Malaki Starks, S Georgia
No. 16: Cincinnati Bengals – Luther Burden, WR Missouri
No. 17: Atlanta Falcons – James Pearce Jr, EDGE Tennessee
No. 18: Seattle Seahawks – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
No. 19: Houston Texans – Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
No. 20: Denver Broncos – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
2025 NFL Draft: Commanders get more explosive; Steelers get their quarterback?
Washington Commanders get Jayden Daniels another weapon, while the Pittsburgh Steelers create a buzz at the bottom of the draft by selecting a quarterback. What does this mean for both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields? This year’s elite teams continue to get stronger with solid picks to round out the draft. Here’s a look at 21-32 in this 2025 NFL Mock Draft:
No. 21: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Shavon Revel Jr., CB East Carolina
No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers – Colston Loveland, TE Michigan
No. 23: Los Angeles Rams – Aireontae Ersery, OT Minnesota
Check out these team Mock Drafts at NFL Mocks:
No. 24: Green Bay Packers – Benjamin Morrison, CB Notre Dame
No. 25: Pittsburgh Steelers – Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama
No. 26: Washington Commanders – Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State
No. 27: Baltimore Ravens – Walter Nolen, DL Mississippi
No. 28: Philadelphia Eagles – Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
No. 29: Buffalo Bills – Derrick Harmon, DL Oregon
No. 30: Minnesota Vikings – Tyleik Williams, DL Ohio State
No. 31: Detroit Lions – Mike Green, EDGE Marshall
No. 32: Kansas City Chiefs – Tyler Booker, IOL Alabama
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