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Meet the New England Patriots 2025 draft class | ‘Mission: Help Drake Maye’

How did the New England Patriots do in the first draft of the Mike Vrabel era?

It’ll take a few years to really know. But the early signs are positive as New England rounded a talented group with a clear mission in the early rounds: building around quarterback Drake Maye.

The Patriots added talent. But based on reaction from draft analysts, they also added a bunch of high-character guys to the locker room. Clearly, New England put an emphasis on players who fit the Vrabel mold: “smart, physical, tough, versatile.”

Meet the Patriots 2025 NFL Draft class:

Round 1, Pick 4: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Round 2, Pick 38: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 69: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
Round 3, Pick 95: Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
Round 4, Pick 109: Craig Woodson, S, Cal
Round 4, Pick 137: Joshua Farmer, DL, Florida State
Round 5, Pick 146: Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
Round 6, Pick 182: Andres Borregales, K, Miami
Round 7, Pick 220: Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri
Round 7, Pick 251: Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt
Round 7, Pick 257: Kobee Minor, DB, Memphis

In total, the Patriots drafted 12 players over Rounds 1-7 and signed a whole lot more undrafted free agents. Here’s a full recap of who the Patriots added in the 2025 Draft:

Round 1, Pick 4: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

The Patriots addressed their biggest need by drafting their left tackle of the future.

Campbell was a standout at left tackle for all three of his seasons at LSU. His arm length and minor issues have been picked apart in the pre-draft process. But the big thing is that the Patriots landed a tremendous athlete and locker room leader to watch Maye’s blindside for the foreseeable future.

The Patriots visited Campbell at LSU early in the fall of 2024. Even back then, Campbell said that New England was where he wanted to end up. Apparently, the Patriots felt the same way.

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Round 2, Pick 38: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

Running back wasn’t a major need for the Patriots. But they managed to add a major spark to the offense by adding Henderson.

The former Buckeyes star is an electric runner who went his entire college career without losing a fumble. He’s also an asset in the passing game. Not only is he a dangerous receiver, he’s ruthless in pass protection. Henderson might be the best pass-blocking running back in this year’s draft.

Henderson is another high-character player. Draft analysts raved about his work ethic and presence in the locker room. In a draft loaded with running back talent, Henderson was overshadowed a bit. He could create a dynamic running back duo alongside Rhamondre Stevenson.

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Round 3, Pick 69: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State

The Patriots waited until Round 3 to take a receiver. But all signs point to them landing a good one. Of all the players taken by New England, Williams is the one player I’ve seen draw the most reactions of “That’s a good pick.”

Williams has been described as “electrifying,” a great athlete and a solid route runner who can make defenders miss. The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder has some serious speed, running the 40 in 4.40 seconds.

Like the two picks before him, Williams is considered a high-character player who’s well-liked by his teammates.

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Round 3, Pick 95: Jared Wilson, C, Georgia

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Wilson is a tremendous athlete who’s coming off a breakout season at Georgia. Wilson was a standout performer at the combine and showcased his elite athleticism. You don’t see many 300-pounders running the 40 under five seconds. Wilson ran it in 4.84 seconds.

Wilson was only a starter for one season, so he might need some development. Still, he was one of the best center prospects in this draft. He could end up being a steal if he pans out.

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Oregon State wide receiver David Wells Jr. (6) is defended by California defensive back Craig Woodson (2) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Round 4, Pick 109: Craig Woodson, S, Cal

With their first pick on Day 3, the Patriots took a lesser-known prospect in Woodson. It’s not a flashy pick. But Woodson could help address a major need in New England.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Woodson is a true free safety who can play the deep center field role (the spot that Devin McCourty held down for so long). The Patriots have a lot of safeties, but most of those guys tend to excel closer to the line of scrimmage.

As MassLive’s Karen Guregian put it, he fits the Mike Vrabel mold of “smart, physical, tough, versatile players.” He could be a valuable asset on the back end of New England’s defense.

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Round 4, Pick 137: Joshua Farmer, DL, Florida State

Farmer is a dynamic defensive lineman who the Patriots traded up to get. The FSU product was projected to go on Day 2. So when he was still on the board in Round 4, New England clearly saw a chance to land some great value.

The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Farmer is a tremendous athlete who’s disruptive against the run and as a pass rusher. He got lost in the mix in what’s considered a strong defensive line class.

There were 16 defensive linemen taken before Farmer, including five in the first round. He told reporters that being passed over will leave him with a chip on his shoulder heading to the NFL.

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Round 5, Pick 146: Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU

Going by draft guides, Swinson is a steal. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah both had him as a top-100 prospect.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Swinson is coming off a breakout season where he finished fifth in FBS with 59 pressures. However, he was only a one-year starter with the Tigers. He’s considered a bit raw, but has high upside as a pass rusher.

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Round 6, Pick 182: Andres Borregales, K, Miami

The Patriots got a new kicker – and he has a monster leg. He grew up idolizing Adam Vinatieri and is excited to join what he called a line of “legendary kickers” in New England.

Borregales was the top-ranked kicker in this year’s draft, coming off a season where he went 18-of-19 on field goal attempts. Borregales is known for his booming kicks. He hit a 65-yard field goal in front of Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer during his pro day at Miami.

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Round 7, Pick 220: Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri

Bryant is a developmental tackle who possesses an intriguing blend of size and speed. At 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, he’s a mountain of a man you typically look for in an NFL tackle. Meanwhile, he managed to run the 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds, a crazy time for a player his size.

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Round 7, Pick 251: Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt

With the seventh-to-last pick of the draft, New England added a long snapper. Ashby is considered the top long snapper in this year’s class.

Vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said the Patriots drafted Ashby because they didn’t believe he’d be available as an undrafted free agent. The team expects him to come in and provide competition for long-time long snapper Joe Cardona.

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NFL Draft Patriots Mr Irrelevant Football

Round 7, Pick 257: Kobee Minor, DB, Memphis

Talk about “Mr. Irrelevant.”

With the final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Patriots took a player not many people had heard of. ESPN’s draft broadcast didn’t have highlights of him. NFL Network’s draft tracker didn’t have a picture. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him as the 127th-best cornerback this year.

Still, the Patriots were intrigued by Minor, bringing him in on a “30″ visit ahead of the draft. After making the pick, Wolf said that Minor fell off the NFL radar after multiple transfers and some injury issues.

The 5-foot-11, 188-pound Minor provides some solid athleticism and versatility for the Patriots secondary.

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Undrafted Free Agents

Following the draft, the Patriots were hard at work bringing in players who went undrafted. Here’s who they’ve signed:

Ben Wooldridge, quarterback, Louisiana
Cam Riley, linebacker, Florida State
Jack Conley, offensive line, Boston College
Brandon Crossley, cornerback, SMU
Lan Larison, running back, UC Davis
DeMeer Blankumsee, receiver, Memphis
Josh Minkins, safety, Cincinnati
Brock Lampe, fullback, Northern Illinois
Cole Birdow, guard, Merrimack
Efton Chism III, receiver, Eastern Washington
Wilfried Pene, defensive tackle, Virginia Tech
Gee Scott Jr., tight end, Ohio State
C.J. Dippre, tight end, Alabama
Jeremiah Webb, receiver, South Alabama
Jordan Polk, safety, Texas State
Elijah Ponder, edge rusher, Cal Poly
Hector Johnson, defensive line, Endicott
Duane Martin, fullback, Louisville
Bryce Ganious, defensive tackle, Wake Forest
Jahvaree Ritzie, defensive tackle, North Carolina

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