7-round mock draft 4.0: Patriots finally give Drake Maye his No. 1 wide receiver

The Patriots focus on building around Drake Maye in this new NFL mock draft.

With the early days of free agency behind us, New England’s 2025 roster has begun to come together. The team used the opening days of the open market to add starters at right tackle, defensive tackle, cornerback, and linebacker, and bolster the depth at wide receiver, quarterback, safety, and along the offensive and defensive lines. The Patriots also moved on from center David Andrews, releasing him with a failed physical designation.

With some of the key pieces set in place, we can more accurately assess New England’s needs in the draft. High-end talent at wide receiver and a legitimate starter at left tackle remain the highest priorities, with shoring up the offensive line at left guard and center just behind that.

One quick note: After each pick, I have also listed a prospect’s consensus rank according to the NFL Mock Draft Database, which helps put the selections into some context. So, with that said, let’s get right into it. These rankings are sure to move quite a bit in the next few weeks as media boards are readjusted with player testing and NFL intel.

Round 1

1-4: WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona | No. 9): The wide receiver from Arizona has the size, production, and age you look for in the primary receiver in an NFL offense. At 6-foot-5, McMillan is a big body with a wide catch radius capable of erasing mistakes from a quarterback. For a young, developing player like Drake Maye, a safety blanket like McMillan could help accelerate his development.

In three years in college, McMillan totaled 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns on 213 receptions. He had over 1,300 receiving yards in each of his final two seasons with the team despite subpar quarterback play.

McMillan is savvy at extending plays and finding holes in zones to make himself a friendly target for a quarterback, and he has the size, quickness, and lower body flexibility to win against man coverage outside the numbers. His hands, high ceiling, and high floor make him an appealing target to pair with Drake Maye.

Round 2

2-38: LT Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota | No. 40): Ersery has played at Minnesota for the last five years, seeing the field for over 2,300 snaps at left tackle in his career. He is a veteran prospect with elite athleticism, registering a 9.36 Relative Athletic Score at the Scouting Combine.

The Minnesota tackle’s technique is not as refined as you’d like for a prospect with his experience, but it is already good enough to play in the NFL. Ersery has the size and movement ability to play the position at a high level with proper coaching.

Round 3

3-69: WR Jaylin Noel (Iowa State | No. 71): From a 4.39-second 40-time to a 6.81-second 3-cone to an 11-foot-2 broad jump, Iowa State wideout Jaylin Noel improved his stock at the Combine. Thanks to that performance, he may not be here when the Patriots pick at No. 69. If he is, they should run that pick up to the podium regardless of whether they’ve taken another receiver in the draft.

Noel is an explosive receiver from the slot where he can attack defenses vertically. He fell just short of 1,200 receiving yards this season with eight touchdowns and nearly 15 yards per reception opposite of the bigger Jayden Higgins. Now, he’d be asked to play that role with Tetairoa McMillan.

3-77: OG Wyatt Milum (West Virginia | No. 84): While Milum played left tackle at West Virginia, his lack of length will cause him to kick inside to guard at the next level. For the Patriots, that means he will be the left guard next to fellow rookie Aireontae Ersery.

Milum posted career-high pass and run block grades this past season, according to PFF. His grades improved in both areas with each of his four seasons in college, culminating in a 92.5 pass block grade and an 89.2 run block grade as a senior.

When shifted inside where he wouldn’t have to worry about giving up the edge, Milum’s heavy hands and physicality should be maximized.

Round 4

4-105: ED Jared Ivey (Ole Miss | No. 114): At 6-foot-6, 274 pounds with arms over 33 inches long, this Ole Miss edge defender has the size you want on the end of the line of scrimmage in the NFL. With 40 pressures and eight sacks last season according to PFF, he also has production at getting to the passer. Add in a strong track record as a run defender, and you wouldn’t be wrong to wonder why he’s still on the board at this point.

Ivey is a five-year product who played for two seasons at Georgia Tech (one with Keion White) before transferring to Ole Miss. For an older product, his pass-rushing moves are still underdeveloped, as is his lane integrity to contain the quarterback. Ivey will turn 24 before the end of his rookie season, and he didn’t break out as a pass rusher until his fifth year in college. That said, the production and athletic traits here are great to bet on in the fourth round with the hope that Ivey can be a rotational defensive end as a rookie with the potential to develop into a three-down player.

Round 5

5-144: C Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State | No. 135): Even with veteran center Garrett Bradbury signing to replace David Andrews, center remains a need for the Patriots. Enter Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin.

McLaughlin played center for four seasons at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State for his fifth season in 2024. He played well in 2022 but struggled in 2023, culminating in a Rose Bowl loss to Michigan that involved a number of bad snaps. This past season, his performance mostly rebounded before he tore his Achilles in November.

McLaughlin isn’t the fastest or longest center, but he plays with a good head on his shoulders. The signing of Bradbury would allow him to recover from his injury for a year while sitting and learning to get ready for 2026.

Round 7

7-217: DL Howard Cross (Notre Dame | No. 218): Cross is a veteran defensive lineman from Notre Dame who projects as a 3-technique defensive tackle in the NFL. He played six seasons for the Fighting Irish, playing as a core member of the interior for the last three.

Cross may not have the best size or length, but he moves very well and can cause havoc for offensive lines.

7-220: RB Donovan Edwards (Michigan | No. 212): Donovan Edwards has been a big game player for Michigan since his freshman year. He threw a 75-yard touchdown in his first year in the Big Ten Championship. He had consecutive rushing touchdowns of 75 and 85 yards at Ohio State as a sophomore to ice the game in the fourth quarter. He had touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards on Michigan’s first two possessions against Washington in the national championship as a junior.

Edwards had his best season in 2022 and was unable to match that production in either of the last two years, with his upright running style too often making him too easy to bring down. But Edwards is a very good athlete who can be a home run hitter as a runner with upside as a receiver as well. In the seventh round, I like New England taking this swing.

7-238: CB Robert Longerbeam (Rutgers | No. 261): First of all, Robert Longerbeam is a name that just rolls off the tongue. Secondly, he tested well at the combine and played well at the Shrine Bowl.

Longerbeam is undersized at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, but his 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 6.76-second 3-cone show off great movement skills. Longerbeam is experienced with good instincts, and he could win a roster spot in New England’s backfield.