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New England Patriots Mock Draft: Post-Stefon Diggs Signing

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New England Patriots Mock Draft

Stefon Diggs could be the most impactful free agent the New England Patriots have signed in quite some time. His presence will provide Drake Maye with a reliable target underneath, but the team still needs to make several additions on offense, which is what the New England Patriots do in this mock draft. The organization has to find their next starting left tackle. If they leave the 2025 NFL Draft without one, Vederian Lowe would hold down that position next season.

New England Patriots Mock Draft: Post Stefon Diggs Signing

Round 1, Pick 4: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

Elliot Wolf, the vice president of player personnel in New England, recently spoke about his approach with the fourth overall pick. He expects the front office to take the best player available regardless of their position. If this is the case, Abdul Carter is clearly in that conversation and should he be available with this selection, the Patriots will be running to the podium to announce it.

Carter will be just 21 years old when the 2025 NFL regular season kicks off. He has the kind of versatility, mentality, and potential to succeed under Mike Vrabel in New England. His new defensive scheme will require linebackers to play faster and stick with running backs and tight ends in coverage. Carter may be pretty raw as a pass rusher but his sideline-to-sideline speed as an off-ball linebacker is something the Patriots defense could utilize every game.

ABDUL CARTER SCOUTING REPORT

Round 2, Pick 38: Josh Conerly Jr, OT, Oregon

The Patriots still haven’t addressed their need at left tackle. Morgan Moses will spend the majority of his time at right tackle meaning whoever the team drafts in April will likely start opposite of him next season. There are many raw offensive tackles in this class that will require development at the next level but Josh Conerly Jr. has the potential to start right away.

Conerly Jr. is one of the most athletically gifted players in this draft class. He is incredibly quick, fluid, and explosive off the line of scrimmage, out in space, and at the second level. The experience is there for him with over 1,800 snaps over the last two seasons. His best performances throughout his college career came against some elite pass rushers. He shut down the aforementioned Abdul Carter in the conference championship game and held his own against a tough Buckeyes front seven.

JOSH CONERLY SCOUTING REPORT

Round 3, Pick 69: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss

The addition of a player like Stefon Diggs was much needed in the wide receiver room. That being said, it won’t prevent the front office from continuing to bolster the group. With Demario Douglas and now Diggs, the Patriots have good playmakers underneath but they still lack a true deep threat. They haven’t had a true field stretcher since Brandin Cooks was traded in 2018.

The University of Mississippi has consistently produced elite NFL talent at the wide receiver position. From DK Metcalf to AJ Brown, the Rebels have some of the best alumni at the position. Tre Harris is fast enough to take the top off the defense and is incredibly talented with the ball in his hands. He’ll need to develop as a route runner and become more durable to cement himself as the next-best Ole Miss receiver.

TRE HARRIS SCOUTING REPORT

Round 3, Pick 77: Anthony Belton, OT, North Carolina State

Super Bowl 59 was a game won in the trenches and proved that the more reliable offensive lineman you have on a roster, the better. The Patriots haven’t had a true sixth lineman since LaAdrian Waddle in the later part of their dynasty run. If they want to get back to the big game, they’ll need to find another one to be a mainstay on their roster.

At 6 foot 6, 336 lbs, Anthony Belton is one of the most well-built prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent six years at the college level but is one of the meanest and toughest blockers on tape. While he struggles with hand placement, Belton has the potential to take over in the running game and grow into a full-time starter at either right or left tackle. The Patriots could stash him as depth behind Morgan Moses or even start him right away.

ANTHONY BELTON SCOUTING REPORT

Round 4, Pick 106: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF

In such a deep running back class, the Patriots will be searching for value on day three. They already have a solid receiving back in Antonio Gibson and a goal-line back in Rhamondre Stevenson to complement him. What the offense lacks is a true home run hitter out of the backfield, somebody who can consistently accumulate big chunk plays on the ground or through the air.

RJ Harvey ran for fifteen-plus yards on 32 carries last season at UCF. He forces missed tackles and can get to the second level quickly. With this kind of contact balance, there is no reason to believe these numbers won’t translate to the NFL. He logged a 40-yard dash time of 4.40 seconds which should firmly place him on not only the Patriots radar, but many other teams as well.

RJ HARVEY SCOUTING REPORT

Round 5, Pick 144: Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame

Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper were among the league’s best tight end duos last year. The Patriots don’t need to add a tight end by any means but they could stand to get a younger player in the room. New England also doesn’t have a plus-blocker at the position and with the hiring of Mike Vrabel, he’ll want some more physicality out of his tight ends.

Mitchell Evans is the perfect prospect for New England’s current roster construction. He’s not only refined as a blocker but he plays with the kind of mentality that aligns with the newly instilled culture. After the catch, he isn’t afraid to seek out contact and run through or over defenders. Evans presents a good catch radius to be a reliable receiver in the red area and contribute as an extra blocker along the offensive line.

MITCHELL EVANS SCOUTING REPORT

Round 7, Pick 217: Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington

Much like the running backs in this draft, the prospects at wide receiver will present great value later in the draft. The Patriots might be able to develop one similar to Demario Douglas, who they groomed into an instant-impact player on offense. Even with the addition of Stefon Diggs, no team can have too many playmakers or too much depth at the wide receiver position.

Efton Chism III lit up the East-West Shrine Bowl this year. Without that performance, he would be trending towards going undrafted but now, he looks like a potential steal on day three of the draft. Chism III is electric with the ball in his hands and consistently separates on all levels of the football field. He will probably be limited to just the slot position at the next level but he could quickly become a reliable target no matter where he lands in April.

EFTON CHISM III SCOUTING REPORT

Round 7, Pick 220: Andres Borregales, K, Miami (FL)

Parker Romo is the only current kicker listed on the Patriots depth chart. With Joey Slye signing elsewhere, the New England Patriots must address the position at some point in this mock draft. The team has already met with multiple prospects at the position and as many have come to know, kickers can more or break the game.

The Miami Hurricanes were lucky to have Andres Borregales as their kicker over the last four seasons. He is known for his accuracy and ability to perform in late or clutch situations. Borregales doesn’t have the big leg ability that Slye had last season but he would be more accurate than him. He has the ability to win a potential kicking competition in training camp and cement himself as the Patriots starting kicker next season.

Round 7, Pick 238: Drew Kendall, IOL, Boston College

The New England Patriots mock draft wraps up with more help along the offensive line. The release of David Andrews shocked many within the Patriots fan base. New England ended up replacing him with former first-round pick Garrett Bradbury but they don’t have a younger option on the roster if he is lost to injury. With the addition of former Boston College coach Doug Marrone to the staff, the front office could look to select an offensive lineman he is familiar with.

Drew Kendall was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2024 and has over 37 games at the center position under his belt. He isn’t the most athletic player at his position but he does the little things right. There aren’t many prospects with better fundamentals and technique which means he won’t need much development to make an impact at the next level. Kendall fits the mold of a late-round selection that could help an offensive line right away.

Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images

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