Insider notes on New England Patriots: Drafting Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson's potential, and more

The changes in New England started immediately after the completion of the 2024 season with the firing of Jerod Mayo and the hiring of Mike Vrabel, the highly sought-after head coach who sat out all of last season. Up next was fortifying the offensive line in the draft to protect Drake Maye and adding pass catchers for him to target.

There were many predictions as to which way the Patriots would go in the first round, but in the end, they kept it simple by taking the best left tackle, Will Campbell. Protecting Maye’s blind side was a desperate need, and in Campbell, they selected an athletic, mobile left tackle with terrific upside.

My criticism of Campbell is that he was soft at times last season, especially in the opening games, and did not always play to his level of ability, yet if he keeps the fire going at all times, he has Pro Bowl potential.

Round 2 saw New England further help the offense with TreVeyon Henderson, the playmaking running back from Ohio State. Henderson plays fast, picks up big chunks of yardage, and is a terrific pass catcher out of the backfield. He’ll be a great complement to starter Rhamondre Stevenson.

The next selection could ultimately turn into one of the best from this draft: receiver Kyle Williams in the third round. Williams comes with average size and solid speed, but he’s a polished pass catcher with reliable hands and terrific route-running skills.

The Patriots have a horrid history of developing receivers they’ve selected in the draft, but Williams should break that streak, and the Patriots hit a home run with this choice.

Center Jared Wilson was also taken in the same frame. Universally graded as the top center in the draft, Wilson is incredibly athletic and has a large upside, but he needs a lot of work on his game. He’s not particularly strong, and despite his outstanding workout numbers from the combine, he must improve his ability to block in motion.

The Patriots had a pair of picks in Round 4, taking safety Craig Woodson and defensive lineman Joshua Farmer. Woodson is an explosive strong safety, best making plays downhill.

In my opinion, he was a bit of a reach in the fourth round. Conversely, Farmer was a terrific choice who fell out of Day 2 because of injury red flags. He’s a perfect fit for the Patriots’ three-man line, as Farmer can hold the point and make plays on the football.

Fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson is a stand-up pass rusher who’ll have the benefit of learning behind veteran Anfernee Jennings and free agent signing Harold Landry. Kicker Andres Borregales was taken in the next frame and comes with a strong, accurate field-goal leg. Borregales does need to improve the hang time on his kickoff, especially with the new rules.

New England finished the draft with three picks in the final round, starting with offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, who played opposite Armand Membou at Missouri. Bryant is big as well as strong, but he must play with better pad level and leverage, as he gets tall and negates his natural ability.

Kobee Minor is a smart, physical cornerback who plays to one speed. While he possesses solid ball skills, Minor never intercepted a pass in college. Sandwiched between the two was long snapper Julian Ashby, who could make the roster by default this season.

The team signed a load of UDFAs, and three really stand out to me. Efton Chism was one of my favorite small-school wideouts and is someone I wrote about often last season on Sportskeeda.

He’s super quick, runs great routes and catches everything thrown to him. Chism’s production was also off the charts in college. Pass rusher Elijah Ponder also had great production in college, but he was snubbed by the combine.

He had a terrific pro-day workout and is a perfect fit for the Patriots defense as a stand-up pass rusher who can also be used in space. Many were surprised CJ Dippre went undrafted, as he has the potential to line up as a No. 3 tight end on Sundays.

Grade - A: The Patriots filled a lot of needs in this draft, and more than anything else, they helped protect Drake Maye while adding playmakers for their quarterback. Campbell should be a Week 1 starter while Henderson and Williams will be major factors as rookies.

They came away with some terrific picks on Day 3, and I’m taking a personal interest in watching many of their UDFA signings.