NFL analyst gives clear verdict on Mike Vrabel's first draft as Patriots new HC

Mike Vrabel's era with the New England Patriots started in January, and the new head coach has already put his stamp on the team. After a few veteran pieces were moved, Vrabel led his first draft along with general manager Eliot Wolf, and the recruitment earned praise from analysts.

ESPN's Mina Kimes appeared on NFL Live to give her take on New England's picks. Mina believes that the offense improved with fair value, which could help Drake Maye's development in his second season:

I absolutely loved what the Patriots did. They went into this draft with, I felt, some pretty glaring needs on offense, and they managed to really address those needs without reaching from a value perspective. I just feel like the Patriots knocked this one out of the park.

Kimes listed a few of the picks that could lead Maye to the next level, including the selection of Will Campbell in the top 5.

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She also explained how Kyle Williams would mesh with the rest of the receiving group:

Will Campbell, of course... Kyle Williams, out of Washington State, averaged the most yards after catch per reception of any Power 5 receiver. I think he adds a speed element to this group that pairs nicely with Stefon Diggs and Demario Douglas, who can work the short, intermediate parts.

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Patriots go heavy offense in Vrabel's first draft as head coach

New England averaged 17 points per game in 2024, the third-worst mark in the league. Improving the team around Drake Maye was a clear priority for the offseason, as the offense allowed 52 sacks in the previous season.

The first four picks were all on offense. Maye's protection was improved by the picks of Will Campbell (1st round) and Jared Wilson (3rd round). Running back TreVeyon Henderson also joined the franchise as a second-round pick.

Some other key additions were already made during free agency, when the Patriots started with the biggest cap space available in the NFL. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs signed a three-year deal, while Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses signed to shore up the offensive line.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra