Sitting at No. 4, it appears the Patriots might miss out on the two best players available this year.
Selecting fourth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots will be in prime position to add some much-needed talent to their team. However, it seems increasingly likely that they will not be able to add the potential difference makers available this year.
At this point in time, it appears that neither Travis Hunter nor Abdul Carter will be making it past the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants at picks No. 2 and 3, respectively.
According to reports by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on Wednesday, the two teams are trending toward going after those two rather than fill their needs at quarterback.
“It certainly feels like the Cleveland Browns are inclined to look elsewhere aside from quarterback. And it’s starting to feel like the New York Giants at No. 3 are starting to look elsewhere other than quarterback,” Schefter said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
“It’s starting to feel to me like there is less and less of a likelihood that Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter get to the Patriots,” Breer told NBC Sports Boston. “The Browns and Giants have at least given off some signals over the last week or two that they could take position players — Hunter, Carter — at 2 and 3 and then double back on Day 2 and get quarterbacks.”
Like the Tennessee Titans, who are expected to select Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall selection in the draft, the Browns and Giants are facing an unclear future at the most important position in the sport. As a consequence, both are potential landing spots for the consensus QB2, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
If one of them would pick Sanders, the Patriots would be in a position to scoop up either Hunter or Carter, whoever makes it out of the top 3. While that scenario is enticing, it seemingly is starting to become unrealistic.
In that case, New England would have to look elsewhere to invest the fourth overall pick. Offensive linemen Will Campbell and Armand Membou are potential targets, as are wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, defensive tackle Mason Graham and even running back Ashton Jeanty.
The Patriots have nine total picks in this year’s draft, including four in the first three rounds.