In a twist reminiscent of some of the NFL’s most dramatic moments, the New England Patriots found themselves at a pivotal crossroads during the 2025 NFL Draft. It was a scenario set up perfectly for the Patriots to potentially take control of the draft’s top spot.
All they had to do was drop one more game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. But football proves time and again that nothing is ever truly predictable.
Enter Joe Milton. His offensive showcase against Buffalo was nothing short of spectacular, and it flipped the script in a way few foresaw.
As a result of his standout performance, the Patriots orchestrated a surprising trade involving Milton and a 7th-round pick, sending them to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 5th-round pick. This move positions Milton as Dak Prescott’s backup in Dallas, highlighting the domino effect of his on-field heroics.
The Patriots, on the other hand, saw the difference between holding the first and fourth overall picks slip away—a difference significant enough to equate to the 12th overall pick according to the trade value chart.
During that decisive Week 18 matchup, Milton delivered 14 first-down throws on 22 completions, notching a completion rate of nearly 76 percent. His performance wasn’t just a show of skill; it was a testament to his potential in the NFL, featuring one passing and one rushing touchdown. Clearly, the Cowboys took notice, especially after losing Cooper Rush to free agency and choosing to move on from Trey Lance.
The Patriots, with Drake Maye already in their ranks, didn’t walk away completely empty-handed. Yet the missed opportunity to pair Maye with the first overall pick in the draft lingers in the air. Had it not been for Milton’s fireworks on the field at the close of the 2024-25 regular season, things might have turned out differently.
Looking back, one might wonder if former Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, seeing the writing on the wall for his tenure, leaned into Milton’s breakout performance. Much like Lovie Smith and the Texans, who altered their draft fate with a last-minute victory back in 2023, the Patriots seemed to have stumbled upon an unexpected outcome. Yet this outcome wasn’t without its own kind of fortune, akin to the Texans’ eventual acquisition of CJ Stroud.
The narrative could have seen the Patriots selecting a top non-quarterback with the #1 pick, or perhaps trading that coveted spot to a quarterback-hungry team. However, the landscape of the NFL changes with every play, and Joe Milton’s explosive finish to the season ensured that for now, the Patriots’ draft story took a direction that few could have predicted.