{"id":59409,"date":"2025-04-15T13:26:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T17:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=59409"},"modified":"2025-04-27T11:11:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T15:11:47","slug":"morse-four-potential-2025-patriots-draft-scenarios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/04\/15\/morse-four-potential-2025-patriots-draft-scenarios\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Four Potential 2025 Patriots Draft Scenarios"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your Worst Nightmare, the Patriots 2025 Draft! <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Well maybe not that bad, but we have been talking about the draft since it was obvious the Patriots were in for a disastrous season back in November. \u00a0\u00a0The Draft is finally a little over a week away.\u00a0 I am going to look at the four scenarios the Patriots face when picking 4th<\/sup> in next week\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

Colorado WR\/CB Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, and EDGE rusher Abdul Carter of Penn State are the cream of the crop as far as athletes are concerned.\u00a0 QB Cam Ward will be the #1 pick by Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Scenario #1<\/strong> \u2013 Travis Hunter drops into the Patriots’ lap at #4.\u00a0 I don\u2019t need 15 minutes to make that decision, I am running the card up before some team makes me a crazy offer.\u00a0 Hunter is the #1 player at two positions.\u00a0 This one is a no-brainer of taking the Best Available Athlete and foregoing the need for an OT until later.\u00a0 The Patriots will be doing their draft prep with other GMs gauging their interest in a trade that would get the Patriots back into the 1st<\/sup> round to select an Offensive Tackle.\u00a0 The best trading partner might be the Minnesota Vikings, who own the 24th<\/sup> selection.\u00a0 The Vikings only have 4 draft picks (1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th).\u00a0 It will take the 2nd<\/sup> round pick #38 and 3rd<\/sup> Round pick #77, the selection acquired in the Matt Judon trade.\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s a little uneven according to the Jimmy Johnson draft Trade Chart, so the Patriots might have to add a 2026 6th-round pick to balance it off.\u00a0 Minnesota only has one of three tackles, Josh Simmons, Kelvin Banks or Josh Connerly should be available at #24. \u00a0\u00a0Mike Vrabel spent a lot of time talking with Josh Simmons at his Ohio State Pro Day.<\/p>\n

Scenario #2<\/strong> \u2013 Hunter dropping to the Patriots is highly unlikely. However, Abdul Carter being available at #4 is a realistic scenario.\u00a0 Some character flaws have been revealed in the last few weeks, according to Bob McGinn, a well-respected national football scribe.\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s not saying that Carter is a bad guy, but that he is aloof, eccentric, and doesn\u2019t practice hard.\u00a0 He is not a team leader.\u00a0 \u00a0Add this to the medical concerns brought up in the Combine medical exams, indicating that Carter has a stress reaction in his foot. According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, Carter\u2018s foot is showing improvement and won’t need surgery.<\/p>\n

Carter was in Indianapolis for a Combine medical recheck on the injury following an initial evaluation at February’s scouting combine. The All-America pass rusher is also recovering from a shoulder injury and didn’t participate in on-field drills at the combine or at Penn State’s pro day.<\/p>\n

The Patriots are doing their due diligence and have had Carter in for a Top 30 Visit<\/strong><\/a> to re-check the medical reports and to get a gauge on the character of the player.\u00a0 If this scenario were to play out the Patriots would again try and trade back into the 1st<\/sup> round and pick up the best tackle available.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Jalon<\/p>\n

(PHOTO: Joshua L. Jones \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Scenarios #3<\/strong> \u2013 Neither Carter nor Hunter are available.\u00a0 The Patriots then would like to trade back and pick up some additional draft capital.\u00a0\u00a0 Reports came out this week that New Orleans starting QB Derek Carr may need shoulder surgery, which could knock him out for the year.\u00a0 I said weeks ago in my Mock Draft #3 that the Patriots should take Carter and trade with New Orleans at #9 to select an OT.\u00a0 I was offering Joe Milton, Jahlani Tavai, and a 2026 #1.<\/p>\n

I bet the Saints wished they had traded for Joe Milton now!\u00a0 To think we just gave him away! The trade would be New Orleans 1st<\/sup> round selection (#9) and second-round pick (#40).\u00a0 In my last Mock Draft, both Will Campbell and Armand Membou were taken before pick #9.\u00a0 This is where I shock the world and take Georgia Linebacker \/ EDGE Rusher Jalon Walker.\u00a0 \u00a0In 2024, Walker was selected as the top linebacker in College Football by winning the prestigious Butkus Award.\u00a0 At 6\u20191\u201d, 243-pounds Walker ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at the Combine.\u00a0 He can play inside or out and is a devastating pass rusher despite being undersized.\u00a0 He had 5 sacks in 2023 as a part-time player.\u00a0 Last season, he added 6.5 sacks and 61 total tackles while garnering 3rd<\/sup> team All-American and 2nd<\/sup> Team All-SEC honors.\u00a0 In his 3-year career, he only started 11 games, all in 2024.\u00a0 Walker turned 21 in February.\u00a0 This is what NFL Draft Buzz says about Walker:<\/p>\n