The New England Patriots underwent a full roster rebuild when Mike Vrabel became the head coach last season. In doing so, he turned over nearly 50 percent of the roster from the previous year by adding players via free agency and the draft. Ultimately, that turned into the best draft class New England has had in years.
In the 2025 draft, the Patriots selected 11 total players, six of whom became starters, two others contributed heavily, while the other three navigated their way from the practice squad to the 53-man roster throughout the season. New England also signed a couple of undrafted rookie free agents who made the team and played in games last season.
Let’s take a look at the final rookie report for the 2025 season in New England.
Will Campbell (Left Tackle)
The expectations were high for Will Campbell coming out of the draft as the No. 4 overall pick with the presumption that he would be the Day 1 starter at left tackle. He started his first season well enough to look like a true starting left tackle in the NFL, but as the season progressed, Campbell’s play started to decline, and he was eventually placed on injured reserve with a serious Grade 3 MCL sprain.
In the regular season, Campbell allowed 26 pressures on 449 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, giving up five sacks, while committing seven penalties.
Campbell returned for the playoffs, where he struggled mightily in protecting Drake Maye’s blindside. He was responsible for 29 pressures in four playoff games, including three pressures and a sack in the Super Bowl.
Despite his struggles, New England has too much invested in Campbell to give up on him after just his rookie season. He is the best option they have at left tackle, and he’s going to get another opportunity next season, as Vrabel said during his final press conference of the season.
Campbell needs to get stronger and work on his technique in the offseason to level up and be more prepared for next season.
Jared Wilson (Left Guard)
After being drafted as a center, Jared Wilson started every game he played in at left guard, forming an all-rookie left side of the offensive line. Wilson didn’t have a terrible season protecting Maye, allowing seven hits, four sacks, and 28 total pressures. He was not a major concern in setting the offense back with unnecessary penalties, either, as he was charged with three penalties in the regular season.
The deficiencies became more apparent in the playoffs, and the concerns moving forward are legitimate. Even after playing a full season as the starting guard, Wilson is still likely the best fit at his drafted position of center. He’s considered a foundational piece moving forward, as Vrabel is still rebuilding the team.
Similar to Campbell, Wilson needs to get stronger and refine his technique, no matter what position he ends up playing next season. For what it’s worth, Wilson hasn’t played much center over the last year with the Patriots
Vrabel believed in Wilson and Campbell enough to throw the rookies right into the mix for more than one reason, but the main goal was to provide them with meaningful experience. In doing so, the pair of linemen became the first set of rookies to start on the offensive line in the Super Bowl.
TreVeyon Henderson (Running Back)
TreVeyon Henderson had an impressive rookie year, one that set a few records along the way, but when it mattered most, he wasn’t impactful. Henderson went from an increased role in the final two months of the season to barely being involved in the playoffs.
Henderson was drafted as one of the best pass blockers in his position, but that never translated to the NFL. He struggled more often than not in pass protection during the first half of the season, but he showed improvement as the season went on.
Henderson averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 3.45 yards after contact per attempt, ranking fourth and ninth, respectively, in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. Moving forward, Henderson will need to improve on reading defenses and picking up blitzes. Now that he has a year under his belt, he’ll have a better idea of how to train in the offseason to improve in the areas he struggled in as a rookie.
The Patriots have a great tandem at running back in Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, and it could develop into being one of the best in the league sooner rather than later.
Kyle Williams (Wide Receiver)
Kyle Williams had his ups and downs as a rookie wide receiver in this offensive system, but there may have been more downs than ups. To start, Williams’ speed is elite; he might be the fastest player on the team. His quick first step off the line of scrimmage allows him to get into space to run his route, and he can easily stretch the field with his speed and route-running abilities.
That said, there were times during the season when Williams and Maye weren’t always on the same page, with it looking like Williams ran the wrong routes on certain plays, hurting the team in those moments. From Weeks 9-11, Williams played his highest stretch of offensive snaps of the season, totaling 110 snaps, but he only saw six targets and made one catch in that span.
Williams finished the season with 10 receptions on 21 targets for 209 yards and three touchdowns. What I found most impressive about Williams was his impressive skills and intensity as a run blocker. In addition to his speed, that’s what arguably got him on the field the most in his rookie season.
The Patriots need more playmakers on offense, especially at wide receiver. It will be interesting to see how Williams performs in his second season.
Marcus Bryant (Offensive Tackle)
Marcus Bryant was poised to be a steal in the seventh round as an offensive tackle, but he was unable to crack the lineup, even after Campbell went on IR. Bryant recorded just 19 total offensive snaps and 56 on special teams. Bryant was essentially looked over for veteran Thayer Munford Jr., who had more experience as a jumbo tight end and is just a little more versatile than Bryant.
In December, Vrabel said Bryant is improving and working hard at it. Perhaps he’ll be able to provide more next season.
Craig Woodson (Safety)
Craig Woodson turned out to be the Patriots' top-performing rookie in 2025. He led the team with 950 defensive snaps (93.23 percent), made the fourth-most tackles (79), and ranked in the top-10 of tackles for loss (4), which is impressive for a safety.
He leveled up in the playoffs and was one of the best defenders on the field. Woodson led the NFL playoffs with 30 tackles (20 solo) and four tackles for loss. He also hit the QB, had six pass deflections, and an interception.
I called Woodson a foundational pick when New England drafted him in the fourth round. At the time, it may have looked like a stretch, but if you saw his versatility and impact from his days at Cal, and then how he was used with the Patriots, you can start to see what Vrabel saw in Woodson back in April.
Joshua Farmer (Defensive Tackle)
Joshua Farmer had a pretty good start to his rookie season. In the first 10 weeks, he played 168 defensive snaps (28 percent) and made 11 tackles (one for loss), one pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. But after Week 10, Farmer was less available, missing Weeks 11, 12, 14, and 17. He was injured in Week 16 and eventually placed on IR, officially ending his season with 15 tackles on 224 defensive snaps.
Andy Borregales (Kicker)
Andy Borregales had a phenomenal rookie season after a shaky start. He converted 27-of-32 field goals (84.4 percent), and he made 53-of-55 extra points (96.4 percent). It’s worth mentioning that he went 4-of-4 on field goals of 50 yards or more.
He was named Special Teams Player of the Week following Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals when he made four field goals from 41 yards, 45 yards, 19 yards, and 52 yards to help cap a 26-20 victory.
Borregales also passed Patriots all-time leading scorer Stephen Gostkowski for the most points scored by a rookie in franchise history. He finished his rookie season with 134 points and kicked a career-long 59-yard field goal, the third longest in team history.
Borregales is the new franchise kicker and he should be even better next season.
Julian Ashby (Long Snapper)
Julian Ashby was a great under-the-radar selection for a long snapper. He played in every game and finished the season with three tackles. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Ashby had three false start penalties, two of which occurred in back-to-back weeks from Week 6-7, and then another one in Week 15, the first game after their bye week. It’s not what you want from a long snapper, but he ultimately handled the operations well in his first year.
Kobee Minor (Defensive Back)
Kobee Minor was the final pick in the 2025 draft, making him Mr. Irrelevant. Minor started the season on the practice squad and was promoted to the 53-man roster on Jan. 1. He played in four regular-season games and saw the field in the wild-card round against the Los Angeles Chargers. Minor totaled 39 defensive snaps and 21 on special teams.
It’s worth mentioning that Patriots GM Eliot Wolf spoke highly about Minor after the draft. The Patriots sent scouts to see him play in Memphis, as he was a player whom they invested resources and time in.
Moving into next season, Minor could have a positional depth role with the defensive backs.
Bradyn Swinson (EDGE)
Bradyn Swinson was someone that I thought was a steal in the draft. Heading into the draft, Swinson was considered one of the best edge rushers in the country. He totaled 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and had three pass deflections. Swinson totaled 60 pressures and a pass-rush win rate hovering at 20 percent, a top mark in the SEC.
However, none of that translated to the NFL. Swinson was actually released during the final roster cuts, which was more than surprising for a fifth-round pick, and he eventually re-signed to the practice squad.
In the regular season, Swinson played in three games in the second half of the year, getting on the field for the first time in Week 12 and then again in Week 17 and Week 18. He played 26 defensive snaps in Week 17 against the New York Jets, then one snap in the regular season finale.
Swinson did play in the AFC Championship Game, recording nine snaps on special teams.
The expectations should remain high for Swinson, who needs to level up his play for Vrabel to put him on the field next season. Swinson’s first step should be to make the 53-man roster come August.
Elijah Ponder (EDGE)
Elijah Ponder was an undrafted free agent who was impressive enough to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. He played in 15 regular season games and every playoff contest, including the Super Bowl.
Ponder finished the regular season with 24 tackles, four sacks, and two fumble recoveries. He had four tackles and another fumble recovery in the playoffs.
The undrafted rookie recorded 24 percent of the defensive snaps and 53.3 percent on special teams.
Not too shabby for Ponder, an undrafted rookie that Vrabel identified as a player who can contribute to the team. Ponder will have a legitimate opportunity for a larger role next season.