To put it lightly, the New England Patriots need help at every position. Executive Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf, has nailed exactly two picks in the last two drafts: Pro Bowl quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
In this upcoming draft, with the fourth selection and an early choice in every round after that, Wolf has the chance to greatly improve the team. If he takes the following players, he will have accomplished exactly that.
Round 1 (Pick 4): Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State
While this draft may be lacking in premier talent, the best player in this upcoming draft is defensive end Abdul Carter. Last season, the Penn State Junior tallied 12 sacks, 43 tackles, and two forced fumbles and his stats don’t tell the whole story. Nick Gross from NBC Sports Boston called Carter “the total package,” noting his strength, speed, and athleticism. These qualities ensure his ability to attack the quarterback effectively and pursue running backs. His unique blend of power and agility justifies the Patriots spending the fourth overall pick to acquire him.
Last season, the Patriots' pass rush was terrible and the team could use a dynamic young talent in Carter, who has sky-high potential as a pass rusher. According to ESPN Draft expert Matt Miller, Carter is the next Micah Parsons, but even larger, and like Parsons, can close up gaps left by the defensive line, while threatening opposing quarterbacks. Miller noted, “He had one arm against Notre Dame and he completely took over that game… He is a special player.”
If Micah Parsons 2.0 were to fall to the Patriots in the draft, the team would easily boast one of the best young defensive lines in the league, which already includes Keion White and Christian Barmore. This young defensive line would terrorize opposing quarterbacks and give offensive coordinators nightmares for years.
Round 2 (Pick 38): Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
Cameron Williams, Offensive Tackle, Texas
During his introductory press conference last month, Head Coach Mike Vrabel clarified how he wants to build his team from the inside out.
"When you look at statistically what wins in the National Football League, our ability to affect the other team’s quarterback and our ability to provide for an efficient quarterback and passing game is a high contributor to success,” Vrabel explained. “There’s a lot of ways to do that — by protecting the middle of the pocket and all those things that we’re going to talk about as we move forward."Mike Vrabel, Patriots Head Coach
After getting the top player in the draft, Abdul Carter, the Patriots should address the other side of the football and give their franchise quarterback, Drake Maye, the best remaining offensive tackle. While household names like Will Campbell from LSU and Kelvin Banks from Texas will be off the board, the perfect offensive lineman for the Patriots would be Banks’ college teammate, Cameron Williams. Keith Sanchez from Draft Network highlighted that Williams can be a day-one starter, where his athleticism and quickness would help him protect Maye.
Last season, the Patriots’ offensive line set the team back. According to Pro Football Network, the team had the league’s worst offensive line, ranking 31st in pressure rate (39.5%) and 29th in sack rate (9.0%). By selecting Cameron Williams with their second-round selection, the team will get an upgrade at a clear position of need and greatly improve its offensive line.