As football's offseason continues, it isn't surprising that most New England Patriots fans have their sights set on the 2025 NFL draft.
The Patriots will have plenty of opportunities to inject new blood into the roster come April. They currently hold nine 2025 draft picks with most of them being near the start of their respective round — including this year's fourth overall selection.
In other words, New England has no excuse not to make the most of each upcoming selection.
While having a plethora of picks is fun, it isn't a secret that the Patriots have struggled to capitalize on their recent selections. With that in mind, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf would be wise to hire a proven scouting talent who's looking for a fresh start.
Patriots Must Hire Champ Kelly to Scouting Team
One person who can help improve the Patriots' draft performance is none other than Champ Kelly.
The veteran NFL executive has spent nearly 20 years working in scouting departments around the league and was most recently the Las Vegas Raiders' assistant general manager from 2022 to 2024. After the two sides agreed to mutually part ways on Monday, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero, New England could offer Kelly the clean slate he's looking for.
The #Raiders and assistant GM Champ Kelly have mutually agreed to part ways, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 17, 2025
New GM John Spytek is making over the front office and Kelly, the onetime Raiders interim GM, will pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Based on how the Patriots' recent draft performances have gone, adding the Campbellton, FL native to the fold (assuming he's interested) is a complete no-brainer.
As mentioned before, Kelly has been in NFL scouting circles for nearly 20 years. The former Kentucky wideout/defensive back started his front-office career as a Denver Broncos college scout in 2007, eventually rising through the ranks while taking on roles such as assistant coordinator of pro and college scouting (2008-09) and assistant director of pro personnel (2010-14).
After a successful run with the Broncos, Kelly was named as the Chicago Bears' director of pro scouting ahead of the 2015 campaign. During his two years in the role, the Bears drafted several players who went on to earn Pro Bowl/All-Pro accolades, including safety Eddie Jackson, running back Tarik Cohen, and offensive guard Cody Whitehair.
Kelly was eventually promoted to assistant director of player personnel before the 2017 season — a title he held for five years before being named the Raiders AGM in 2022.
While Kelly's scouting history is attractive, it isn't the only reason New England should hire him.
After all, Kelly is more than familiar with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was hired as the Raiders' HC during the former's first season with the franchise. Knowing the types of players McDaniels likes, having Kelly in New England could give the offense a better shot at success this fall.
Kelly is a well-proven name, meaning it won't be long before other NFL teams are blowing up his phone. If the Patriots are smart (and serious about returning to the playoffs in 2025), they shouldn't waste another and must beat everyone else to the punch.