After each draft, everyone wants to know ... "Well, Bedahd, if you're so effing smaht, why don't you say what you would have done ... idiot."
Well, for the third straight year, here's our offering. Previous years, with various hits and misses, just like the professionals:
After months, if not years, worth of work, Mike Vrabel and the Patriots made their selections in the 2025 NFL Draft:
1-4. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
2-38. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State.
3-69. Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State.
3-95. Jared Wilson, C, Georgia.
4-106. Craig Woodson, S, Cal.
4-137. Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State.
5-146. Bradyn Swinson, Edge, LSU.
6-182. Andres Borregales, K, Miami.
7-220. Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri.
7-251. Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt.
7-257. Kobee Minor, CB, Memphis.
* - Also have Chiefs' 2026 4th-round pick.
We'll see how they did in three years. They certainly put in the work, have earned the right to make the decisions they did, and deserve to see their work through.
I had the Patriots going OT, OT, TE, WR and RB with their first five picks. The order was a bit different, and no TE, but the Patriots did go o-line twice, grabbed a receiver and a running back in their first four picks.
My mock draft picks for the Patriots, and where they actually went:
I undervalued TE Mason Taylor by a round, and nearly two rounds on RB RJ Harvey and K Andres Borregales. I severely overvalued LB Cody Lindenberg and DT JJ Pegues.
Let's add to the pile of second-guessing. After a mere week or two of work on these prospects and not much intelligence available on their intangibles, here are the moves we would have made, had we been in control of the Patriots' draft board.
FIRST ROUND, 4TH OVERALL
The Patriots are on the clock.
Vrabel said they had no trade offers for the pick.
Players on the board at 4 considered: OT Will Campbell, DT Mason Graham, RB Ashton Jeanty, OT Armand Membou, TE Tyler Warren.
The debate: None, really. We've been over this ad nauseam. The Patriots were backed into this corner due to several years of draft and develop neglect, and players like Ronnie Stanley not hitting free agency. They had to get the most pro-ready left tackle to plug and play. Campbell is far from a perfect prospect and not worthy of the 4th overall pick in most years, but this is the draft in front of you. Campbell is clearly the best OT in this class when it comes to starting at LT on Day 1.
THE PICK: Will Campbell, OT, LSU.
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(USA Today Network)
Luther Burden
SECOND ROUND, 38TH OVERALL
Players on the board: RB TreVeyon Henderson, WR Luther Burden, TE Mason Taylor, DT TJ Sanders, Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku, OT Aireontae Ersery.
The debate: We know the Patriots had trade talks down to the final minute after the Dolphins jumped up front of the Patriots to draft OL Jonah Savaiinaea. We don't know what those offers were. It could have been Denver at 60, as they were known to be fond of Henderson (and later took RB RJ Harvey at 60). That likely would have been Denver's pick at 60 and 74. That would have given, after 4th overall, picks at 60, 69, 74 and 95. No. 4 to 60 is a huge drop (they could have traded back up), but for fun, here's who they could have taken with those picks:
60. RJ Harvey, RB
69. Kyle Williams, WR
74. Jaylin Noel, WR
95. Jared Wilson, C/G
Basically swapping Henderson for Harvey and adding Noel so now they would have drafted inside/outside receivers. Of course, they did the same thing last year — bypassing Ladd McConkey in favor of trading down and getting 2 for 1 in Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker — and that didn't work out too well. Eliot Wolf probably had PTSD on the phone and blacked out. I would have as well. I really like all four of those players and I don't think Henderson is a huge upgrade over Harvey (but he's definitely better and a tad more explosive), but I'm not trading down 22 spots.
I'm tempted by Taylor, but he's not explosive enough to take this high. I want some juice out of this pick, and Henderson is the only clean (Burden is not) and explosive weapon here. Ersery is very tempting, which is why I mocked him here. I would hopefully have my bookend tackles for years to come. But maybe I think Caeden Wallace can be a RT with improved coaching, so I don't think I'm desperate at the position. If there was a shorter trade down, I think Ersery would be my pick.
But I like what the Patriots ultimately did.
THE PICK: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
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(USA Today Network)
Jaylin Noel
THIRD ROUND, 69TH OVERALL
Players on the board: WR Kyle Williams, DE Landon Jackson, WR Jaylin Noel.
The debate: Jackson was tempting because he kind of had his way with Campbell last season and Noel is an explosive slot, but I need more on the outside. Williams was one of my favorite players in this draft. Very explosive. I'm pouncing.
THE PICK: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State.
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THIRD ROUND, 77TH OVERALL
Players on the board: WR Jaylin Noel, OG Dylan Fairchild, WR Savion Williams, OG Wyatt Milum, T/G Emery Jones.
I just picked, and the Panthers are looking to trade up from 85 and are throwing in a fifth-rounder (146).
The debate: It's pretty close on the trade chart. I'm losing the equivalent of 203 in the 6th round in the deal. Carolina couldn't have thrown in 208?
Really, this is about Noel. Tempting to add three burners in Henderson, Williams and Noel. But I'm also not giving up on Demario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk. Another WR pick here, and I also have to cut/trade one of them. Still, I'm not really concerned about that.
Here's Bob McGinn on Noel:
12. JAYLIN NOEL, Iowa State (5-10, 195, 4.40, 3-4): Killed the combine with a 4.40 40, a 41 ½-inch vertical jump, an 11-2 broad jump and 23 reps on the bench press. “He was their starting slot and he’ll be a starting slot,” said one scout. “He’s an explosive athlete with very good play speed. He can attack a defense at all three levels and be productive. He has the acceleration to close a cushion against soft coverage. He can stack defenders. He runs out-and-up routes for explosive plays. He shows his hands late and is able to reach back for the ball without allowing the defender to make an attempt on the ball. Not real tall but compactly built.” His 245 receptions in 51 games (33 starts) ranked second in Cyclones’ history. Finished with 2,855 yards (11.7) and 18 TDs. “Good quickness and speed to separate and stretch the field,” a second scout said. “My biggest hangup was his hands. He had some big, big drops. Concentration drops, I guess. He’s inconsistent. He’s got five muffed punts over his career. What I did like was the team always seemed to go to him in gotta-have-it situations at the end of the game.” Returned punts all four years: 53 for 8.8. Returned kickoffs for 3 ½ years: 37 for 22.2. Arms were just 29 ½. “To me, catch radius is a big deal,” a third scout said. “Even if you’re a short guy you’ve got to have a bigger radius and makes catches outside your frame. I didn’t see him do that. I was really kind of disappointed in him.” From Kansas City.
THE MOVE: I'm taking the trade with the Panthers.
The sweet spot of the draft for a rebuilding team is still come. More bites at the apple. Taking two guys (Williams and Noel) with at least some issues with concentration drops is a little worrisome so I'm punting.
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(USA Today Network)
Wyatt Milum
FOURTH ROUND, 85TH OVERALL
Players on the board: WR Savion Williams, OG Wyatt Milum, T/G Emery Jones, S Xavier Watts, WR Tai Felton, C/G Jared Wilson.
The debate: On the clock again after the trade down, and my board hasn't changed all that, other than Jaylin Noel being gone.
Chiefs are calling and offering 95 this year (120 points) and a 2026 4th-round pick (about 40 points) for 85 (165 points).
Again, I'm not sure I see a difference in the players if I trade down 10 spots. Williams is Cordarrelle Patterson and raw. Milum would be a RT/OG twin of Campbell's and Jones was Campbell's RT at LSU. I really like Xavier Watts but the Patriots are obviously eyeing Craig Woodson as their guy at the position. I get way too many Tyquan Thornton vibes from Felton.
It's a ris that Wilson is going to be available at 95 and I view him as the best pure center in the draft. But I did sign Garrett Bradbury, and Ben Brown is not bad. I'm OK taking the risk in trading down.
THE MOVE: Accept the trade down from the Chiefs.
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Well, that was anti-climactic. The Patriots made five moves on the first two days of the draft and I agreed with all of them. I could have just went rogue just to be different, but you guys know that's not how I roll. I really like what the Patriots did on the first two days. What will the final day bring in the next installment? I'm not sure, we'll go through the exercise but I'm not sure it's going to be a whole lot different.
It feels weird to agree with them on every pick, but I'm no homer. I'd tell you if I did. I just can't be unhappy about getting two explosive playmakers, my 2025 left tackle and more ammo for the final day with a lot of good players on the board.