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Mike Reiss
Foxborough, Mass.
1. RBS of passenger capture: The Patriots enter the NFL 2025 draft with nine selections, and if things go according to the plan, one will be assigned to a corridor.
“I think so. Having a good and young runner is potentially something we would like to do,” said first -year chief coach Mike Vrabel, last week, when asked if it is an area that he would like to address.
It turns out that it is a good year to be on the market. The Senior Draft Analyst of ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr., said he has more than 30 runners with a draft qualification this year, led by Ashton Jeanty of Boise State and Omarion Hampton of North Carolina.
It would be a surprise if the Patriots were willing to invest the high capital of draft to land Jeanty and Hampton, since both are projected first round selections and the New England returns Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson as their well-compensated 1-2 blow. Not to mention that Patriots have other pressing needs, starting with the offensive and defensive lines.
But after the first round, anything apparently would be at stake, especially if the choice complements the most resistant game styles of Stevenson (6 feet, 227 pounds), Gibson (6-0, 228) and 2024 non-recruited free agent Terrell Jennings (6-0, 217), perhaps in the form of a faster step “faster.”
Such paper has long been a basic element in the offensive of the offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, from Kevin Faulk in the 2000s to Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, James White and Brandon Bolden Bolden in the 2010 and early 2020 Third Down.
When asked which Draft prospects could comply with a similar profile, ESPN analyst Jordan Reid identified Lequint Allen (6-0, 204) and Brahard Smith (5-10, 194) of SMU (5-10, 194). ESPN Matt Miller analyst projects Allen and Smith (a converted receiver) as a seventh round in his complete simulated draft.
In a different year, however, more could be valued.
“It has been a while since I can remember such a deep corridor,” said ESPN Draft analyst, Field, Yates, adding that of the 250 general players that he has described as writing, 29 of them are runners, an unusually high percentage for the position.
The first -year runner coach of the Patriots, Tony Dews, expressed his emotion when working with the team’s backs, with Vrabel heading to the safety of Stevenson’s ball as a criticism after totaling a total of seven lost blows in the NFL in 2024.
“People talk about Rhamondre and put the ball on the floor, and he knows it. We will help it there, and we will also make sure that the other 10 players know that their work is also to protect the guy with the ball,” said Vrabel, adding: “We would love to add good young players on offense and skill players.”
As part of the local professional day of the Patriots on Wednesday, which is for the prospects of the schools in the New England area and those that grew locally, the Michigan Kalel Mullings (Milton Academy) corridor and the Umass/Michigan Kay’ron Lynch-Adams state corridor were among the visitors of the Gillette stadium.
2. Milton’s follow -up: The modest compensation of the air seal (Fifth Round) that the Patriots received in the Marshal of Field of Commercial Backup Joe Milton III and a seventh assault of the cowboys on Thursday causes a question of why they did. Milton looked like an asset in the most important position of the game after his performance of the end of the season in a victory over the Bills (playing mainly backup), especially considering that Drake Maye was evaluated twice for brain commotions in the games last season.
The moment, according to a source familiar with the thought of the team, was not a coincidence. On Monday marks the start of the voluntary program of the team, and Vrabel considers that, as a significant control point in the process of establishing the culture of the equipment and dynamics that develops ideally within each position group.
Milton’s departure leaves Maye and veteran Joshua Dobbs as the solitary Quarterbacks, for now. Field Marshal coach Ashton Grant spoke with journalists last week and this is what he had to say about his QB duo:
In Maye: “In terms of talent, you can do everything you want from the field Marshal position. I have had a couple of conversations to meet him, and looks like a super intelligent child.”
In Dobbs: “We were together in 2022 and the beginning of 2023 in Cleveland. He is an incredible teammate … His preparation is unsurpassed and the value he will bring to that room.”
3. Quokie QB: Milton increases the chances that the Patriots wrote a field marshal or, at least, add a non -recruited signal call because the teams usually carry at least three on their list. The vision of reed of the 2025 QB harvest compared to 2024: “This class is not so loaded at the top, nor is it so deep under it.”
The Patriots Most Likely Will Be Look at Options From The Third To Seventh Rounds, Which Project To Include The Likes of Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Texas’ Quinn Eweers, Ohio State State’s Will’s Will’s Will’s Will’s Will’s Will Howard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Minnesota’s Max Brosmer, Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard.
Reid said that Leonard as “launch of late round darts fits the Patriots a ton.”
In a related note, the field marshal of the University of Brown, Jake Willcox, was among those who participated in the local professional day of the Patriots last week.
4. McDaniels and Tiger: When McDaniels entered Thursday in the interview room with a shirt from the Patriots Network and a smile, he got in front of the microphone and said: “Hello, world!”
It was a kind of ode to Tiger Woods, who pronounced those words to journalists in 1996 before his golf debut. He also reflected the resurgence of McDaniels in the NFL, since it was his first interview since he losing his job as a coach of the Raiders on October 31, 2023. “Super excited to return to work in football,” he said.
5. Jones return? It is expected that the change of NFL rules that detect the ball in 35 in Touchbacks (instead of 30) leads to more returns, according to the special team coordinator, Jeremy Springer.
The Gibson and Jamycal Hasty corridors (now a free agent) were the main returns of the Patriots last season (25.5 average, 28 in the NFL), but a remarkable point that arose at the annual meeting of the league last week was the possibility that Marcus Jones could become a candidate to handle the paper if the change of rules leads to the exit exit when he became more space in space. Jones is one of the main clearance returns of the NFL, but has not returned a start in the last two seasons. Springer said he plans to have a deep list of kicks of kicks.
Meanwhile, Springer said that the skill set of the kicker, now similar to a bettor in his ability to place the ball, also acquires additional importance.
“It has been a great change of how we are going to address this low season from a kicking point of view,” said Springer, who said that John Parker Romo is currently on the list and has been informed that there will be a competition with a second kicker.
The special team coordinator, Jeremy Springer, says that the change of NFL rules to put the touchback in 35 means more returns … and also increases the importance of the kicker having more in his “toolbox” in terms of location, etc.
He says a great change in how the team will approach the position. pic.twitter.com/kwqyhvm1to
– Mike Reiss (@Mikereiss) April 4, 2025
6. MAPU’S SPOT TBD: Mars Mapu, the Third Round selection of 2023, is a safety/supporter hybrid whose adjustment in the new defensive scheme under Vrababel is fluid. Will it be security? Or a more traditional supporter?
At this point, the security coach Scott Booker transmitted that the plan is for players to learn the defense in total, and the coaches will continue to evaluate where the strengths could be and then work to improve them before reducing a specific position.
Mapu appears on the list in 6-2 and 230 pounds, which is a physical makeup similar to the supporter Robert Spillane (6-1, 229).
7. They said it: “I am quite sure that I am the first NFL coach to have three jobs in the same year. Every time you have an interim coach and an interim OC, it is because something went terribly badly. That is not always the most exciting opportunity to enter, but it is an opportunity … it really only gave more confirmation to what is the ultimate goal, because it will never be as hard as that.” – The coach of the Patriots Tes/Coordinator of the Passenger Game Thomas Brown, in his experience last year with the Bears, from the passenger game coordinator, to interim oc, to interim coach
8. Patriots Hall meeting: The Committee of the Patriots Hall of Fame on Thursday included a surprise visit of Robert Kraft and Vratabel; He welcomed with the coach of the Ivan Fears runners as a member for the first time of the committee; and included some of the best/most passionate discussions since the Committee formed in 2007. Pateador Adam Vinatieri received my main vote.
In addition to Vinatieri, the following candidates were nominated: Julius Adams, Peter Brock, Ron Burton, Julian Edelman, Chuck Fairbanks, Ted Johnson, Logan Mankins, lawyer Milloy, Mosi Tatupu and Wes Welker.
9. Patriots in Germany: The corner/return Jones and the Cole Strange Center/Guard traveled to Dusseldorf, Germany, last week to help present a new flag soccer field sponsored by the Patriots in the Garath district, the first of its kind.
The former offensive liner of the Patriots, Sebastian Vollmer, who was born in Germany, was also on the trip along with former New England defensive Markus Kuhn. A second flag soccer field dedicated himself to Vollmer.
“This is where it all started for me,” said Vollmer. “I am incredibly proud that, together with the Patriots, I can help to pave the way for the next generation of NFL talents, perhaps here in Dusseldorf.”
10. Did you know? Of the 69 players in the Patriots list, six entered the NFL as first -round teams: the Garrett Bradbury center, the supporter K’lavon Chaisson, the corner Christian González, the Marshal of Campo Maye, the security Jabrill Peppers and the center/guard Strang. Only González, Maye and Strange were recruited by the Patriots.
