New England Patriots Mock Draft: Patriots look to the trenches, prioritize offensive and defensive lines

• Offensive tackle is the clear choice with their first pick: Kelvin Banks Jr. would solidify the Patriots' left tackle position for years to come.

• Gamble on potential with James Pearce Jr.: The Tennessee pass-rusher has seen his stock decline, but the flashes of talent are still evident on film.

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The New England Patriots made the switch to rookie Drake Maye at quarterback two weeks ago, but while there have been some nice flashes, it’s clear this is a team that is at least an offseason away from being able to make a playoff push.

With that in mind, we're focusing on New England for this week’s mock draft, exploring how the team can build around Maye during the first two days of the 2025 draft.

Round 1 (1): OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

It’s tempting to take a player like Travis Hunter here, but the reality is that the Pats desperately need support in front of Maye, and targeting an offensive tackle with their first selection makes a lot of sense.

The current choice would be between Banks and LSU’s Will Campbell, but Banks’ impressive 81.9 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets gives him the edge over Campbell, who has a grade of 75.6 on true pass sets.

Round 2 (33): EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Pearce entered the season as a contender for the first overall pick, but his stock has dipped to the point where he is now viewed as a fringe first-round selection. While there are questions about his size at the next level, securing a player with an 18.4% pass-rush win rate at the top of the second round would represent excellent value.

Round 3 (65): WR Jalen Royals, Utah State

Support for Maye comes from spending another top-75 selection on a playmaker, and Royals would provide him with an additional reliable target in the passing game.

The Utah State receiver is averaging 3.00 yards per route run and has earned a 75.8 PFF grade against man coverage this season.

Round 3 (81): G Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

Returning to the offensive line to conclude this three-round mock draft, I believe there's a strong chance that Jackson will rise on draft boards by the time the draft arrives. However, if he is still available in the mid-third round, the Patriots would be wise to select him.

Jackson has earned a 76.8 pass-blocking grade this season at Ohio State, along with a run-blocking grade above 70.0 for both zone and man runs.