The New England Patriots will have a chance at some talented prospects with the fourth overall pick when the Draft finally rolls around. Depending on how the board falls, who could be available when New England is on the clock? And what could be their rankings based on team need, and talent of the prospect? The number one priority for the Draft should be getting good football players on the roster, so here is my big board rankings for the fourth overall pick.
1. Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
The number one target for the Patriots should be Travis Hunter. Hunter is arguably the best player in the entire Draft, and with three quarterback needy teams ahead of New England, he could very well be in play at pick number four. Hunter is one of the best athletes in recent memory, and has shown his ability to be an elite receiver. Pairing him with current Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs, could give Drake Maye an incredible arsenal to grow and develop with.
2. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Abdul Carter comes in at second on my board for Patriots targets. He could be above Hunter for some people, but since New England brought in so much help on the defense in Free Agency, I have Travis Hunter as a receiver ahead of Carter. Regardless of that, Carter is a top two player in the Draft, and shows off incredible burst and play making ability all over the field. He is an opposing quarterback’s nightmare, and by putting him into a New England defense that already has a lot of talent, we could see him having double digit sacks as a rookie.
3. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The third and final prospect I am comfortable with at pick number four is LSU’s Will Campbell. Campbell shows off impressive tape at left tackle in the SEC, and has dominated every year he has started. Some people have been concerned with his arm length, but he has proven on film it is not an issue. By playing at the SEC level, Campbell played against NFL level talent every week. His effort, finish, and nastiness shows he would be the perfect blind side protector for Drake Maye for the foreseeable future.
Who are some trade down candidates for the Patriots?
If Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are off the board at pick four, and the Patriots decide to trade down, who could be their targets? Depending on how far down the Patriots move, the best tight end in the Draft could be a prospect to keep an eye on. Penn State’s Tyler Warren is a very interesting prospect. Warren is the ultimate football guy. He is strong, athletic, and willing to block anybody when he is asked to. Not to mention when he has the ball in his hands, he is one of the hardest players to bring down in the entire Draft. If New England wants a player that will do the dirty work as a blocker, and get you tough yards when he has the ball, Warren should be a serious consideration.
Another trade down candidate for New England, is Georgia linebacker, Jalon Walker. Walker is another prospect with huge potential. If he’s given the right coaching, which will be the case if he ends up playing for Mike Vrabel, then he could turn into one of the league’s best pass rushers. Not to mention he will be lining up alongside some seriously talented players, like Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and Keion White. If New England moves down multiple spots, and still secures Walker, the first round can be considered successful.
What could be considered an ideal first round for the Patriots?
The ideal first round for New England would be if one of the two best players in the Draft fell to pick number four. If Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter are in Patriots uniforms by night one of the NFL Draft, it would be the most ideal scenario. All that is left for the New England front office to do, is hope that two quarterbacks go in the top three picks, so they have a chance at Hunter or Carter.
