Heading into Week 18 of the NFL season, there are several teams that could end up with the No. 1 pick in April’s draft.
One of those teams is the New England Patriots, who, as of now, hold the top position in the upcoming draft and can ensure they will have the No. 1 pick by losing to the Buffalo Bills this weekend.
One may think that if they do get that top pick, they should use it on Travis Hunter, the unique two-way player from the University of Colorado Boulder, but per JosinaAnderson, there is a good chance they will trade down in the draft in order to address more than one roster need at once.
The #Patriots placement at the top of the 2025 Draft order opens many interesting scenarios given the high probability of them trading back to fill multiple needs & and also staying open to a variety of trade proposals—including for name players that other teams need to be move…
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 3, 2025
The Patriots have many roster needs — in fact, one could argue that they need help at almost every single position, except possibly at quarterback, where there is hope that rookie Drake Maye could be their starter for years to come.
Hunter is someone who is thought to be pretty special, but in general, this year’s draft class isn’t especially stellar.
Trading down in the draft could mean that New England also acquires a player who could help them right away in addition to possibly receiving two to more first-round draft picks.
The Patriots have been struggling ever since legendary QB Tom Brady left following the 2019 season, and they have been discovering how hard it is to rebuild in the NFL, even for a franchise that won six Super Bowl championships in the 2000s and 2010s.
NEXT: Patriots Provide Update On Drake Maye For Season Finale
