New England Patriots

Mac Jones again helps Patriots move up 2025 draft leaderboard 

The Patriots are now projected to pick second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones, center, is forced to throw the ball away as he is pressured by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins, second from right, as Jaguars center Mitch Morse (65) and Jaguars offensive tackle Anton Harrison, left, try to make blocks during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas.
Mac Jones and the Jaguars fell to the Raiders on Sunday. (AP Photo/John Locher)

By Conor Ryan

1 minute to read

For the second time this month, Mac Jones helped his former team’s odds of landing one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Even though New England came up short against the Bills on Sunday, their 24-21 loss in Buffalo kept the Patriots in the running for a top-three pick in the upcoming draft.

But Jones — currently serving as the Jaguars’ starting quarterback following Trevor Lawrence’s shoulder injury — helped vault New England one more spot up the draft order Sunday. 

Jones and the Jaguars fell to the Raiders, 19-14, on Sunday, handing Las Vegas its first win since Sept. 29 against the Browns. 

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As a result, the Patriots passed the Raiders on the leaderboard and now sit at No. 2 overall on the draft order behind only the 2-13 New York Giants. 

Here’s a look at the current top 10 order, per Tankathon:

  • New York Giants (2-13, .554)
  • New England Patriots (3-12, .463)
  • Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12, .480)
  • Tennessee Titans (3-12, .512)
  • Cleveland Browns (3-12, .530)
  • Las Vegas Raiders (3-12, .545)
  • Carolina Panthers (4-11, .500)
  • New York Jets (4-11, .502)
  • Chicago Bears (4-11, .557)
  • New Orleans Saints (5-9, .506)

All things considered, Jones did not have a poor showing for the Jaguars; he completed 25 of 39 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. But Jacksonville was still unable to beat a lackluster Vegas roster, with both Tank Bigsby and Brenton Strange knocked for fumbles. 

Jones and the Jags attempted to orchestrate a late-game rally with under two minutes to go, but Jones could not convert on a 4th-and-11 play to move the chains — completing an eight-yard pass to D’Ernest Johnson to force a turnover on downs. 

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New England leapfrogging the Raiders should put them in a prime position to either select a blue-chip prospect like Travis Hunter, or potentially trade down for a haul of picks, especially for a team in desperate need of a QB like the Raiders or Titans. 

Profile image for Conor Ryan

Conor Ryan

Sports Writer

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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