Mina Kimes thinks Patriots knocked 2025 NFL Draft ‘out of the park’
“I think it was a really, really great draft class for them.”
The Patriots have earned several high marks across the NFL media landscape after selecting 11 players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Several NFL Draft experts like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. commended Eliot Wolf, Mike Vrabel, and the rest of New England’s top brass for their ability to both bolster the team’s offensive personnel around Drake Maye, while also finding value on the defensive side of the ball.
“I really liked what the New England Patriots did,” Kiper said on “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.” “You have a franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. What do you do? You try to help him out, try to get him to that level as quick as you can.
While Will Campbell (No. 4 overall) addressed New England’s most pressing need when it came to protecting Maye and shoring up New England’s offensive line, the Patriots also added another promising O-linemen in Georgia center Jared Wilson (No. 95 overall) — while also adding two top playmakers in Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson (No. 38 overall) and Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams (No. 69 overall).
“I think this guy’s a home run hitter. He’s a great route runner. This guy, to me, is going to be a great third-down back,” former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said of Henderson on ABC’s broadcast of the NFL Draft. “Nobody is going to be able to cover this guy when he goes out for a pass. When you find a guy who’s tough to cover and can block like that, that makes a phenomenal third-down back.
“This guy might make as big of an impact on any team as anybody that’s been picked so far because of the way you can use him. I really think this guy is special.”
New England’s draft haul continued to earn high praise this week, with ESPN’s Mina Kimes also commending the Patriots for both building stability around Maye while also adding some big-play capabilities to an offense that ranked 31st in the league last year in yards per game (292.0).
“I absolutely loved what the Patriots did,” Kimes said of New England’s draft picks. “They went into this draft with, I felt, some pretty glaring needs on offense, and they managed to really address those needs without reaching from a value perspective. Starting, of course, with Will Campbell, who they envision as the long-term left tackle of the future. …But I want to highlight the next two picks.
“Because I think what both TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams do is they give this offense big-play potential. Henderson was a home-run hitter as a back — averaged seven yards per carry, which is the most of any power five back. And Kyle Williams out of Washington State, averaged the most yards after catch per reception of any power five receiver.”
Both Henderson and Williams should be able to give New England’s offense a lift — joining a unit that already added other pieces this offseason like Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins.
But after spending heavily on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, New England also added several intriguing players on Day 3 of the draft like Florida State DT Joshua Farmer (No. 137 overall) and LSU pass rusher Bradyn Swinson (No. 146 overall).
Farmer was listed by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler as his 76th-ranked prospect in this class, while Swinson was tabbed as a third-round pick by Brugler.
Add in New England drafting two potential special-teams regulars in Miami kicker Andres Borregales and Vanderbilt long snapper Julian Ashby, and Kimes believes the Patriots are poised to build on this foundation moving forward.
“I just feel like the Patriots knocked this one out of the park,” Kimes said. “I think it was a really, really great draft class for them.”
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