Mock draft season is in full swing, with less than a month before the 2025 NFL Draft. The top three picks are seemingly spoken for, with Miami’s Cam Ward, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, and Penn State’s Abdul Carter expected to hear their names called first.
The New England Patriots hold the fourth overall pick and will likely fall into a once-in-a-lifetime two-way talent.
Patriots Select Colorado’s ‘Generational Talent’ in 2025 NFL Draft
Colorado’s Travis Hunter is the one player who could spoil the party for the top-three picks. The 2024 Heisman Trophy Winner dominated both sides of the ball last season and is the most intriguing prospect in recent memory.
On the way to winning the Heisman, Hunter racked up 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he added 36 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups as a cornerback.
He swept the major awards in 2024—winning the Walter Camp Award (best overall player), the Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), and the Bednarik Award (best defensive player)—and enters the 2025 draft as arguably the best all-around player available.
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PFSN’s Owain Jones thinks Hunter will find a home with New England at the fourth pick in his latest mock draft. Jones wrote, “Travis Hunter would be an instant upgrade in New England at both receiver and corner. One of the consensus top two talents in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Coroado two-way player brings elite athleticism, production, and a high football IQ, making him an ultra-rare prospect.”
The coaching staff will determine where Hunter plays, but New England’s offense could use the help after finishing No. 26 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season. However, the Patriot defense was even worse, coming in at No. 30 in PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
New England focused on the defensive side of the ball early in free agency and recently signed veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. Adding to Drake Maye’s arsenal in the draft makes sense, and acquiring a generational player like Hunter without giving up draft capital could get the Patriots back to the playoffs sooner than expected.
In 13 starts last season, Maye threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Tight end Hunter Henry was his leading receiver with 66 catches, 674 yards, and two touchdowns. Saying the Patriots’ offense needs a shot in the arm is an understatement, and Hunter could provide it.
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Hunter is a once-in-a-generation talent who can make plays at the highest level on both sides of the ball. He was the most exciting college player to watch, and hopefully, he ends up with a coaching staff that knows how to unlock his full potential.