The New England Patriots have the No. 4 pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft, and it sounds like they’re content to stay put.
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported that the Patriots “have not shown much, if any, interest” in trading up from the No. 4 pick and appear to be “willing to stick to their board.”
In the final mock draft by B/R’s NFL Scouting Department, the Patriots are projected to use the No. 4 pick to select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell. New England likely won’t have the chance to select Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter without trading up, but Campbell is an impressive prospect who will help protect second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
“The Patriots have been tied to Campbell for weeks leading up to draft night and for good reason: They are in desperate need of a functional left tackle and building block for the offensive line,” B/R NFL scout Brandon Thorn stated.
While the No. 4 pick won’t be used in a trade, it sounds like New England is still open for business. Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported that the team is “open to trading players from the previous coaching staff” and named wide receiver Kayshon Boutte as a potential trade candidate.
The Patriots have nine picks in this year’s draft, and it appears that they’re hoping to add more. New England has multiple holes to fill up and down the roster, so first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and company will surely be hoping to make the right picks as the franchise enters a new era.
