The New England Patriots made significant strides in the 2025 NFL Draft, aiming to enhance their roster around rising star quarterback Drake Maye. New head coach Mike Vrabel is the offensive coordinator for the Patriots. Together with chief decision-makers Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden, they’re now intent on landing high-character players capable of impacting in every sense — on the field and in the locker room. This draft presented a unique opportunity for the team to fill a number of different needs, while strengthening the team’s overall competitive edge.
The Bills made a great value pick here with TreVeyon Henderson, the excellent and explosive running back from OSU. Last season, he dazzled fans with a ridiculous 7.1 yards per attempt. Together with the earlier signing of Baker Mayfield, this move highlights the team’s desire to create dynamic offensive weapons. The Patriots signed Henderson to their practice squad. They traded up to get Jared Wilson, a center from Georgia, and Kyle Williams, a receiver from Washington State, both in the third round with the 69th pick. The team made big moves to improve its special teams unit. They selected kicker Andres Borregales from Miami in the sixth round, right at No. 182 overall.
Eliot Wolf, the Patriots’ Director of Player Personnel, said that character was a non-negotiable in their draft strategy. “It’s hard to talk about Tre without starting with how awesome of a guy he is,” he remarked while discussing Henderson’s impact. Similarly, the Patriots don’t just target character. They seek high character rookies who will fit in their culture and immediately improve team dynamics.
Ohio State’s co-offensive coordinator Keenan Bailey offered new perspective into Henderson’s collegiate upbringing. He praised Henderson’s impressive evolution into a player and leader. “He came back with such a growth mindset,” Bailey stated. “He asked to be involved in more special teams, which you don’t ever really hear a starting running back do.” This desire and willingness to innovate is a testament to Henderson’s passion for his work.
Off-the-field issues aside, the Patriots successfully weathered the storm of a veteran exodus during the draft. With that, they dealt quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth-round value. Joshua Dobbs is now the veteran QB on the roster. The team still hopes to keep their options open by introducing some more competition, including the addition of at least one undrafted quarterback.
Mike Vrabel, of course, has strong ties to Ohio State, where he starred and later coached. He expressed enthusiasm about selecting Henderson, marking him as the second player from Ohio State drafted by a Vrabel-coached team. This connection reveals Vrabel’s strategic vision to combine personal experience with professional necessity.
Wolf and Cowden personally ensured that they were accessible to reporters during key points of the tense draft process. From the combine forward, through that first week after the draft. It’s been their transparency that has created a sense of understanding, trust, and realism amongst their fans and the industry.
Borregales, snatched up as a kicker in the sixth round, was perfectly comfortable brushing aside doubts about his suitability to kicking in colder weather. He made it, even coming from the sunny climes of Miami. “A lot of people think that me being from Miami, I can’t handle the cold,” he noted. “I think I can prove people wrong about that.” His confidence will be an important factor as well – a big part of that should be as he learns to adjust to New England’s climate.
Leave a Reply