Mike Vrabel sheds light on Patriots' stance on trading no. 4 pick in 2025 NFL draft

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel responded to speculation regarding the team's draft plans for their No. 4 overall pick.

Vrabel - who became the Patriots coach in January - conducted a press conference at the Gillette Stadium and answered questions from reporters regarding the team's preparation for the draft:

"I'd venture to guess it's probably a little too early for that. In my experience, probably a little too early for those discussions. A lot of those take place next week as we get a little further along in the draft process. I think there's still some preparation and some front office managing that occurs and the coaches reports. It's probably a little too early for some of those discussions to occur," Vrabel replied when queried if teams had made inquiries on trading up for the fourth pick.

Mike Vrabel during the NFL combine. (Credits: IMAGN)

The New England Patriots are in a position with the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, their highest since taking Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1993.

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Mike Vrabel is not the market for a quarterback

Mike Vrabel during a New England Patriots press conference. (Credits: IMAGN)

During his press conference, Mike Vrabel made one thing clear: the New England Patriots won't use their premium draft capital on another quarterback after selecting Drake Maye early in the 2024 draft.

"Where we're drafting, there's a handful of guys [to consider]. We're not in the market for a quarterback. That ought to eliminate anybody that throws the football. But I do think there are certainly players we covet at every level," Mike Vrabel stated firmly.

"[The goal] is to add as many quality players and quality people. You want to come out of it with some starters. You want to come out of it with some depth role player that can build the depth of the roster – the backup players, the situational players," Mike Vrabel continued, outlining his broader draft philosophy.

With the quarterback clearly off the board, attention shifts to other premium positions where the Patriots might find immediate impact players. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter visited Foxboro this week, sparking speculation about the team's interest. Mike Vrabel confirmed the visit while speaking highly of Carter's game film.

Left tackle remains another possibility, addressing perhaps the team's most glaring need. When specifically asked about the offensive tackle position, Mike Vrabel acknowledged the presence of starting-caliber left tackles in this draft class.

"There's some tackles that certainly will come in and start in the NFL. That's really what you start to look for, right, is impact players when you start picking that high. What they're going to do for you, what's the position. You talk about premium positions. That's where you weigh all the circumstances. Do I think there's starters in this draft at left tackle? Yes, I do," said Mike Vrabel.

Eliminating the quarterback from consideration narrows the field significantly. It leaves several highly rated prospects in play, including LSU left tackle Will Campbell, who many draft analysts connect to New England.