Patriots pass on Ashton Jeanty to draft 6'5", 319-pound protector for Drake Maye in latest mock

ESPN NFL analyst and insider Peter Schrager believes that the New England Patriots will pass on Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty with their first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

In his latest 2025 NFL mock draft released on Wednesday, Schrager predicted that the Patriots would add on the offensive line to help protect QB Drake Maye. With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Schrager projected that the Patriots would select LSU Tigers offensive tackle Will Campbell.

As Schrager noted:

"Campbell is smart, tough, dependable and a leader in a position of great need. He might not be built like Hall of Famer Orlando Pace, but the Patriots would be getting a day one starter and a culture guy on their offensive line."

Although the Patriots are in need of various offensive options to help Maye, there is no position arguably more important than improving their offensive line this offseason. There were various times in 2024 where Maye had no time with the football or where he was consistently taking hard hits from the pocket. As a result, improving their offensive line must be a top priority this season.

Campbell has the skill and ability to drastically improve the Patriots offensive unit on Day 1. In 2024, Campbell won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the best blocker in the conference. In addition, he was a Consensus All-American and a first-team All-SEC last campaign at LSU.

Should the Patriots pass on Ashton Jeanty?

Although Jeanty is a generational talent at running back, offensive line appears to be an area where improvements are drastically needed. The 2025 NFL Draft features a strong running back class, something that could allow the team to select Campbell in the first round, yet still add an elite running back prospect later in the selection process as well.

Campbell is widely considered as the best offensive line option available this year, and would be an amazing add for the Patriots. With an improved offensive line, expectations will be sky high in New England that Maye can become one of the league's very best QB's in 2025 and moving forward.