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Patriots Ideal NFL Draft Results After Stefon Diggs Signing

With Stefon Diggs on board following major defensive upgrades, what would the ideal New England Patriots NFL Draft outcome look like?
Kevin Sinclair|
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) and Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Kyan McDonald (38) in action during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) and Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Kyan McDonald (38) in action during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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New England Patriots

After securing a variety of upgrades through free agency, most recently four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs, the New England Patriots look ahead to the NFL Draft for the finishing touches.

Let’s review the ideal draft outcomes laid out below.

Round 1, Pick 4: Edge Abdul Carter (Penn State)

  • The Titans pick Cam Ward, Travis Hunter is a Cleveland Brown, and the Giants hand the keys to Shedeur Sanders. By default, the best player in the draft (in my opinion) falls to the Patriots at No. 4.   

The way I see it… Abdul Carter (edge) and Harold Landry (OLB) concurrently generate weak-side pressure, Robert Spillane shines at mike behind Christian Barmore (6-5, 315) and Milton Williams (6-3, 290) while Khyiris Tonga (6-4, 328) and Kenion White (6-5, 285) lead a violent rotation. Without additions to the front seven, New England was built to deliver punishment on Sundays. Adding the ferocious and freakishly athletic Carter to the front seven removes the ceiling from this defense.

Round 1, Pick 24 (via trade): Tackle Myatt Milum (West Virginia)

  • The Patriots send No. 38, a fifth-rounder, and a 2026 selection to the Vikings for the No. 24 overall pick. Will Campbell, Kelvin Banks Jr., and Armand Membou aren’t available at left tackle, so New England adds a bookend who belongs in the same conversation as that trio - Wyatt Milum. 

The way I see it…Wyatt Milum is an underappreciated prototype tackle (6-6, 318). He’s a consensus All-American for good reason, not once giving up a sack over his 35 starts at left tackle. The last time Milum surrendered a sack was in 2021, the year he became a Freshman All-American right tackle. (Click here for Abdul Carter vs. Wyatt Milum footage)

Round 3, Pick 69: Receiver Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)

  • The Patriots pair dynamic slot receiver Stefon Diggs with 6-foot-4, 215-pound Jayden Higgins. 

The way I see it… This isn’t a lumbering boundary receiver limited to the short to intermediate game. No, sir. Higgins recorded a 4.47 and a 39-inch vertical, only two drops on 129 targets, and 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. Mack Hollins should be an ideal mentor. 

Round 3, Pick 77: Guard Luke Kandra (Cincinnati)

  • New England finds a potential long-term solution at left guard through Luke Kandra. He consistently dominated through his two seasons in Cincinnati.

The way I see it…First Team All-Big 12 and the highest-rated right guard in the Conference [PFF] in both 2023 and 2024. A few years from now, don’t be surprised if he’s considered the product of a Day Two robbery. Zero sacks allowed last year, just one sack a year earlier, and he clocked a 4.90 at 6-4, 323 pounds.

Round 4, Pick 106: LB Barrett Carter (Clemson)

  • New England said goodbye to captain Ja’Whaun Bentley. Out with the old (Bentley), in with the new mike ‘backer (Barrett Carter). 

He’s 6-foot, 231, but he’s not a phonebooth ‘backer. Carter recorded 217 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 12 ½ sacks, three interceptions, and 20 pass breakups since 2022, clocking a low-4.6 at the combine. If healthy, he should have a long, fruitful pro career with special lateral speed and twitchy athleticism. 

Round 7, Pick 217: DL Rylie Mills (Notre Dame)

  • Notre Dame captain Rylie Mills was long, lean, and power-packed operating from 290 to 305 pounds. A 445-pound bench press, 580-pound squat, 32-inch vertical, and 9-foot broad jump were cited in Bruce Feldman’s annual ‘Freaks’ list last August. Adding that size and power alongside Christian Barmore and Khyiris Tonga would give ideal variety and fortitude up front.

Round 7, Pick 220: WR LaJohntay Wester (Colorado)

  • A potential sleeper at a position New England needs to prop up, LaJohntay Wester caught 108 passes for nearly 1,200 yards at FAU in 2023, and 74 catches for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns last year at Colorado. Ran a 4.47 at the combine.

Round 7, Pick 238: RB LeQuint Allen (Syracuse)

  • Now this is an exciting running back right here, a hard-nosed, strong-willed, punch-you-in-the-mouth running back explosive out of his cuts - including as a receiver out of the slot. All told, Allen churned out over 3,200 total yards and scored 32 touchdowns since 2023.

Summary:

Signing Milton Williams, Khyiris Tonga, Harold Landry, and Robert Spillane in free agency amounted to a monumental front seven rebuild. Adding Abdul Carter took it to another level. It won’t happen overnight, but sooner than later, New England may field one of the top defenses in the AFC.

Rylie Mills and Barrett Carter add really good flexibility in the middle of the defense, and the tools to mature into impact players. Carter has exceptional athleticism at mike, and Mills may be one of the better 3-4 D-Line prospects beyond the top two rounds. He’s a massive but lean, 6-foot-5, 295-pounder known for three-tech play. However, he has plenty of experience at the one-tech, 4i, and in Notre Dame’s big end position. He’s equally fit for three and four-man fronts, and his interior pass rush ability has steadily improved.

Offensively, with Diggs and right tackle Morgan Moses locked in this month, Wyatt Milum should immediately solidify left tackle. Don’t be surprised if Luke Kandra is equally dependable beside him at guard. Jayden Harrison gives Drake Maye a 6-4 weapon with 4.4 speed on the outside, and LeQuin Allen instantly provides a savvy pass-catching element from the backfield.

There’s more work to be done offensively, but if Josh Daniel’s can fill the left side of the offensive line along with at least one more legitimate weapon on the perimeter, New England could begin to expedite Drake Maye’s path to unquestioned franchise status.

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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