Patriots' NFL Draft Dream May Not be Dead Just Yet

The New England Patriots' biggest NFL Draft dream may still be alive.

Jan 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; Mike Vrabel addresses media at a press conference to announce his hiring as the head coach of the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots would obviously love to nab one of Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft, but it's becoming increasingly unlikely that will occur.

The general consensus is that Cam Ward, Hunter and Carter will be the first three players off the board this Thursday, which will leave the Patriots to either select LSU tackle Will Campbell, another unexpected option or trade the pick.

But is there still a chance that New England could somehow come away with one of its top choices this week?

A report from ESPN's Peter Schrager indicates that it may be a possibility, as there are apparently teams looking to swing a trade with the Cleveland Browns or New York Giants to acquire either the No. 2 or 3 pick in the draft.

Here's the catch, though: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is evidently a target from at least one of the clubs looking to trade up, which would mean that one of Hunter or Carter would still be available when the Pats are on the clock.

Now, the chances of that happening seem pretty slim. It seems somewhat hard to believe that any team would be willing to move up into the top three to select Jeanty, especially considering that he is not expected to go anywhere before No. 6.

Of course, it's possible things have changed with Day 1 of the draft quickly approaching. Perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars want Jeanty at No. 5? Heck, maybe even the Patriots want him at No. 4? Still, though, you would think a rival squad would try to work out a deal with New England for the fourth pick rather than moving ahead of the Pats.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this all unfolds, but perhaps the Patriots really do have a chance of coming away with a generational talent on Thursday night.

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