The New England Patriots enter the 2025 NFL Draft with nine picks, which they will use to fill their numerous holes, including the offensive line, wide receiver, and running back. Although active in free agency, the Patriots are still not a fully formed team ready to contend.

Looking at how the Patriots have performed the last three years, they’ve combined for a 16-35 record. The main reason why they’ve been unsuccessful is their failure to draft and develop their prospects.

This draft class allows the Patriots to fix their mistakes and draft young, talented players that they desperately need, with the draft consisting of depth in all seven rounds. Because of the depth and talent at the positions of need for the Patriots, they must trade Rhamondre Stevenson to acquire more draft picks

Patriots Must Trade Rhamondre Stevenson for More Picks

The Patriots lack talented players on offense. The only player who has shown star potential on the offense is Rhamondre Stevenson, who earned himself a new contract ahead of the 2024 season.

However, Stevenson’s performance last season declined from previous years, averaging 3.9 yards per carry and seven fumbles, which was the most among all running backs. While the offensive line didn’t do him any favors, Stevenson wasn’t the same three-down back he showed in recent years, losing his role in the receiving game.

Stevenson may not have the same value as he once did, but he’s still only 27 years old, is on a cheap contract for three more years, and is capable of being productive on a good offense. The Patriots could trade him for either a fourth or fifth-round pick, which they could use to trade back into the first or second round.

While finding a great running back to replace Stevenson may be hard, the running backs in this year’s class are among the best in recent years, with Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton at the top of their position. The Patriots could replace Stevenson with Jeanty with the fourth overall pick, as Jeanty is one of the best players in the draft.

Pairing Jeanty with Drake Maye would give the offense a talented piece that the team desperately needs, as Jeanty has shown, and stated that his impact on the field can be game-changing for any team that drafts him.

Acquiring additional draft capital would be in the Patriots’ best interest, as they need a young influx of players in all phases to get back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season.