Patriots Now in Prime Position to Land Travis Hunter

The New England Patriots are now officially in a prime position to land star wideout Travis Hunter.

Sep 28, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) scores a touchdown against the UCF Knights during the first quarter at FBC Mortgage Stadium. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots will enter Week 17 in a great position for the future. No, they aren't even close to being a winning football team, but that could change this offseason.

Hopefully, the Patriots will end up losing their final two games. They're scheduled to play the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills, both at home, to close out the year.

It's not very often that fans root for their team to lose. However, that is the situation that New England fans find themselves in.

Heading into the offseason, the Patriots have one major priority that they need to accomplish. They need to bring in a long-term No. 1 wide receiver for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Right now, they're in a great position to have that chance in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Following all of Week 16 NFL action, New England is now slated to hold the No. 2 overall pick. That is exactly where they need to be in order to land Colorado Buffaloes' star Travis Hunter.

Hunter has the long-term potential of being one of the NFL's best wide receivers. He is fresh off of winning the Heisman and would instantly give the Patriots the kind of playmaker that they need to help Maye take a big year two leap.

During the 2024 college football season, Hunter ended up catching 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown on the ground. Hunter is exactly the kind of weapon the Patriots have needed this season.

If the season ended today, the New York Giants would hold the No. 1 overall pick. They would be very unlikely to trade that pick and they badly need a new franchise quarterback. It is almost certain that the Giants would take either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.

Assuming that is how the draft order shapes up, New England would then be able to walk away from the NFL Draft with Hunter as Maye's newest top target.

Things could not be looking better for the Patriots. Granted, they could win one of their final two games and rob themselves of the chance to land a potentially generational talent. They could also choose not to pick Hunter, which would be a massive mistake.

All of that being said, New England is now in prime position to get Hunter. It's a place that many teams around the NFL would love to be and the Patriots would be very lucky to bring him onboard.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Josh Allen Praises Patriots QB Drake Maye
• Patriots Warned to Avoid One WR in NFL Draft
• Patriots Sign Rookie RB to Active Roster
• Analyst Reveals Concern for Patriots' Top Free Agent Target
• Patriots, Browns Should Hook Up for Major CB Trade