Patriots Predicted to Land Dynamic Weapon for Drake Maye
The New England Patriots will surely be prioritizing landing some weapons for quarterback Drake Maye during the NFL offseason, both via free agency and the draft.
The Patriots have plenty of cap room to utilize in signing free agents, but they also really need to hit on a wide receiver in April, unlike last year when they selected Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
Luckily, the 2025 wide receiver class seems fairly deep, so New England should have multiple opportunities to cash in throughout the draft.
Matt St. Jean of Pats Pulpit sees the Patriots doing so in the third round, as he has them picking Miami Hurricanes receiver Xavier Restrepo on Day 2.
"The Miami product has played primarily out of the slot, playing over 90 percent of his snaps there for his career," St. Jean wrote. "He’s able to uncover quickly against man coverage, but his real strength is after the catch where he doesn’t stop moving or fighting for yards. He’s also flashed incredible hands."
St. Jean went on to compare Restrepo to New England legend Julian Edelman.
Restrepo is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he hauled in 69 receptions for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The 22-year-old arrived at Miami in 2020 but didn't break out until 2023, when he caught 85 passes for 1,092 yards and six scores.
Restrepo doesn't have blazing speed, nor does he have great size at 5-foot-10, but he possesses other qualities — such as great hands and route-running ability — that should make him a very valuable weapon for Maye.
The Pats had the worst receiving corps in the NFL this year, so they need all sorts of help in that area. Restrepo certainly wouldn't be the be-all-end-all solution, but he would definitely provide some much-needed assistance.