Patriots Have Surprising Interest in First Round Prospect

The New England Patriots could have their eyes on an intriguing candidate in this year's draft.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; University of Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou (OL28) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images / Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

There's been no shortage of chatter surrounding the New England Patriots' draft plans and how they may approach their fourth-overall pick come late April.

A large chunk of the discussion has revolved around some frequently mentioned names for that number-four spot, including the likes of Will Campbell, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter as prime fits for New England's top-five selection.

However, there could be a new dark horse emerging in the mix as a potential target for the Patriots at four: Missouri tackle Armand Membou.

According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the Patriots have continued to show strong interest in Membou during the pre-draft process –– ultimately leading to Pauline connecting him with the Patriots at four in his newest mock draft.

"The Patriots have shown an incredible amount of interest in Membou since the combine, and he's definitely a Mike Vravel type of blocker," Pauline writes.

On paper, the Patriots selecting a left tackle with their top spot on the board makes a ton of sense. New England has been without an answer at the position during their opening stages of free agency, and taking a chance on one of the best offensive line prospects on the board could be the route to finding their answer at a critical part of their unit upfront.

But it comes as a bit of a surprise to see Membou so high on the board, especially as the first tackle taken off the board entirely. Other names like Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks Jr. have landed hype themselves to be a great option at the position in the class, but perhaps with the combination of Membou's physical and technical traits, New England could prefer him over the field.

In Pauline's scenario, blue-chip guys like Hunter and Carter get swooped up ahead of them by the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, respectively. If the top-three picks do transpire in such a way, it could force the Patriots' hand to take someone in their biggest area of need, rather than select sheerly for the best player available.

There's a lot of moving pieces in the weeks ahead of the draft, but it seems Membou could now be poking his head into the discussion of that top-four mix for when the first round finally kicks off.

The 2025 NFL Draft will get started on Thursday, April 24th in Green Bay, WI.

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