The Patriots knew they needed to go into the 2025 NFL Draft with a plan to surround Drake Maye with help. They did exactly that by giving him a 6-foot-6, 320-pound All-American left tackle. But even after adding LSU's Will Campbell, they won't stop there. 

Who are the best players available to help Mike Vrabel and the Patriots front office as they build up their offense? Are there defensive players worthy of Day 2 investments? 

Here's our list of the players we perceive to be the best available Day 2 options for New England, which currently owns the No. 38 (second round), No. 69 (third round) and No. 77 (third round) picks.

Wide receiver

Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Easy gas from the slot. Noel checks a number of boxes for the Patriots, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they opted to target him on Day 2 of the draft.

The 5-foot-10, 194-pounder lit up the combine with a 4.39-second 40, a 41.5-inch vertical and a whopping 11-foot-2 broad jump to go along with an impressive 6.82-second three-cone time. A two-time captain, he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last year with 80 catches and 1,194 yards.

Evaluators wonder if Noel will be able to win purely on speed, if he can create more after the catch, or if he can continue to develop as a route-runner at the next level. But his athletic traits, leadership skills and competitiveness should allow him to continue to improve.

Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

It's a two-fer from Matt Campbell's program on this list. Not difficult to understand why. Higgins is another next-level athlete, though in a very different mold than his teammate Noel.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder clocked a 4.47-second 40 in Indy to go along with an eye-opening 39-inch vertical. He reeled in 87 catches for 1,183 yards and earned third-team All-American honors.

Another Day 2 possibility for New England, Higgins' size and hands (three drops on 210 targets, per The Athletic) would make a lot of sense on the outside for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. But he proved to be versatile at Iowa State, and on tape he showed the want-to to create after the catch.

If it's a bigger body the Patriots are looking for, Higgins offers a nice blend of speed, route-running skill, contested-catch ability and consistent effort that figure to make him one of their preferred choices at the position. 

Jack Bech, TCU

The Patriots need some juice at receiver. They've traveled the path of less-than-impressive-speed guys at the position, and they were once again desperately looking for help this offseason. Even if Stefon Diggs can return to something close to his 2024 pre-injury self, he's not the vertical threat he used to be. Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Ja'Lynn Polk aren't the scare-safeties type.

And, quite frankly, neither is Bech (6-foot-1, 214 pounds). But he's their kind of guy otherwise.

Smart. Tough. Competitive. The LSU transfer played banged up last season (knee), and still ended up with 62 catches and 1,304 yards. He'll grind away at defenders as a blocker, which McDaniels will appreciate, and there's no questioning his mental toughness.

His brother was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans earlier this offseason, and Bech soon thereafter competed in the Senior Bowl. With a heavy heart, he established himself as one of the best wideouts in Mobile, and he caught the game-winning touchdown to finish the week.

Kyle Williams, Washington State

Williams may look like a slot (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), but he offers real down-the-field burst. After three years at UNLV, he landed at Washington State and racked up 131 catches and 2,040 yards over two seasons. He put on a separation-creation clinic at the Senior Bowl, and his 4.40-second speed is apparent on tape.

He may not have the versatility McDaniels has coveted -- if asked to block in the slot as a pro, he could have issues holding up -- but if it's deep speed and yards-after-catch burst they're after, he'd make a lot of sense on Day 2. 

Tory Horton, Colorado State

Horton doesn't have the most imposing frame at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, but he posted outlandish production at Colorado State before an injury cut his final season short. He racked up almost 2,300 yards in 2022 and 2023 combined, then suffered a knee injury that robbed him of seven games in 2024. He was, however, healthy enough to run well at this year's combine (4.41-second 40).

A two-time captain, Horton could've left Colorado State for more NIL money at a larger program, but he stuck with the Rams. Perhaps he'll be an outside-only option as a pro. But in the middle rounds, his speed and start-stop ability will be hard to find elsewhere.

Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

What if I told you there was a receiver in this year's class who met the best corner in this class and came away from the night with a stat line of 13 catches, 294 yards and three touchdowns?

Ayomanor had the size and speed to give Travis Hunter all kinds of issues two seasons ago.

Ayomanor is physical, he's unafraid to mix it up with opposing defensive backs, and he's considered by NFL evaluators to be a safe mid-round pick thanks to his good-but-not-great on-field athletic traits.

The Deerfield Academy product clocked a 4.47-second 40 to go along with a 38.5-inch vertical in Indy.

Savion Williams, TCU

Williams is one of the more intriguing prospects at the position in this year's class. He has size (6-foot-4, 222 pounds). He has speed (4.48-second 40). He was a captain last season, and he showed real toughness as a Wildcat quarterback.

But he has -- despite some extremely high-level-of-difficulty grabs on his resume -- the highest drop rate of any wideout projected to go in the first three rounds (11.8).

If the Patriots believe they can help him get over those mental lapses, Williams and his well-rounded skill set (he completed three pass attempts last season) would be an entertaining match for Josh McDaniels.

Running back

TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

The 5-foot-10, 202-pounder is a chunk-gain merchant who has the ability to high-step into the end zone from anywhere on the field. He started for four years and reeled in 77 catches.

But what makes him an especially intriguing option as a passing-down back is the fact that he has no fear in pass protection. He has plays on his resume where he jars oncoming defenders and plants them in the turf like an angry offensive lineman. His 4.43-second 40, 38.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad all suggest he's more than athletic enough for what the Patriots might like.

Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech

If Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants a "speed back," there's no one in this class who fits that description better. Tuten clocked a blazing 4.32-second 40 time at this year's combine to go along with massive jumps of 40.5 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-10 in the broad.

At 5-foot-9, 206 pounds he looks like a pure receiving back, but he has the toughness to handle more. He grinds out extra yards better than most in this class and has a career yards-after-contact figure (4.08) that is second only to Boise State's Ashton Jeanty.

One more reason why Vrabel might like him? Tuten returned two kicks for touchdowns as a collegian, showing a willingness to use his field-flipping ability on special teams.

RJ Harvey, UCF

Josh McDaniels has worked with former-quarterbacks-turned-skill-position-players in the past, including Jakobi Meyers and Julian Edelman. Could Harvey be the next?

He went to the University of Virginia as a reserve quarterback before transferring and changing positions. Turned out to be a good idea.

The 5-foot-8, 205-pounder was named a third-team AP All-American last season and set a school record at UCF with 48 total touchdowns. His 4.40-second 40 and 38-inch vertical made his combine performance one of the best of all the running backs in Indy. 

Offensive tackle

Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota

Ersery is a mountain of a man who looks like he'd fit in well in a hard-charging running game orchestrated by McDaniels. The 6-foot-6, 331-pounder had an impressive combine, posting a 9.36 RAS thanks in part to an eyebrow-raising 1.74 10-yard split and a 9-foot-3 broad jump.

Some teams may see him as a right tackle, but he played three years as the starter for the Gophers on the left side, and he could be available for New England early in the second round.

Charles Grant, William & Mary

Grant had a quiet pre-draft process, missing the Senior Bowl and not being able to test at the combine due to injury. But he's one of the most physically-impressive prospects in this year's class at the left tackle spot. At 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, he has almost 35-inch arms and 10-inch hands.

The former high-school wrestler will have to get accustomed to a much higher level of competition as a pro, but he has some craftiness to his game that might make teams interested in rolling the dice on him before the third round is through. 

Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College

There are all kinds of links connecting Trapilo to the Patriots. The Norwell, Mass. native and BC High product played last season under Bill O'Brien, who happens to be one of Vrabel's closest friends in coaching. New Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone was also with the Eagles a season ago, giving the Patriots even further insight into Trapilo's day-to-day approach and demeanor.

Additionally, Trapilo is being trained by former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia ahead of the draft. Trapilo happens to check the character and athletic boxes Vrabel is looking for as well; he recorded a 8.85 RAS after posting an 8-foot-10 broad jump and a 1.76-second 10-yard split in Indianapolis.

Interior offensive line

Marcus Mbow, Purdue

The Patriots want to be violent on the defensive side of the ball, but if that attitude is something that will be respected on their offense, then Mbow would be worthy of a look as an interior option on Day 2.

There's some projection involved here, but if the Patriots can take the Boilermakers right tackle and kick him inside to play guard -- or even center, where he got some work at the Senior Bowl -- he'd give them a hard-nosed grinder to help protect Maye. 

Mbow knows how to use his hands to disable pass-rushers and quickly drive them into the turf.

Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

Another tackle-to-guard conversion here. Milum started 43 games at both tackle spots over the course of his career. The 6-foot-7, 313-pounder could make this projection look like a bad one and end up as an edge protector, but his playing style feels ideally suited for the interior.

He has adequate explosiveness (9-foot broad jump), and enough in the way of a thirst for contact that it's not difficult to seem him fitting in nicely with a gap-heavy offensive line that wants to get downhill and move bodies against their will. 

Tate Ratledge, Georgia

The first of two Bulldogs on this list, Ratledge has the reputation of being the kind of blue-collar worker and leader that Vrabel wants in his locker room.

At 6-foot-7, 308 pounds, he has the frame of a tackle. And perhaps his length will work against him when he's asked to work in tight spaces at the next level. But he excelled at right guard for Georgia as a three-year starter, and he has the physical talent to make it (three-sport athlete in high school, 9-foot-5 broad jump, 32-inch vertical). 

Jared Wilson, Georgia

The Patriots have an immediate answer at center with Garrett Bradbury filling in for David Andrews, but what's the long-term solution there? Wilson could end up being a mid-round pick who provides depth at guard and center before being asked to eventually take over as Vrabel's man in the middle.

His build (6-foot-3, 310) is squat relative to his college teammate Ratledge, and he has just one season under his belt as a starter. But he's an excellent athlete (9-foot-4 broad, 4.56-second shuttle) with the agility to be able to pull as well as to mirror lightning-quick defensive tackles in pass protection.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Tight end

Elijah Arroyo, Miami

For a team like the Patriots that seems like it will value size and movement skills at this spot, Arroyo could be the best fit on Day 2. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder had 35 catches for 590 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and he followed that up with a route-running clinic at the Senior Bowl.

Arroyo appears to have a real sense of where to settle based on how opposing defenses are deployed. Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith still has close ties to the Hurricanes program -- he was present for their pro day in late March -- and would be able to provide key insight on Arroyo, who dealt with injury in 2022 and 2023 when Highsmith was Miami's general manager.

Mason Taylor, LSU

Hard to find better bloodlines. Taylor is the son of Hall of Fame pass-rusher Jason Taylor and is looking to make a name for himself at the next level. At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Taylor has traits to be a quarterback's security blanket as a pro.

He had 55 catches for 546 yards (with just one drop) last season and recorded first downs on 68 percent of his catches. A three-year starter, he is the only tight end in school history with 100 catches and 1,000 career yards.

Taylor may not be the kind of clear-a-path blocker the Patriots will want at the point of attack in his rookie year, but he's just 20 years old and could be molded into the kind of tight end Josh McDaniels is looking for with time.

Edge defender

Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Scourton's story is a Tale of Two Edge Defenders. There's the Scourton who weighed 285 pounds at Texas A&M last year and had five sacks as a thickly-built 3-4 end type. But then there's the prospect of two years ago, when Scourton weighed 260 pounds at Purdue and posted 10 sacks as a dogged rusher who refuses to give up.

Back down to 260 pounds and just 20 years old on draft weekend, he's one of the most promising young rushers in this year's draft class.

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Ezeiruaku is an easy inclusion on this list. For starters, he profiles similarly to one of Vrabel's first draft picks in Tennessee, also out of Boston College -- a player who was one of Vrabel's first free-agent signings in New England -- in Harold Landry. Ezeiruaku also played for one of Vrabel's best friends in coaching last season in Bill O'Brien.

He's a program fit from a personality standpoint, and his arsenal of pass-rush moves off the edge will make him an impactful rusher from Day 1.

JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Tuimoloau is a sturdy, hard-nosed edge defender who will give his next team a well-rounded option at the position. He's not going to overwhelm tackles with an array of finesse moves, but he will threaten them with his power and length (34-inch arms, 10.5-inch hands).

Tuimoloau racked up 6.5 sacks over four College Football Playoff games, which personnel departments will weigh heavily. If the Patriots want another power player on the edge on Day 2 to pair with Keion White, Tuimoloau is worthy of consideration.

Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Landon Jackson, Arkansas

A two-time team captain and an All-SEC selection each of the last two years, Jackson brings plenty of qualities to the table Mike Vrabel would appreciate. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder has an almost 84-inch wingspan that allows him to be the aggressor in one-on-one matchups with tackles in both the run and pass games.

Jackson is deemed a little stiff by some evaluators, but he's a power player on the edge with an excellent athletic profile (9.88 Relative Athletic Score) who'll make some team very happy on Day 2.

Defensive tackle

Shemar Turner, Texas A&M

Many are focused on Turner's teammate Shemar Stewart. But this Shemar brings plenty to the table in his own right. He played through a stress fracture in 2024, limiting his production, but his 6-foot-3, 290-pound frame was deployed violently in the SEC during his three years as a starter.

Had he put together the kind of season he did in 2023 (10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks), he might've put himself in the Day 1 conversation.

Darius Alexander, Toledo

Alexander is approaching his 25th birthday (Aug. 26), so if age is a factor for the Patriots, then perhaps they won't be willing to draft him highly. But he reportedly paid the Patriots a pre-draft visit, and his playing style seems to suit what Vrabel likes.

At 6-foot-4, 305 pounds and with 34-inch arms, he has the physical tools to be a consistently-disruptive force. Though he's an older prospect, perhaps playing in a smaller collegiate conference allows NFL clubs to see some untapped potential in him.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

TJ Sanders, South Carolina

Violent hands are a common theme for the defensive linemen Vrabel has employed in the past, and Sanders checks that box. He is sudden in his get-off and keeps working until the whistle blows.

A late-bloomer from a football standpoint -- he began playing as a junior in high school -- and two-year starter for the Gamecocks, Sanders has plenty of room for development as a Day 2 draft pick.

Ty Robinson, Nebraska

Energy, energy, energy. No need to worry about want-to with Robinson on the field. At 6-foot-5, 291 pounds, he's relentless in his pursuit of ball-carriers. And on his way to his destination, he'll do what he can to run through -- or swat away, or swipe past -- anyone who happens to get in his way.

On Day 3, buttressing the trenches with an all-out option like Robinson would make some sense for Vrabel and Co.

Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee

Norman-Lott was built to rush the passer. In fact, it was almost all he did last season (fewer than 90 snaps against the run in 2024). Why only 4.0 sacks, then?

That's one question that will dog evaluators and it could lead to this Vols defensive tackle sliding down the board into Day 3. But he has the dimensions (6-foot-2, 303 pounds, 11-inch hands, 34-inch arms) and an unwavering effort level to create problems as a pro.

He's not the most disciplined option on this list; he had 12 penalties in two seasons, according to The Athletic. And he'll need help from Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams to make the most of his traits. But the traits are there.

Jordan Phillips, Maryland

A competitive weightlifter during his high school days, Phillips is built like a fortress. At 6-foot-2, 313 pounds, Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List" noted Phillips has squatted nearly 700 pounds and performed two overhead presses of 365 pounds. He's carried that dogged effort from the weight room to the field, exhibiting powerful hands to get into blockers and jar them upon contact.

While his instincts are unrefined, Phillips' quickness and upper-body pop could allow him to contribute early along the line of scrimmage wherever he lands.

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Linebacker

Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Schwesinger has the kind of instincts the Patriots would appreciate in the middle of the field. A first-team All-American, he led the Big 10 in tackles and picked off two passes in 2024.

A captain last season, the 6-foot-2, 242-pounder was a walk-on for the Bruins and continued to bring a gotta-have-it approach to the field three years into his career in Westwood. Schwesigner also has over 500 special-teams snaps under his belt so he could be a staple in that phase as a pro.

He was a potential first-round pick, so Vrabel may be enticed to take him on Day 2.

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

He's not the best coverage linebacker in this year's crop. He's not the most fluid athlete. But Stutsman has good size (6-foot-3, 236 pounds), and he aggressively pursues collisions near the line of scrimmage with backs and their blockers.

He's confident, fast (4.52-second 40), and he'd certainly qualify as "violent." Stutsman was also uber productive in college, having compiled over 100 tackles in each of the last three seasons. If the Patriots are looking for a future leader of their defense on Day 2, he seems to have traits they covet.

Nick Martin, Oklahoma State

Martin (5-foot-11, 221 pounds) is a bit undersized, perhaps in the David Long (5-foot-11, 223 pounds) mold of Vrabel linebackers. But he deserves to be listed because his combination of athletic juice and football IQ made him a terror for opposing offenses in 2023. He made a whopping 140 tackles (16 for a loss) and was named first-team All-Big 12 that season, showing off NFL-caliber athleticism.

After missing seven games with a knee injury last season, Martin was healthy enough to work out during the pre-draft process and impressed with a 4.53-second 40, a 10-foot-3 broad jump and a 38-inch vertical.

A two-time captain, Martin would be an easy fit in the kicking game in New England and would fit right in with a linebacker room loaded with instinctive tacklers.  

Cornerback

Jacob Parrish, Kansas State

The 5-foot-10, 191-pounder reportedly made a 30 visit to the Patriots, indicating there's some level of interest in him at One Patriot Place. Easy to see why. He clocked a blazing 4.35-second 40 to go along with eye-opening jumps of 37.5 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-9 in the broad.

He has a nose for the football (seven pass breakups and one interception in 2024) and has a knack for suffocating receivers as the football approaches.

Some question his desire as a tackler, but on Day 2, he looks like the kind of player who'd help take the New England secondary to another level.

Caleb Ransaw, Tulane

Another freak athlete at the position, the 5-foot-11, 197-pounder hit 4.33 seconds on his 40-yard dash and jumped 40 inches in the vertical. There's no wondering whether he has a taste for contact, evident by the fact that he boasts just a five percent career missed tackle rate, per The 33rd Team.

Ransaw is also a player with loads of slot-defender experience (all but 13 career snaps came inside), making his projection a little easier than some others on this list. He might be available later than Parrish, but his play style seems to mesh with what Vrabel wants.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Safety

Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

From a physical outlier to a physical freak, Emmanwori would make just about any coach's list as a "fit" at this position when it comes to his athletic profile. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder ran a blazing 4.38-second 40 and jumped like an Olympian with a 43-inch vertical and 11-foot-6 broad jump.

A team captain for the Gamecocks, he's a thumper who would fit right in with Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger. Could he play the deep part of the field effectively at the next level? He doesn't have Malaki Starks' diagnostic capabilities, but his frame and explosiveness will get him a shot to try various positions with his next defensive coordinator. See what sticks and let him loose.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State

When it comes to finding realistic options for Vrabel's defense at this position, Winston might top the list.

The Nittany Lions captain has an injury history that will have to be vetted (limited to two games in 2024 due to a torn ACL) and could knock him down boards. But he is a violent tackler, and we know that's what Patriots coaches are looking for on that side of the ball. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder is able to balance that aggressiveness with a level of discipline, though, that allowed him to play penalty-free in 27 games over three seasons.

If he ends up in Foxboro, the Patriots might want to keep him out of the deep part of the field, which means he may not check the versatility box we're looking for here. But his playing style and mentality seem to mesh with what the Patriots are seeking.