A Patriots-centric 2025 Senior Bowl preview
Many of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft will be on the field together this week for the Senior Bowl. Which players should Patriots fans be keeping an eye on?
The showcase phase of the pre-draft process wraps up this week with the 2025 Senior Bowl in Mobile. Many of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft will all be on the field together, competing in front of NFL talent evaluators.
Players have more than just the game to make their case. There are three practices during the week starting on Tuesday. Like training camp practices, these days give players a chance to show scouts what they can do in a controlled setting against other top draft talent (fans who want to follow along can watch the practices on NFL Network). Then they’ll wrap things up with the Senior Bowl game itself on Saturday.
MORE: Players to know at the Shrine Bowl
For the most part, players won’t make or break their draft stock at the Senior Bowl. The majority of the evaluation is what they did on the field during the season. However when trying to separate similarly-rated players events like the Senior Bowl can be a helpful tool, especially since those players are competing on a level playing field. It can also be a major event for small school prospects who may have questions about level of opposition from the season.
When looking at the Patriots, the team tends to draft multiple players each year from the Senior Bowl. Odds are, multiple future Patriots will be on the field in Mobile this week.
Over 100 players will take part in the game, with the full rosters available here. Which players should Patriots fans be keeping an eye on? Lets highlight some Patriots fits and other key names to know in the 2025 Senior Bowl.
NOTE: Players heights and weights are unofficial. Players do get official measurements at the Senior Bowl
Quarterbacks

On the surface, there’s not much Patriots-relevant quarterback storylines in Mobile. However the team has drafted at QB from the Senior Bowl in three of the last four years (Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Joe Milton) so don’t ignore the position entirely.
Perhaps more relevant than the Patriots themselves drafting a quarterback though is whether some of the other top names can make a push up the board in the first round. If another quarterback moves into the top 10, that could impact the trade value of the Patriots’ fourth overall pick. Jalen Milroe from Alabama is probably the best positioned to do so. He was in the conversation to be a top 10 pick at one point this season but struggled down the stretch. Can he remind scouts why he was viewed so highly at one point?
The quarterback position also has one of the most fascinating players in this year’s game – quarterback Taylor Elgersma. Elgersma is the first ever quarterback and second ever player to represent U Sports (Canada’s NCAA) at the event. He attended Laurier, where last year he threw for 4,000 yards and 40 TDs on his way to winning the Hec Crighton (Canadian Heisman) and making the Vanier Cup (Canadian National Championship).
Elgersma has NFL size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds) with tremendous arm strength and ability to make plays with his legs. He also has some unique experience – as part of a CFL initiative he was able to spend the last three summers in CFL training camps. For teams that value size, power, and mobility at the quarterback position, he could be a project player late on Day 3 or as a UDFA.
Running backs

Under Josh McDaniels, it seems possible the Patriots will go back to their early-down back/passing-down back running back splits that they did for years with him, rather than dividing carries by drive or fatigue like they’ve done the past few years. If they do that Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson slot ideally into early-down and passing-down roles respectively, but having depth at each spot will be important. That could come through a very deep running back draft class.
In terms of early-down backs, a lot of attention at this year’s Senior Bowl should be on Ollie Gordon from Oklahoma State. After rushing for 1,732 yards in 14 games in 2023 Gordon was projected to be among the top backs in this class. However Gordon’s production dipped this past year with OSU’s offense becoming one dimensional. Still, Gordon is an incredibly elusive back at 6-foot-2, 225 and now could be a steal for a team later in the draft. Other early-down backs the Patriots could target from this game include Damien Martinez from Miami and Devin Neal from Kansas.
When it comes to pass catching backs, the nation’s leader in running back receptions will be at the Senior Bowl in LeQuint Allen from Syracuse. Allen is shifty in the open field as both a ball carrier and route runner at 6-foot, 200 pounds. And, on top of being a plus receiver he’s also a strong pass blocker. He profiles as the kind of player who would fit well in the James White/Shane Vereen/Danny Woodhead role with a year of development. Jo’Quavious ‘Woody’ Marks is another experienced pass-catcher who isn’t as shifty as Allen but has better straight-line speed.
There have also been players that provided depth by moving seamlessly between both roles (ex. Rex Burkhead). Those players can be found in this draft and at this Senior Bowl as well. The name a lot of people probably are familiar with at this point is Cam Skattebo, after his big performance in the College Football Playoff. Another interesting player in this mold is Donovan Edwards from Michigan, who like Gordon was projected as one of the top backs in this class but had a rough year and now would be a value pick later on.
Wide receivers

With McDaniels now in place as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator the team will need to find a reliable, durable slot receiver. There are a few players who fit that description taking part in this year’s Senior Bowl.
At the top of that list is Miami’s Xavier Restrepo. Restrepo has all the tools of a traditional Patriots slot receiver – short area quickness, strong route running, good hands and an ability to catch through contact, and toughness. He’s also handled a high-volume role before with 215 targets over 25 games the last two years.
Another possible slot receiver later in the draft is Jaylin Noel from Iowa State. Noel, a primary slot receiver for the Cyclones, is a bit more explosive than Restrepo but doesn’t have as reliable hands, especially when dealing with contact at the catch point.
If those are traits the Patriots want in a slot receiver, they could try to find a big/power slot more similar to Jakobi Meyers. That player at Mobile may be Noel’s teammate at Iowa State, Jayden Higgins. At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds Higgins played mostly on the boundary in college but with his ability to win through contact and find holes in the middle of the field he projects as more of a Z/big slot as a pro.
‘X’ receiver is also a need for the Patriots, but that’s where most of the talent is at this position in the veteran market. Still, a couple of these kinds of players to keep an eye on are Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor (a projected Day 2 pick) and Tennessee’s Bru McCoy (a projected Day 3 pick). Both are vertical threats who win more with size and physicality, and both have plus hands. Straight-line speed and more expanded route trees are questions for both, while McCoy also has a history of injuries.
Finally there are the true Z/slot receivers who can play multiple spots. Coming into the game one guy getting a lot of attention is Utah State’s Jalen Royals. Royals is among the better route runners in this class, and can make defenders miss in the open field with speed and agility at 5-foot-11, 193 pounds.
At the same time, one player not getting enough attention right now is Kyle Williams from Washington State. Like Royals Williams uses his quickness to be both a crafty route runner and a threat after the catch. He also does a good job of recognizing coverages for leverage, and can use his speed to threaten teams vertically. Last year he was incredibly productive with 70 catches for 1198 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Tight ends

Much like the running back position, this is a strong class for tight ends. The Patriots still have Hunter Henry, while Austin Hooper is a pending free agent. Even if Hooper comes back both Patriots tight ends will be over 30, and it would make sense to find a developmental tight end on Day 3 to start preparing as the next man up.
Looking at the Senior Bowl roster, Jake Briningstool of Clemson and Terrance Ferguson of Oregon both project as Patriots-like tight ends expected to go on Day 3. Briningstool is the faster, more vertical threat of the two while Ferguson plays a more overpowering style. If the Patriots want to be a little more aggressive attacking the position, Gunnar Helm from Texas and Mason Taylor from LSU are logical targets late on Day 2.
The Patriots could also look for a third blocking tight end later on Day 3 to supplement Henry and Hooper. Jackson Hawes of Georgia Tech fits the bill there at 6-foot-4, 263 pounds.
Finally, the Patriots could split the difference with another Day 3 prospect. Gavin Bartholomew from Pitt looks like an NFL-ready blocker, but appears to have more receiving upside as evidenced by flashes during the 2021 and 2023 seasons. He has the wiggle to be elusive with the ball in his hands, but it doesn’t translate as much in his route running.
Offensive linemen

Now we get to the main event of the week from a Patriots standpoint. The Patriots are going to need to find at least a potential starting left tackle this offseason, and with a lack of options on the veteran market they may have to get that player through the draft. If they go with another position at No. 4 overall (ex. Abdul Carter), the ‘second-tier’ tackles after Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks come into play.
That group is highlighted by Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon and Aireontae Ersery from Minnesota, who are two of the highest-projected players at the entire Senior Bowl. While both are high-upside players, Conerly (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) wins more with smoothness and technique while Ersery (6-foot-6, 337 pounds) has an extra year of experience and wins more with raw power and athletic.
Which one is the better pick? It’s close right now so seeing them back-to-back (they’ll both be participating in the same practice sessions as part of the Senior Bowl’s National Team) will be a good barometer.
There are other tackles to watch too. Anthony Belton from North Carolina State is also on the National Team. He also brings tremendous size at 6-foot-5, 354 pounds with long arms, and plays like a true mauler. Given that, he profiles more like a right tackle in McDaniels’ system. With tackle depth also a need, he could make sense for the Patriots if he falls to early Day 3 to compete with Caedan Wallace for the right tackle job while also potentially providing a backup on the left side. It will be interesting to see if he plays both sides this week in Mobile.
If the Patriots want a true right tackle, there are a few plays to watch as well. Marcus Mbow from Purdue stands out as a Day 2 option while Ozzy Trapilo from Boston College is a player to watch on Day 3.
Defensive linemen

We’ll start off here with one of the most fun players taking part in this year’s Senior Bowl – Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker. Walker has a rare combination of size (6-foot-7, 353 pounds), power, and nimble athleticism that make him a nightmare as a pass rusher. While he has room to improve as a run defender, his natural size and strength suggest he has the potential to at least be serviceable in that role, which would make him a three down player. If the Patriots want to create a true dynamic duo on the interior of their defense, drafting Walker on Day 2 to pair with Christian Barmore would be a great way to do that.
If the Patriots want that kind of player but don’t want to take Walker that high, they could target Florida’s Cam Jackson. At 6-foot-6, 353 pounds Jackson is also a plus athlete for his size, but isn’t as polished or experienced.
After a rough season defending the run last year the Patriots should also be looking for run-stopping DTs to play along with Davon Godchaux. At this year’s senior bowl that group includes Alfred Collins from Texas, Yahya Black from Iowa, and Jamaree Caldwell from Oregon.
Ty Robinson from Nebraska offers some positional versatility as a run stopper, who can play on the edge on early downs and move inside on passing downs. He does have some pass rush upside and plays with tremendous physicality.
Edge rushers

Edge rusher is another one of the deepest positions in this draft – which is certainly reflected at the Senior Bowl. It’s also a major position of need for the Patriots.
Multiple players could be fits for the Patriots, defending on what they’re looking for stylistically. There are standup outside linebacker rushers like Princely Umanmielen from Ole Miss, Kyle Kennard from South Carolina, Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College, and Josiah Stewart from Michigan. Umanmielen and Kennard are more power rushers (but can win this speed), while Ezeiruaku and Stewart win more with pure speed and motor. All four are projected to go on Day 2 and would be ideal targets for the Patriots if they don’t get Abdul Carter at the top of the draft.
There are also rushers that are more true defensive ends. That group includes Nic Sourton and Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M, Landon Jackson from Arkansas, and Jared Ivey from Ole Miss. They could work on their own as Day 2 picks, or be strong complementary picks to Carter if the Patriots really want to super-charge their pass rush.
Looking at Day 3, Jah Joyner from Minnesota is an interesting option. He projects more as a pure pass rusher and doesn’t have the three-down upside some of the other players have, but in that specific role he has plenty of tools to work with and has already started developing a pass rush repertoire.
As we mentioned with the defensive tackles, targeting primarily run-stopping players on Day 3 would make sense for the Patriots. Sai’vion Jones from LSU looks like an NFL ready run defender who can play defensive end or outside linebacker, and has some upside to be tapped into as a pass rusher.
Linebackers

With Ja’Whaun Bentley set to return from a shoulder injury, the Patriots should see improvement from their linebackers paying downhill against the run. What the team really needs at this position is a more athletic coverage linebacker to play next to Bentley on early downs and handle the bigger coverage responsibilities of the position on obvious passing downs. While that player needs to be athletic enough to play sideline-to-sideline, he also needs to be big and physical enough to get upfield when needed as a run stopper or pass rusher.
There are a number of players that could fit this description at this year’s Senior Bowl, and because of the overall devaluing of the linebacker position league-wide, some could be available to the Patriots later in the draft.
Leading the group is Smael Mondon Jr. from Georgia and Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon, who are both projected as early Day 3 picks as primary coverage linebackers. Mondon, a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, stands out as the more developed of the two as a run defender.
South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight is projected to go in the middle of Day 3, but could help his stock this week. At 6-foot-2, 247 pounds as a plus athlete, he’s one of the best-suited players for this role specifically for the Patriots in this draft. That size allows him to cover tight ends as well as running backs without being a mismatch. However he won’t get a chance to show where he’s at with one of the weaker parts of his game – tackling – in the non-contact Senior Bowl practices (but it will be something to watch for in the game).
Karene Reid from Utah is another potential Patriots fit. He was a four-year starter for the Utes and it shows in his instincts and football IQ. While he played a three-down role at Utah he projects mainly as a coverage linebacker in the NFL due to his athleticism. Reid is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11, 228 pounds but if the plan is to develop him as a rotational player next to Bentley he should be big enough.
The wild card at the linebacker position is Nick Martin from Oklahoma State. Martin only has one full year of experience in 2023, after missing most of the season last year due to a knee injury. When on the field he showed impressive explosiveness and range, but has a more limited sample size. This will be a big week for him.
Cornerbacks

When talking about cornerbacks, the Patriots’ biggest need is somebody to play on the boundary opposite Christian Gonzalez. In particular getting a bigger corner to join what is right now a smaller room beyond Gonzalez.
There are a few bigger corners at the Senior Bowl projected to go on Day 2. Trey Amos from Ole Miss, Azareye’h Thomas from Florida State, Maxwell Harrison from Kentucky, and Darien Porter from Iowa state are the names to know there. Porter in particular stands out at 6-foot-2, 192 pounds. While his physical tools are certainly promising some teams may be weary of the fact that he’ll be a 24-year-old rookie with just one year of starting experience under his belt. For a team like the Patriots though that has historically done a good job developing cornerbacks, that could make him a value pick.
Perhaps the cornerback with the most to gain at the Senior Bowl though is Bilhal Kone. Coming from Western Michigan, Kone is one of those players who could really help himself with a solid performance against higher-level competition. Kone is a smooth mover and can handle physical wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point – this will be a great week to show he can put it all together against NFL-level talent.
Safeties

Ever since Devin McCourty retired, the Patriots have been filling the role of deep safety by using box safeties – primarily Kyle Dugger – out of position. Getting a true free safety would help their coverage on the back end and allow Dugger to play his natural spot. Is that player at the Senior Bowl this year?
He very well could be. Because of the defensive schemes prevalent in college football right now there aren’t as many true ball hawking safeties coming through the draft but Texas’ Andrew Mukuba certainly fits the bill. Mukuba converted from slot corner this year after transferring from Clemson and was one of the best safeties in all of college football. Not only did he prevent deep passes with his range, his on-ball production was excellent for his role with five interceptions and six more pass breakups. He’s currently a projected Day 2 pick
In terms of Day 3 players, Billy Bowman from Oklahoma plays a similar role. Jonas Sanker from Virginia fits more the mold of safeties the Patriots have targeted in recent years as a hybrid deep/box safety. Dan Jackson from Georgia is also worth watching as a potential depth box safety and special teams contributor.
Specialists

Among the specialist positions, kicker is the big need for the Patriots this year. Historically, the Patriots have targeted kickers with experience kicking in inclement weather.
Given that, they’ll probably look beyond the Senior Bowl when adding at the position. There are two kickers taking part in this year’s Senior Bowl – Ryan Fitzgerald has spent his whole career at Florida State while Caden Davis started at Texas A&M and transferred to Ole Miss. Between the two Fitzgerald is probably the more intriguing prospect, having hit all 13 of his field goals in 2024 including a 5-of-5 mark from 50-plus with a long of 59 yards.