Patriots 2025 schedule includes gauntlet of top rookies

With the release of the New England Patriots' 2025 schedule, the Patriots now know that they will face many highly-touted rookies. The Patriots, who had the No. 4 overall selection in the draft, had the opportunity to pick many of these rookies; however, they used said No. 4 pick on Will Campbell.

Check out 98.5 The Sports Hub's break down of the schedule for more information and a complete preview of each came on the schedule.

The guantlet of rookies the Patriots will oppose includes seven top-10 picks and several 'honorable mention' players, who selected in the first round and are projected to turn into quality NFL players.

With that, here is a rundown of some of the impressive rookies who will contend against New England in 2025:

The Patriots kick off their season at home against Josh McDaniels' old team, the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders, like the Patriots, went 4-13 in 2024 earning them the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, which they used on the top-ranked running back in the draft, Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty, in fact, was second in voting for the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

Jeanty played 40 career collegiate games at his alma mater Boise State - including the 2024 College Football Playoffs Quarter finals (dubbed the Fiesta Bowl), a 31-14 loss to Penn State. During his three years in college, Jeanty had 750 carries for 4,769 yards (6.4 per attempt) and 50 touchdowns (29 of which were scored during his junior season).

The Raiders, who have very few receiving talent short of tight end Brock Bowers, will very likely run their offense through Jeanty. The Patriots will need to tune up their ground defense in preparation for a run-heavy attack from Las Vegas.

The Carolina Panthers used their No. 9 overall pick on a receiving asset for their young quarterback Bryce Young, selecting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, often referred to as "Tet."

Playing college-ball at Arizona, McMillan played 37 games over his three years. During that time, the 22-year-old registered 213 receptions, for 3,423 yards (16.1 yards per catch), and 26 touchdowns (eight scored in 2024).

McMillan is expected to immediately become the Pathers' No. 1 option in the passing game, and at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, he certainly has the raw intangibles to do so. However, the knock on Tet regards his apparent inability to get open at the collegiate level. He proved to be more of a contested catch guy rather than one who often breaks free from coverage, which could be an issue on the NFL stage.

One can reasonably assume that the Patriots will assign their third-year, star cornerback Christian Gonzalez to McMillan. Gonzalez has the size, athleticism, and skill to compete well against top-end NFL receivers and should be expected to do the same when covering McMillan in Week 4.

By the time the New Orleans Saints were on the clock at No. 9, two offensive tackles - Will Campbell (drafted No. 4 overall to the Patriots) and Armand Membou (drafted No. 7 overall to the New York Jets) - were off the board. In turn, they selected the third-ranked tackle in the draft, Kelvin Banks Jr., to shore up the left end of their offensive line.

Banks was a three-year starter in college at Texas, and was incredibly consistent, starting 39 straight games prior to suffering an ankle injury in Nov. 2024. During his college career, Banks played 42 games, including the College Football Playoffs Semifinals in both 2023 and 2024 (Texas lost both).

Nonetheless, Banks has the opportunity to be a cornerstone of the Saints' offensive line. He is scouted as having "pro-ready run protection," but he lacks when it comes to pass protection, according to his scouting report at NFL.com. So, the Patriots, with their new-look defensive line should try to take advantage of his potential 'short comings' in the passing game.

The first, and only guaranteed starting, rookie quarterback the Patriots will see is the Tennessee Titans' No. 1 overall selection, Cameron Ward. The soon-to-be 23-year-old Ward spent his first two collegiate seasons at Washington State, before transferring to Miami where he earned himself fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy and shot up NFL draft boards.

Ward, the first of two quarterbacks selected in the first round, has some what of a Mahomes-ian style. Similar in size to Patrick Mahomes (6-foot-2, 219 pounds), he frequents the 'shortstop-like,' sidearmed, on-the-run throws that can make him so elusive. But, his decision making can waver at times, especially when working "off-schedule," according to his NFL.com scouting report.

With the addition of Ward, the Titans hope to reinvigorate their offensive passing game. They have some notable receiving talent, such as Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, but for the most part they will need to rely on Ward to elevate the guys around him.

The Cleveland Browns selected Mason Graham with the No. 5 overall pick, which they traded back for from No. 2 overall with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Graham, 21, played three years at Michigan - winning the College Football National Championship as a sophomore with the Wolverines in 2023. He played 39 collegiate games for Ann Arbor, registering 108 tackles (60 solo), and nine sacks.

The defensive tackle is expected to be a 'plug-and-play' guy at the NFL level because his "first-step quickness makes interior disruption inevitable," according to his scouting report at NFL.com. For a while, he was linked to the Patriots to potentially be selected at No. 4, but he is slightly undersized, 6-foot-3.5 and 296 pounds. So, despite his skill, he could have trouble transitioning against more physically imposing NFL linemen.

Nonetheless, he may pose an issue for New England when he comes to Foxborough in Week 8. The interior offensive linemen - specifically their left guard situation - is somewhat of an uncertainty, if not a weakness for the Patriots. Currently, the Pats have Cole Strange listed as their left guard on the team's depth chart - although that may not hold - and veteran Garrett Bradbury to act as a stopgap at center. If Graham meets his expectations the Patriots may struggle with him down the middle.

With the No. 7 overall pick, the New York Jets took the second offensive tackle off the board, right tackle Armand Membou.

Playing three years of college football at Missouri, Membou often challenged the top-talent in the SEC. Over his time in Missouri he played in 35 games, most of which he started. Also, he is on the younger side of players in the draft, having just turned 21 years old in late March, so he should be a solid asset on the New York line for years to come.

The Patriots will get used to seeing Membou because he plays for their division rival, so they will play him twice a year. They will first face Membou and the Jets in November then again in December. He may be a good test for new free-agent signing Milton Williams on the right side.

Considered by some to be the best overall player in the 2025 draft, Abdul Carter wound up falling to No. 3 overall to the New York Giants. Carter was long projected to be the first player selected off the board, but some reported attitude issues, along with other concerns, caused him to be passed over by the Titans and Browns/Jaguars (note the trade mentioned above). So, he ended up in New York.

Carter spent three years at Penn State, where he dominated the Big 10 on the Nittany Lions defensive front. He played 42 career collegiate games - including 2024's College Football Playoffs Semifinals (the Orange Bowl). In college, he registered a whopping 172 tackles (104 solo), 23 sacks, and one interception.

Against the Patriots in Week 13, Carter should certainly pose a threat. He has the skill and intangibles to disrupt NFL offensive lines, especially in the passing game. However, he does struggle in the run game at time, even being somewhat known as adverse to playing the run at all - the aforementioned 'attitude' concerns. So, his run defense will need to improve, but regardless, Carter should become a difference maker at the NFL level.

The potentially shaky Patriots interior offensive line might have issues when facing Kenneth Grant twice a year; he stands as an early test as they head to Miami in Week 2.

The interior offensive line will again be tested in Week 3 when they meet Derrick Harmon, who was a lower draft pick than some of the other defensive tackles, but he is still a force upfront.

Coming from Georgia, Jalon Walker is a menace on the outside of the defensive line; he was drafted in the middle of the first round, but he could have very easily been a top-10 pick.

Emeka Egbuka was a major part of the National Champion Ohio State offense; he was the No. 2 receiver selected off the board and could have been targeted by the Patriots had he fallen to the second round.

If Trey Hendrickson remains in Cincinnati, the Bengals will have one of the leagues most imposing tandems of EDGEs, but if not, Shemar Stewart still has the potentially to be a star on the outside regardless.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.