The New England Patriots entered the 2025 NFL Draft with cautious optimism and an opportunity to turn a corner. After a rocky 2024 season, the franchise had a rare chance to build around quarterback Drake Maye and signal a new era under head coach Mike Vrabel and personnel chief Eliot Wolf. By most accounts, the Patriots did just that. They landed key contributors and bolstered both sides of the ball. However, no draft is perfect. Even in what many considered a solid weekend haul for Foxborough, one move stood out as a questionable reach that could age poorly: the third-round selection of center Jared Wilson from Georgia.
A Draft to Build Around Drake
The Patriots’ primary mission heading into this draft was simple. They needed to give Drake Maye the help he needs. The former UNC standout turned heads in his rookie year despite being under relentless pressure week after week. Recall that New England’s offensive line was among the worst in the NFL in 2024. Protection routinely broke down, collapsing pockets before Maye had a chance to progress through reads or set his feet.
With that in mind, the Patriots were expected to invest heavily in the offensive trenches and the skill positions around Maye. Of course, a franchise quarterback can’t develop if he’s constantly running for his life or throwing to receivers who can’t separate. In theory, this draft was the time to load up on starters and difference-makers. The good news is, New England made some smart moves early. They nabbed blindside protector Will Campbell and pairing Maye with a backfield partner in TreVeyon Henderson. Wide receiver Kyle Williams, taken on Day 2, also provides much-needed explosiveness on the perimeter. That said, not every pick landed with the same level of clarity or value.
Here we’ll try to to look at the biggest mistake that the New England Patriots’ executed during the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Wilson Gamble
Let’s be clear: Jared Wilson is not a bad player. In fact, he’s a fascinating prospect with plenty of upside. In a draft as deep as this one, though, the Patriots’ decision to select Wilson in the third round felt like a miscalculation of both value and risk.
Wilson was a one-year starter at Georgia. He checks a lot of boxes from a tools standpoint. He has massive hands, elite footwork for his size, and graded out as one of the most athletic interior linemen in the class. Wilson is a technician with a high football IQ and plays with a controlled base that allows him to mirror defensive tackles effectively in pass protection. On the flip side, Wilson’s profile also includes significant red flags. In particular, his limited experience and lack of raw power at the point of attack stand out.
Note that New England traded back multiple times before using a late third-round pick on Wilson. That maneuvering gave them more dart throws later on. Still, it also means they willingly passed on higher-floor players with more proven college production to roll the dice on a developmental center.
A Reach by Any Other Name
When the pick came in, some draft analysts praised it as a value grab. However, others were less enthusiastic. Wilson had been mocked anywhere from late Day 3 to early Day 2 depending on the scout. The discrepancy in evaluations speaks to the kind of boom-or-bust profile that generally warrants a wait-and-see approach—not a top-100 selection.
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For a team desperate to stabilize its offensive line and maximize its quarterback’s growth, using a premium pick on a project felt counterintuitive. Yes, the Patriots’ offensive line room has capable veterans. That said, it’s also in flux. Wilson will now be asked to compete for meaningful snaps much sooner than most developmental prospects typically would. That’s a tall order for someone who, while technically sound, still has to build up the functional strength to consistently win at the next level.
It’s not just that Wilson might not pan out, though. It’s also that New England left better talent on the board. Players with more experience and plug-and-play ability were available. Impact defenders like Xavier Watts or elite pass rusher such as Sai’vion Jones could’ve brought more immediate upside.
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One Miss in a Strong Class
To be fair to Wolf and Vrabel, this was still a very good draft overall. Defensive additions like instinctive safety Craig Woodson, versatile defensive lineman Joshua Palmer, and edge rusher Bradyn Swinson help reload a unit that had thinned out since the Belichick era. And in true Patriots fashion, the team didn’t forget about special teams. They grabbed kicker Andres Borregales and long snapper Julian Ashby on Day 3.
But when we zoom in on the Jared Wilson pick, it’s hard not to view it as the one out-of-sync moment in an otherwise aligned draft strategy. A player with intriguing potential? Absolutely. A candidate for a Day 3 development plan? Sure. However, spending a third-round pick on him feels like a misstep the team might regret.
Final Thoughts
Drafts are often judged years down the line, and perhaps Jared Wilson will prove his doubters wrong. Maybe he’ll become the kind of anchor every quarterback wants snapping the ball. But right now, based on where he was picked and the alternatives left on the board, the Patriots’ selection of Wilson looks like a swing taken too early. And when you’re building around a franchise QB, every pick counts—especially the ones in the third round. For New England, the 2025 NFL Draft may one day be remembered as a win. But if it comes with an asterisk, Wilson’s name could be on it.