Way-too-early New England Patriots 53-man roster projection following the 2025 NFL Draft

Now that the 2025 NFL Draft is over and the Patriots have also brought in numerous undrafted free agents, it's time for a way-too-early 53-man roster projection. 

New England will have some very tough decisions to make, having built up their roster to the point of having a lot of depth at different positions. So that just means training camp is going to be crucial.  

Note: Players with a single asterisk (*) are 2025 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) are 2025 undrafted free agents.

Quarterback (2)

IN: Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs, 
OUT: Ben Wooldridge**

The skinny: It's no secret that Drake Maye is the starter, and Joshua Dobbs was brought in as a veteran presence in the room. The Patriots signed Ben Wooldridge as an undrafted free agent, but if they want a third quarterback, it seems more likely they will carry one on the practice squad. 

Running back (4)

IN: Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, TreVeyon Henderson*, Lan Larison**
OUT: Terrell Jennings, Brock Lampe**

The skinny: Rhamondre Stevenson is still the Patriots' top back, but his action in games will likely decrease. Antonio Gibson stepped up last season amid all the run game struggles, and the team also used their second round pick on TreVeyon Henderson. As for Lan Larison, the undrafted free agent out of UC Davis had a record-breaking senior season and could wind up being a hidden gem for the Patriots based off his film. 

Wide receiver (7)

IN: Stefon Diggs, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins, Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Kyle Williams*, Javon Baker
OUT: Demeer Blankumsee**, Kayshon Boutte, Efton Chism**, Jeremiah Webb**, JaQuae Jackson, John Jiles, 

The skinny: The Patriots made some offseason acquisitions, with their biggest being signing Stefon Diggs. However, Diggs is coming off a torn ACL, so his status for the start of the season is in question. As for Kayshon Boutte, the Patriots are reportedly open to trading him. 

Tight end (3)

IN: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, C.J. Dippre**
OUT: Jaheim Bell, Giovanni Ricci, Jack Westover, Gee Scott Jr.**,

The skinny: Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper were a bright spot in an otherwise poor season for the Patriots last year, so they will continue to be an important piece of the team. As for C.J. Dippre, he is one of the best undrafted free agents, having been expected to go in the later rounds on Saturday. 

Offensive line (10)

IN: Garrett Bradbury, Will Campbell*, Vederian Lowe, Morgan Moses, Mike Onwenu, Layden Robinson, Cole Strange, Caedan Wallace, Jared Wilson*, Marcus Bryant*
OUT: Jake Andrews, Cole Birdow**, Ben Brown, Jack Conley**, Tyrese Robinson, Wes Schweitzer, Sidy Sow, Demontrey Jacobs, 

The skinny: While the Patriots appear to have most of the starting offensive line set, they need depth on the roster. 

Defensive line (5)

IN: Christian Barmore, Joshua Farmer*, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Khyiris Tonga, Milton Williams, 
OUT: Marcus Harris, Eric Johnson, Wilfried Pene**, Truman Jones, Jahvaree Ritzie**, Jaquelin Roy

The skinny: Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and Keion White are already going to be a dangerous trio, but the Patriots also added Joshua Farmer during the draft who will fit right in with that group. 

Edge Defenders (5)

IN: K’Lavon Chaisson, Anfernee Jennings, Harold Landry, Bradyn Swinson*, Keion White
OUT: Truman Jones, Titus Leo, Elijah Ponder**

The skinny: Harold Landry is projected to be the Patriots top edge defender, but K’Lavon Chaisson and Bradyn Swinson could also have big roles. 

Linebacker (4)

IN: Christian Elliss, Robert Spillane, Jack Gibbens, Jahlani Tavai
OUT: Cam Riley**, Monty Rice

The skinny: The Patriots have made some additions to this group, bringing in Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens. They also brought back Christian Elliss, and at this point we have Tavai making the roster over Cam Riley and Monty Rice. 

Cornerback (5)

IN: Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Kobee Minor*, Alex Austin, Carlton Davis
OUT: D.J. James, Brandon Crossley**, Marcellas Dial, Miles Battle, Isaiah Bolden

The skinny: Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis headline this group and will most likely be the starters. With Marcus Jones, he's too valuable on special teams, while Alex Austin was injured for much of the 2024 season, but has shown promise. As for Kobee Minor, while he was the last pick in the draft, he seems determined to come in and work, plus Eliot Wolf revealed that he's someone New England has had their eye on. 

Safety (5)

IN: Marcus Epps, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Brenden Schooler, Craig Woodson*
OUT: Jaylinn Hawkins, Josh Minkins**, Mark Perry, Jordan Polk**, Dell Pettus, Marte Mapu

The skinny: This is most definitely the hardest decision by far. The Patriots have so many talented safeties for only a few spots. With Brenden Schooler, he will most likely be primarily special teams. And then, when healthy, there is no denying how impactful Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers are. Jaylinn Hawkins, Marte Mapu, and Dell Pettus were difficult to remove from the roster and could make a strong push for a roster spot over the summer. 

Specialists (3)

IN: LS Joe Cardona, P Bryce Baringer, K Andres Borregales*
OUT: K John Parker Romo, LS Julian Ashby*

The skinny: At this moment, Joe Cardona is the player expected to make the roster over Julian Ashby, but the Patriots also took a chance on taking a long snapper in the draft, so he will get a real chance in training camp. Believe it or not, but the long snapper position is going to be an interesting one to watch.