Patriots rumors: Why New England made draft pick not seen since 2021
The New England Patriots put together a strong body of work during the 2025 NFL draft, as they addressed the majority of their remaining needs ahead of the upcoming season. In fact, the Patriots did so well during the early stages of the draft that they managed to use one of their final picks in a way not seen since 2021.
With their second-to-last pick in the seventh round, New England surprisingly selected Vanderbilt football long snapper Julian Ashby. It was the first time since 2021 a long snapper had been drafted, and it appears the Pats had a clear reason for their selection of Ashby. While they could have opted to target him as an undrafted free agent, Ashby was reportedly drawing interest from several other teams, which led the Patriots to simply use one of their seventh-round draft picks to address this position.
“Patriots made Vanderbilt’s Julian Ashby the first NFL long-snapper drafted since 2021 when they selected him in the seventh round (No. 251), and sources familiar with the matter said Ashby had private workouts with nine teams before the draft, including one with the Patriots in Nashville that Vrabel was part of alongside another scout and special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer,” Mike Reiss wrote for ESPN.
“Ashby also had a predraft visit with the Bears in Chicago. So instead of having to compete with other teams to sign Ashby as an undrafted free agent, the Patriots moved ahead with drafting him.”
Patriots continue to receive high marks for 2025 draft class
While drafting a long snapper may not move the needle, the Patriots decided to stay one step ahead of their opponents by drafting Ashby before anyone else could get him. With the team releasing their starting long snapper Joe Cardona shortly after the draft, it goes to show how much the team valued landing Ashby, who they believed to be the premier player at this position in the 2025 draft class.
Elsewhere, New England has continued receiving high praise for their work in the 2025 draft, as they managed to shore up holes on their roster while getting great value for their picks. Of course, these guys need to go out and perform when it’s time to take the field, but for the first time in the past few years, there’s a sense of optimism in Foxboro, MA.
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