The New England Patriots have been receiving a lot of praise for their 2025 NFL draft, protecting quarterback Drake Maye with multiple selections, as well as getting him some weapons. Franchise legends Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman discussed the picks on the Dudes on Dudes podcast.
Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski know a thing or two about winning Super Bowls. They’ve got seven rings between them, having won three each with the New England Patriots. Both agreed that the 2025 NFL draft class made a statement, with the first set of rookies joining the franchise under the new coaching staff.
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Both Gronkowski and Edelman had glowing reviews of Will Campbell, noting that the moment the fourth overall pick claimed he would die for quarterback Drake Maye, they were all in.
The Patriots then doubled down on supporting their sophomore QB in the second round, selecting running back TreVeyon Henderson out of Ohio State. This is a pick that a lot of people have been excited about in New England, and the two Super Bowl stars are no exception.
Gronk applauded the selection, suggesting he could walk straight into the organization and claim the number one spot on the depth chart. He continued by saying:
“What I really like about this guy is that he’s going to make Drake Maye feel really, really comfortable in the pocket. Not just because he’s going to get the run game going, but because he’s one of the best pass-protecting backs to come out of college football in some time.”
That statement is accurate, given the amount of credit Henderson has accumulated for the way he approaches pass protection. Many have described the back as having an extra offensive lineman out there. He is as good a blocker as they come in the form of a running back, and should see a lot of football early in his career because of it.
Julian Edelman continued on the topic by referencing the Super Bowl-winning teams in New England and how the current group of backs compares:
“Last time we played in a couple of Super Bowls, we had running backs that had 13+ catches. Shane Vereen and (James) White. Sweetfeet. They got Stevenson for the north-south runner, and then you get Henderson, pairing him with Josh McDaniels.”
TreVeyon Henderson should see a lot of the football in the pass game, as Edelman suggested under Josh McDaniels.
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The New England Patriots could quickly fight their way back into the conversation in the AFC East. The New York Jets are experimenting with yet another quarterback, this time Justin Fields, while the Miami Dolphins have been sellers in the market this offseason and could still move Jalen Ramsey as well.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are likely the team to beat, but the second spot in the division and a potential wildcard playoff berth are very achievable for the Patriots with the roster they have right now.
This team has spent very little in free agency money, and as a result they have the most cap space in the NFL. If this year goes well, we could expect to see them add several top-caliber free agents in the next years off-season.
