Five Still-Available Wideouts Patriots Could Target On Day 2 Of NFL Draft
FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots provided Drake Maye with protection and now they should find him a weapon.
New England selected left tackle Will Campbell on Thursday night with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Campbell’s arrival should address the team’s biggest need, but New England still has plenty of others. That includes wide receiver.
Only three receivers — Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers, No. 8), Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, No. 19) and Matthew Golden (Green Bay Packers, No. 23) — were selected in the first round. That’s good news for the Patriots, who could look to tackle that position on Day 2.
more patriots
Here are five wide receivers the Patriots could target using their Day 2 picks (Nos. 38, 69, 77):
Luther Burden III, Missouri
A few weeks ago, it would’ve been a major surprise to hear Burden slipped out of the first round, but those whispers picked up as the draft got closer. Regardless, the Missouri product is as explosive as any receiver still available. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Burden his WR3 entering the draft, ahead of Egbuka. Burden’s production slipped in 2024, but Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz told NESN.com it was a product of Missouri’s offensive struggles. He’s a weapon after the catch, and also can get the ball in a variety of ways.
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Chances are you’ve heard us talk about Higgins during the pre-draft process. This scribe really, really likes him. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound Higgins can play inside as a big slot receiver and outside the numbers. He can beat cornerbacks on slant routes given his route-running, or haul in a big play down the sideline after manipulating a defender’s leverage. He caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and a team-high nine receiving touchdowns in 2024 and racked up a ton of yards while drawing penalties.
Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Noel is another really solid option on Day 2. Draft expert Todd McShay even ranked the Iowa State product his WR2 in the class. The two-time captain is viewed more of a true slot receiver given his size (5-foot-10, 194 pounds), but saw a career-high in snaps out wide in 2024. Noel has burst (4.39 40-yard dash) and plays with a physicality that’s earned him comparisons to Steve Smith Sr. and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Harris is another big-bodied receiver (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) fitting the mold as an outside receiver. He lined up out wide on 85% of his snaps at Ole Miss. The Patriots don’t have as many options outside the numbers as they do inside, which could make Harris an enticing option. Though not a burner who can separate with speed, Harris caught 114 passes for 2,015 yards and 15 touchdowns during two seasons at Ole Miss.
Kyle Williams, Washington State
Williams doesn’t stand out with his size (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), but his speed (4.4 40-yard dash) makes him a big-play threat. His 14 receiving touchdowns in 2024 ranked behind only Travis Hunter and Jeremiah Smith while he averaged 17.1 yards per catch. He reaches his top speed quickly.
Honorable mentions: Jack Bech, Jalen Royals, Elic Ayomanor