2024 was a season to forget for the New England Patriots. Jerod Mayo’s one season as head coach ended 4-13 with the team securing the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye was the bright spot in an otherwise miserable season, and the team hired Mike Vrabel shortly into the offseason. New England needs a lot of offensive help for 2025, and PFSN expects them to select a “prototypical running back” early in the third round.
Ohio State RB Expected To Be Picked By Patriots in 2025 NFL Draft
Maye was the only thing New England fans could get excited about offensively last season. His first start came in Week 6 and put together a flashy rookie campaign despite finishing 3-10 as a starter. Maye threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last season en route to a surprise Pro Bowl nod.
The Patriot offense struggled overall in 2024 with no skill player surpassing 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Rhamondre Stevenson led the way with 801 rushing yards (on 207 carries) and seven touchdowns, adding 33 receptions, 168 yards, and one receiving score.
The team’s leading receiver was tight end Hunter Henry who led New England in receptions (66) and yards (674) while adding two touchdowns. No player had more than three receiving touchdowns, and saying the team needs a juice injection on offense is an understatement.
So what will they do in the 2025 NFL Draft? The fourth overall pick is a prime spot for teams to find high-end talent when they don’t need a quarterback.
The Patriots have their franchise signal-caller and are expected to take electric factory Travis Hunter at No. 4 in PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft. They need more help though, and PFSN’s Ben Rolfe predicts they’ll take Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins early in the third round.
Rolfe wrote, “Running back may not be a major need for the Patriots amongst everything else, but Rhamondre Stevenson was a liability at times with his fumbling issues in 2024. We saw Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee teams built around a strong running game, and Quinshon Judkins could be that piece for his Patriots team.
“Judkins is a prototypical running back for today’s NFL, with a well-built frame and possessing top-notch speed and explosiveness. He tested incredibly well at the NFL Combine and when combined with his tape, he looks an ideal option for any NFL offense.”
Judkins spent his first two years in college at Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State for 2024. The true junior burst onto the scene at Mississippi, rushing for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman. He followed that up with 1,158 yards and 15 more scores the next season before heading north to Columbus.
He and TreVeyon Henderson split time in 2024, and both had highly productive seasons en route to a National Championship. Judkins posted 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 22 receptions, 161 yards, and two receiving scores in his one year as a Buckeye.
He put up 50 touchdowns (45 rushing, five receiving) in his three-year college career, and is a prototypical back for today’s NFL.
The main hangup for Judkins is his inconsistent vision, but he plays with high-level explosiveness and speed to be a threat every time he touches the ball.
He also brings a legit toughness level that will be necessary transitioning to the NFL game. Judkins would be a steal for any team in the third round.