Perry: Seven names for Patriots fans to watch at NFL Combine originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots have a critical decision to make with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and you’ve heard plenty about their potential options there, from Colorado dual threat Travis Hunter to LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell.
But the Patriots’ draft doesn’t stop at No. 4. In fact, they have a total of four picks in the top 80 (No. 4, No. 38, No. 69 and No. 77) that they could use to acquire some serious talent in the second and third rounds.
That makes this week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis a very important event for head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff as they gather intel on a host of prospects outside the top names.
So, which players might garner extra attention from Patriots staffers? Our Patriots Insider Phil Perry, who will be on the ground in Indy this week, highlighted seven players outside the Hunters and Campbells of the world who could be on New England’s radar on the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast.
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While six of these players are potential second- or third-round options for the Patriots, the first name on Perry’s list could be an under-the-radar option at No. 4 overall.
Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia
“One name that has been brought to my attention as a candidate for the No. 4 pick (is Mykel Williams),” Perry said. “… People in the league are saying, ‘If I’m New England, I’m looking at this guy.’
“I’ve heard some comps, because of his frame and his athleticism, to Travon Walker. I’ve been told Mykel Williams is a better version of Travon Walker. More instinctive. He is long, he’s flexible, he bends, he has power, he runs well. He plays a premium position. He has rare physical traits in a draft class that is lacking high-end talent and players with those types of traits.
“So, if he gets through the process and aces every test, and it looks like he’s only got room to grow — this guy is still 20 years old. He’ll be 20 years old when he’s drafted. He doesn’t turn 21 until late June. There’s a lot to like there. So let’s just keep an eye on him.”
“I’m telling you, there are people who look at this stuff closely, highly invested in this sort of thing, and are saying, ‘Don’t rule him out at No. 4 overall.'”
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Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
“I know he’s working out with (former Patriots offensive line coach) Dante Scarnecchia this offseason,” Perry said. “Not a bad guy to work with. We also know that (Patriots offensive line coach) Doug Marrone was at BC last year.
“… You’re not going to hear a bad word about Ozzy Trapilo. (BC head coach) Bill O’Brien loves him, Doug Marrone I assume loves him. Does that mean Mike Vrabel’s gonna love him? Is he gonna love him on Day 2? And how high up do you have to go depending on how well he moves (at the Combine)?
“I just wonder, how well does he test? Does he end up being a closer to an early Day 2 as opposed to late Day 2 or Day 3 pick relative to what maybe some of the protections are on him right now? But he had a strong Senior Bowl, Scarnecchia connection, Marrone connection, O’Brien connection. Let’s keep that name in mind.”
Anthony Belton, OT, NC State
“Big old tackle. Big body, heavy,” Perry said. “How well does he move? Because if he has that kind of size and he carries it well enough to move athletically enough to be somebody that Vrabel might be interested in — I’m not saying he’s the left tackle of the future here for the New England Patriots. Is he the right tackle of the future, though?
“Is he athletic enough? Is he fluid enough? What do his hips look like? How well does he bend? Because physically, it looks like he fits the suit of an NFL tackle. He had himself a good Senior Bowl.”
Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
“We actually had him go to the Patriots in the second round (in our latest mock draft),” Perry said. “Again, we just want to see how these guys move.
“… You get Aireontae Ersery out there in wide open space with nothing but eyeballs on him and nobody within 50 yards of him in any direction, and all of sudden he’s got to get through the bags and get himself up off the ground, change direction — like, let’s see how that sort of stuff looks. Because for guy who’s as big as Ersery who’s 6-foot-6, 330 (pounds), how he handles those moments to me can be telling.”
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
“High school state champion sprinter,” Perry said. “… Bond is gonna fly. Is he the kind of player that Josh McDaniels thinks he needs to make this offense more explosive? Maybe you can build it out with some backs and tight ends, but you do need some speed on the field there.
“… So Isaiah Bond from Texas, does he become a second-round pick type of option in the 30s for the Patriots?”
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Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
“Probably a first-round pick; one of the better receivers in the class in a class that’s not real strong,” Perry said. “Really dynamic after the catch, and to me, from the guys that I’ve watched, he looks like he’s got real speed. So, we’ll see. Let’s test it out, let’s see how he looks.
“I’ve seen a lot of interesting comps on him. Everybody from Deebo Samuel because of what he can do with the ball in his hands — somebody who’s going to just catch a screen and aggressively get up field and run through arm tackles and be really athletic after the catch — to Stefon Diggs.”
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Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
“Bigger body, former quarterback, competitive, smart,” Perry said. “Not sure how fast he’s going to run; if you’re the Patriots, you almost might not want him to run real fast, because if you’re interested in him, it’s not because he’s going to be the fastest guy in the field.
“If he is, all of a sudden now you’re talking about, maybe he’s a late first-rounder and you might not even have a chance at him.”
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