2025 NFL Draft - Round 2-3 Gamethread (Spoilers Permitted)
- Thread starter jsinger121
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Yeah, I’d gladly take Burden at 38. He along with Ezeiruaku and TreVeyon Henderson are probably my top 3 wishes for this next pick.
Sounds like Will Johnson’s knee has been flagged by medicals. Someone might get a major steal there.
While I'd love Burden or Arroyo, have a feeling they go for an edge or the DT. If I had to bet I'd say the BC guy.
I would love Burden. He’d be a lot of fun and I think could develop into a good second option.
100% with you. From your fingertips to Vrabel’s lips. I think he is severely underestimated as a WR. He’s the only guy to me aside from Hunter and maybe T-Mac (I don’t see it) who has WR1 potential. He is a Z and a slot and will eventually be your X.
Yeah but he strikes me as too lightweight as a run defender for Vrabel. Could be wrong but I think Vrabel wants a Scourton type. Hope so anyway.
Potential Sanders spots
Cleveland either at 33 or 36
Raiders at 37
Saints at 40
Jets at 42
Cowboys at 44
Colts at 45
Rams at 46
Though it’s likely someone moves up for him.
Cleveland either at 33 or 36
Raiders at 37
Saints at 40
Jets at 42
Cowboys at 44
Colts at 45
Rams at 46
Though it’s likely someone moves up for him.
Yeah, WJ is a top 10 talent, and while I and many Michigan fans thought he basically quit on the team last season (and I didn't fault him much for it TBH), it looks like he has a real problem with his knee. Eventually a team will decide that the gamble is worth it, but I suspect that he'll fall to the late 2nd round.
I kinda just laugh at the whole Sanders family circus, but I'm surprised a QB-hungry team didn't jump on him in the first. Every year I'm amazed at how many crappy college QBs get taken in the first round, but I've come to accept that the position is just too valuable and you have to roll the dice unless you have a solid top 10-15 guy--and if you don't, some other team in the same boat will. So with that, I laughed when Shadeur dropped out of the top 15, but I was legit surprised when he didn't get taken in the first.
Rumor is Burder has some off the field issues but talent is there. Either Iowa State guy feels right too. Pats two 3rd round picks could get them up around 45 or so if there's 2 guys they want.
There's lots of talent there. This is totally where we'd all be banging the table for a specific guy and Belichick would come in like a WWE wrestler off the top rope and grab someone ESPN has no graphic for.
There's lots of talent there. This is totally where we'd all be banging the table for a specific guy and Belichick would come in like a WWE wrestler off the top rope and grab someone ESPN has no graphic for.
Pats should hope he falls to 38 and one of the Jets, Cowboys, or Rams want to give something up for him.
Love the bloodline for sure. Maybe the Pats do the LSU double-dip.
Right.
Seems like while Taylor is considered a top ~45 guy by pretty much everyone, Arroyo's range is much more spread out. E.g. the OP has Arroyo as the 9th best available; but PFN and @SMU_Sox have him around ~80-85 overall.
Oh hell yeah. Love this dude. Best all around TE imo.
Arroyo is a weird fit. He’s not a good inline guy but he might be below average and not a dumpster fire. He’s definitely more of a RAC and receiving first TE. I don’t love him but I bet for some teams he is TE2-3. He strikes me as a Shanny (and disciples) kind of pick. Miami would be a good fit for him fittingly. Doesn’t even have to move out of his dorm room!
I just want us to go BPA tonight. The team needs talent at so many positions, you just have to give yourself the best chance to add impact players to your roster.
I would have a hard time justifying it given Gonzo and the Carlton Davis signing. Seems a bit risky given the overall talent on the roster. I'd rather they go DE/DT, TE, or WR.
I am not opposed to Burden/Taylor, but there is something that just sits weird with me that in a kinda meh draft class where the deepest group appears to be the D-line, the Pats are possibly (likely?) going to end up going all offense the first few rounds. I know the offense was a mess last year, but if the draft has generally stronger D players. Maybe go for one of them and roll into the season with White/Williams/[day 2 draftee]/whoever and make the D line a position of strength, rather than hoping that Campbell turns out alright, hoping that Burden can become a WR1, etc.
The thing is, none of the DTs dropped - there was a huge run and the guys who were ranked in the 30-40 range (Grant, T Williams) are gone. So, where is the value now? I'd argue it is with guys like Scourton and Burden.
That's fair. Freaking PFSN gave me some hope that one of them would slide (I did about a million drafts where the Pats got T Williams in Rd2) .I am probably in favor of Scourton at this point myself.
Finding good receivers in the draft is often less a matter of overall draft quality and more about taking shots year after year. We currently have one pass-catcher on the roster who is the type of player you’d ideally want as a top 3 pass-catcher on a playoff roster and we only have him because he’s older and coming off knee surgery.
You have to take shots. It doesn’t have to be at 38 but I would be taking a receiver every year on day 2 until you feel good about the room. Just taking the consensus top guy on the board probably gives a much better shot at success than whatever analysis has led to the current situation.
That said, as someone who wanted Graham at 4, I’d be happy with adding to the front 4 too. Mostly I just hope they don't go way off the board.
You have to take shots. It doesn’t have to be at 38 but I would be taking a receiver every year on day 2 until you feel good about the room. Just taking the consensus top guy on the board probably gives a much better shot at success than whatever analysis has led to the current situation.
That said, as someone who wanted Graham at 4, I’d be happy with adding to the front 4 too. Mostly I just hope they don't go way off the board.
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Sounds like teams are scared about his longevity but in an age when so many players don’t get 2nd contracts from their original team, not sure how big a deal it is. I remain intrigued. Pats have the luxury to bring him on slowly, if needed.
“Johnson was CBS Sports' No. 1 cornerback in this class, but Albert Breer of SI.com reported earlier this week that he has a knee issue that's been flagged by teams. This knee issue is not supposed to affect him in the short term, but his "longevity" is in question. On top of this concerning issue, Johnson missed time due to shoulder and toe injuries last season, then a hamstring injury held him out of Michigan's Pro Day”
Would you take Taylor at 38 depending on what is still available on the board for receivers?
There are probably 5-10 guys I would be happy with at 38 and he is near the top of that list.
Going off SMU's board we've got:
18 Green
21 Burden
22 Ratledge
24 Alexander
25 Johnson
28 Thomas
29 Jackson
30 Taylor
31 Winston
32 Scourton
Doubling down on the OL with Ratledge would be fun. Taylor or Burden seen like good fits, I'd be happy with Jackson or Scourton as well.
Thanks SMU!
View: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1k7pH6LkQL1slP9U1fQoMDH--o3xKFILexBN_zkNOwbk/edit?gid=2118401576#gid=2118401576
18 Green
21 Burden
22 Ratledge
24 Alexander
25 Johnson
28 Thomas
29 Jackson
30 Taylor
31 Winston
32 Scourton
Doubling down on the OL with Ratledge would be fun. Taylor or Burden seen like good fits, I'd be happy with Jackson or Scourton as well.
Thanks SMU!
View: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1k7pH6LkQL1slP9U1fQoMDH--o3xKFILexBN_zkNOwbk/edit?gid=2118401576#gid=2118401576
From what I understand, Burden is the grandson of Luther Ticky Burden, former NBA and ABA player. Unfortunately did time for armed robbery and passed away a few years ago.
I don't think he has those issues, just maybe still growing up type issues
The Athletic's paywalled Day 2 mock has the Patriots picking:
38 Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
69 Bradyn Swinson, edge, LSU
77 Jordan James, running back, Oregon
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6307889/2025/04/25/nfl-mock-draft-2025-rounds-2-3/
38 Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
69 Bradyn Swinson, edge, LSU
77 Jordan James, running back, Oregon
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6307889/2025/04/25/nfl-mock-draft-2025-rounds-2-3/
The Athletic (Brugler) big board has:
10 Green
17 Emmanwori
18 Johnson
22 Ezeiraku
27 Burden
33 Taylor
37 Ersery
38 Schwesinger
Scourton is 59 and Jackson 47.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6298866/2025/04/24/nfl-draft-2025-best-available-players/
10 Green
17 Emmanwori
18 Johnson
22 Ezeiraku
27 Burden
33 Taylor
37 Ersery
38 Schwesinger
Scourton is 59 and Jackson 47.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6298866/2025/04/24/nfl-draft-2025-best-available-players/
Trying to game out how R2 works after the trades, this is likely to be some clever cat-and-mouse initially:
CLE 33 - Top needs are QB, OT, LB. I think they go OT ERSERY. Big need, big reach, and at 33 for a good reason.
HOU 34 - Top needs are OT, OG, WR. CLE couldn't risk HOU taking Ersery before they draft again at 36, hence the reach. Stymied at OT, I think Houston gets WR HIGGINS here, given all their WR uncertainty.
TEN 35 - Top needs are EDGE, WR, S. They would have preferred Higgins as a target for Ward. Despite the EDGE need, they have other guys targeted for later. I think they go with tackle machine S EMMANWORI.
CLE 36 - Now they can take QB SANDERS. Losing that 5th year 1st rounder option may come back to bite them, but need is need.
LVR 37 - Top needs are OL, DL, CB - they sprint to the podium to take CB JOHNSON. The drop this far is likely due to his recent injury history, but LVR had him in for a top 30, and it's a major need and BPA.
NEP 38 - Top needs WR, DL, EDGE - again, a sprint to the podium to take EDGE GREEN. BPA, and a need.
If TEN decides to go with Green instead of Emmanwori, the Pats will gladly take Ezeriraku, but this is how I see it coming together now.
CLE 33 - Top needs are QB, OT, LB. I think they go OT ERSERY. Big need, big reach, and at 33 for a good reason.
HOU 34 - Top needs are OT, OG, WR. CLE couldn't risk HOU taking Ersery before they draft again at 36, hence the reach. Stymied at OT, I think Houston gets WR HIGGINS here, given all their WR uncertainty.
TEN 35 - Top needs are EDGE, WR, S. They would have preferred Higgins as a target for Ward. Despite the EDGE need, they have other guys targeted for later. I think they go with tackle machine S EMMANWORI.
CLE 36 - Now they can take QB SANDERS. Losing that 5th year 1st rounder option may come back to bite them, but need is need.
LVR 37 - Top needs are OL, DL, CB - they sprint to the podium to take CB JOHNSON. The drop this far is likely due to his recent injury history, but LVR had him in for a top 30, and it's a major need and BPA.
NEP 38 - Top needs WR, DL, EDGE - again, a sprint to the podium to take EDGE GREEN. BPA, and a need.
If TEN decides to go with Green instead of Emmanwori, the Pats will gladly take Ezeriraku, but this is how I see it coming together now.
Green - off-field red flag
Emmanwori - better closer to scrimmage (SS, not FS), don't think he's a NE fit
Johnson - medical red flag
Ezeiruaku - prefer bigger EDGE
Burden - don't like picking bounceback project with effort issues
Taylor - Hunter Henry 2.0, safe pick
Ersery - like it, but prefer DT/EDGE/WR in round 2
Schesinger - love the player, not sure on NE fit
I'd like one from the Landon Jackson, Nik Scourton or Darius Alexander group at pick 38.
Green has multiple sexual assault allegations against him. I wouldn't want the Pats to pick him and I'm pretty sure he's going to continue to fall.
Nice summary. I’m biased as a BC guy but given Vrabel’s focus on character with Campbell, I think Ezeiruaku makes a lot of sense for Pats at 38. He’s smaller than you’d want at edge but he is so active. Was the focal point each and every week and always made plays.
I wouldn't be surprised given the connection with BOB, but worth noting that the Pats did host Scorton on a visit.
I can see the Texans taking a WR but a guy like Burden or Noel makes a lot more sense to me than Higgins, who is very similar to Nico Collins.
They don't need to bring the BC players in for a 30 visit though since they're local. Hard to get a read on what they're thinking via the 30 visits.
Yup - would be fine with him too. All depends on what they want at edge. If they go the BB bigger route, then that would rule out Ez and likely make Scourton a target. Given where they pick and who’s available, going to be pretty hard to miss on this next pick…on paper at least. I think we’re all going to be more or less on board with these Day 2 selections.
And this is where it always gets fun for me. Because of the surprise factor and their ability to go in so many different directions.
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