Patriots should trade down two spots with the Raiders and draft tight end Tyler Warren

The Patriots have glaring needs at wide receiver and left tackle. It's no secret. As hard as they tried, they couldn't fill those needs in free agency. The dream scenario for the Patriots would have been to fill all their positional needs via free agency so they could draft the best player available – not only in the first round, but all subsequent rounds – instead out of need.

As an example – despite all the additions on defense and how bad the offense was last year – if Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter were to, somehow, still be available when it came time for the Patriots to pick at four, the Patriots should be running the card up to Roger Goodell to pick him.

Instead, the Patriots haven't been able to address their glaring needs on offense, so, even if Carter were available, they may be forced to pass on him (or trade down) and draft someone like left tackle, Will Campbell, instead. It is not that Campbell wouldn't be worthy of the fourth pick, but if someone better, or something (a trade), were available and the Patriots have questions about Campbell being able to play tackle, the Patriots would like to keep their options open.

In a scenario where Heisman Trophy winner and two-way player, Travis Hunter, drops to the Patriots at four, New England might have no choice but to draft him, but it would be to play wide receiver full time. Even still, trading down might be a better option.

But what if both Carter and Hunter are off the board?

As mentioned before, the belief is the Patriots should, or need to, draft Will Campbell. However, there are concerns about Campbell's short "alligator" arms. Many believe he is destined to be an elite guard in the NFL instead of a slightly above average tackle. Can the Patriots afford to take that risk?

In the weeks leading up to the draft, many mock draft experts get bored by the time they get to Mock Draft 6.0 and sleepers will emerge as potential draft choices for the Patriots. Remember last year when there was talk of the Patriots falling in love with and, possibly, drafting J.J. McCarthy at three instead of Drake Maye? It seemed a real possibility for a while in the days leading up to the draft.

This week, the name I am hearing a lot, instead of Will Campbell, is Missouri tackle, Armand Membou. Membou has a lower floor than Campbell, but may have an even higher ceiling. More importantly, his arm length is 33-1/2 inches as opposed to Campbell's 32-5/8 inch arms. I know an inch might sound like much, but it means a lot to scouts and coaches.

But Membou has played right tackle his entire college career and he is not as filled out, physically, as some would like. The Patriots should be done with experimenting with converting right tackles to left. They, mistakenly, thought they could do it with third-round draft pick Caedan Wallace last year.

The Patriots have failed in their attempts to land a top wide receiver outside of the draft this offseason. They, at various points, were linked with Tee Higgins, Brandon Aiyuk, D.K. Metcalf, and Chris Godwin. Instead, all they have to show for their troubles is 31-year-old Mack Hollins.

Tet McMillan is regarded as the top wide receiver in this draft, but he wouldn't have been considered a top five receiver in last year's star-studded draft. McMillan has been considered a borderline top ten pick, but no one thinks of him as a top five pick, especially not deserving of the Patriots picking him at four.

That was before he, reportedly, ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at his pro day. The big knock on McMillan was that he didn't have the speed to be a deep threat in the NFL.

Suddenly, Boston media began speculating if the Patriots should, indeed, consider McMillan at four if Carter and Hunter are off the board. Similar to Campbell, it amazes me how a miniscule difference in some form of measurement can cost or make a player millions of dollars. I don't understand it. Just show me what he can do on the field, but, again, this stuff matters to teams.

If McMillan was a borderline top ten pick after teams reviewed all his game film, I don't see how he moves up spots because of what he does on a track one day while wearing shorts and a tank top.

In both Campbell and McMillan's cases, there isn't much separation between them and the second or third person at their position. They also aren't considered "can't miss" prospects at their positions, although everyone believes Campbell will be an exceptional guard. It angers me to hear talk of the Patriots drafting or signing a guard after all the draft capital they have invested in the position the last few years, including using a first round pick on Cole Strange.

Which brings me to Penn State tight end, Tyler Warren. I don't understand why I don't hear any talk about the Patriots drafting him.

I credit NBCSports Boston's Phil Perry for posting a video "making a case" for drafting Tyler Warren, but I wouldn't just make a case for it, I would do it!

Making the case for the Patriots to draft TE Tyler Warren

Phil Perry is back to make the case for the Patriots to use their No. 4 pick to draft Tight End Tyler Warren out of Penn State.

NBC Sports Boston

It wouldn't be the first time the Patriots drafted a Ty Warren in the first round. The Patriots drafted defensive end, Ty Warren, in the first round of the 2003 draft. That Ty Warren would go on to play seven years with the Patriots and win two Super Bowls.

The Patriots would hope this Ty Warren would bring the same magic and success to this new reincarnation of the Patriots. He is a 6'6", 257 pound tight end who has drawn comparisons to Rob Gronkowski and Jeremy Shockey. That sounds like music to my ears.

To call Warren a tight end doesn't do him justice. He has lined up at all the wide receiver positions, fullack, and even quarterback and center (for one trick play against USC in which he would catch a touchdown pass on the same play he snapped the ball).

Warren, who is left-handed, was a quarterback in high school. He lined up as the quarterback in the Wildcat formation, frequently, for Penn State during his senior year. He rushed 26 times for 218 yards and 4 touchdowns. He completed three passes, including one touchdown pass.

Which is not to say I am suggesting to use Warren as a quarterback or running back. I am saying that it shows his versatility and athleticism. It shows how much of a weapon he is. It shows what separates him from most everyone else in this draft not named Travis Hunter.

Warren is, unquestionably, the best and most complete tight end in this draft. It is considered a deep tight end draft, but no one else combines the blocking, run after catch, receiving attributes, and intensity that Warren does. No other tight end can take over a game like Warren did in that game against USC.

Unlike McMillan and Campbell, there is no debating if there is someone at the same position who is comparable or better. If the Patriots aren't satisfied with any receiver or lineman where they are drafting, or they think they can get someone comparable in later rounds, they should not feel the need to settle on someone who fills a positional need.

Where they are drafting, they should be able to pick the best of the best at the player's respective position. Why not draft the best player at his position who helps both receiving and blocking?

The argument is that the idea of drafting a tight end in the top ten of any draft is asinine. The track record hasn't been good with tight ends chosen in the first round.

Kyle Pitts (drafted 2021) has been a bust, so far, for Atlanta. Evan Engram was just released by Jacksonville. He was a first round pick in 2017 by the Giants. Other first round busts, to differing degrees, this century have been Noah Fant, Hayden Hurst, Jermaine Gresham, O.J. Howard, Tyler Eifert, and David Njoku.

The Jets have the seventh pick in this year's draft. They have, probably, expressed the most interest in Warren, from what I've seen and read. You would think they would be a bit gun shy about drafting a tight end in the first round as they have had their fair share of tight ends who were drafted in the first round who were busts. Kyle Brady, Dustin Keller, and Anthony Becht come to mind.

The Jets surprised me last year by passing on tight end Brock Bowers. Maybe they were conscious of their track record with tight ends and were worried how their fan base would react.

Yet again, that was a mistake by the Jets. The Jets can't win when it comes to their decisions about drafting tight ends. It is like the Patriots with drafting (or not drafting) wide receivers.

Bowers caught 112 passes for 1194 yards and 5 touchdowns in his rookie campaign. The Jets drafted offensive lineman, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, two picks before the Raiders took Bowers. Fashanu had a solid, but unspectacular, first season for the Jets before sustaining a season-ending injury in December. If the Jets were to do the draft all over again, I think they would have preferred Bowers.

There have been some successes drafting tight ends in the first round, however. They haven't all been busts. I've already made mention of Bowers. Some other examples would be Todd Heap, Kellen Winslow II, Dallas Clark, Heath Miller, Vernon Davis, and Greg Olsen.

The Patriots haven't shied away from taking tight ends in the first round, either. They began their dynastic run by drafting Daniel Graham and Ben Watson in the first rounds in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Both were unspectacular, but contributed to Patriots' Super Bowls.

So, just like any position, tight ends in the first round can be hit or miss. I wouldn't say there have been more busts at the tight end position than any other positions. There have been plenty of flameout first round quarterback picks. The Patriots know how risky it can be drafting first round wide receivers.

So I have no reservations picking Tyler Warren in the first round. I have more questions about Campbell and McMillan. With this high a draft pick, I want a can't-miss kind of guy who will have an immediate impact from day one.

Warren is that guy.

Warren is a bit polarizing as a pick. I have seen some mock drafts have him go as high as six and some as low as twenty-two to the Chargers. I'm thinking the Jets will take him at seven, but wouldn't be surprised if first-year coach, Liam Coen, would want to make him a centerpiece of his offense in Jacksonville, alongside Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas, Jr. Jacksonville picks after the Patriots at five. Indianapolis, at fourteen, is the other popular projected landing spot for Warren's services.

So the Patriots could trade down. How far down would depend on how risk averse they are and how greedy they want to be – in terms of draft capital they would want in return. I would worry about the Jets (7), Panthers (8), Saints (9), and Colts (14) wanting Warren.

Of course, it takes two to tango in order to make a trade. The Patriots would have to find a team that would want to move up to four. The Raiders, picking sixth, might be such a team. They would be looking to make a splash. They are the Raiders, after all, and play in Las Vegas and this would be their first draft with Tom Brady as a minority owner. Maybe Brady would do his old team, and former teammate, Vrabel, a solid and give up a second round pick this year, along with some other picks.

The Raiders might covet quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, to bring some energy and hype to a franchise that the NFL has, pretty much, forgotten for the last two decades. Sanders, of course, is the son of Raiders' legend, Deion Sanders. It would be a match made in heaven.

Coen's Jaguars, at five, may be looking at quarterback with their pick so that might concern the Raiders to move up ahead of them. The Raiders may also like running back, Ashton Jeanty, who is viewed as a generational running back and has drawn comparisons to Barry Sanders.

The Patriots could then use the additional picks to move back into the first round to draft a second tier wide receiver (Luther Burden III, Matthew Golden) or offensive tackle (Josh Simmons, Kelvin Banks Jr., Josh Conerly Jr.).

My only concern about the Patriots drafting Warren is that he only posted huge numbers his senior year when he caught 104 passes. His junior year he only caught 34, but he showed signs of what was to come with 5 receptions for 127 yards in his last game that year.

Was it Penn State's fault for not realizing the weapon they possessed until it was almost too late? Credit first-year Penn State offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, for knowing, understanding, and utilizing the weapon that Warren is in 2024. Warren might owe him a debt of gratitude.

Penn State's game against USC on October 12, 2024 was the showcase game for Warren and Kotelnicki. Warren did it all in a 33-30, come-from-behind, overtime victory. Warren had 17 catches for 224 yards. He rushed once for four yards. He completed a nine-yard pass. He did it all.

It is salivating to see what Warren could do with Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator and Drake Maye as his quarterback. Maye's strength is his ability to work the middle of the field and fit the ball into tight windows. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, both tight ends, were Maye's most sought after targets in Maye's rookie season.

Hooper, in particular, grew a rapport with Maye as the season progressed – totaling at least three catches in each of the last eight games. That might not sound like much, but when you consider how anemic the Patriots' offense was last year, those are impressive numbers. His chemistry with Maye was, likely, a reason Hooper chose to quickly re-sign with the Patriots this offseason instead of testing the free agent waters.

Hooper and Henry, both veterans, also shined when the offensive line protection broke down – which was often – and Maye was forced out of the pocket and had to improvise. Some of the Patriots' biggest plays this year came when Maye hit Henry or Hooper in open space on short, or long (as in the case below), passes when Maye was running for his life.

Tyler Warren and Drake Maye have similar backgrounds and should hit it off from the gitgo. It would be the foundation of a chemistry which would blossom over the next decade or more. They are both intense competitors. They come from a family of athletes. Warren's father played college football. His sister played college softball. His aunt played college soccer. It has been well chronicled that Drake Maye's three older brothers all played college sports at a high level.

Warren checks off so many boxes for the Patriots. He would be a red zone weapon the Patriots so, desperately, lacked last year.

Remember when the Patriots were trying to come back and upset Buffalo in Buffalo. The Patriots were down at the Buffalo four-yard line with 2:26 left in the game, trailing, 24-14. They needed a quick score before the two-minute warning if they had any hope of getting the ball back with any time left on the clock. Instead, it took them nine plays to punch the ball in the endzone. By that time, there was only 1:13 left on the clock and the game was, essentially, over.

Not only would Warren be a big target for Maye in the endzone, Warren was used, very effectively, as a "quarterback" in a Wildcat offense at the goal line for Penn State.

It is just another wrinkle McDaniel could use at the goal line or in short yardage situations. The Chiefs have used Travis Kelce in similar situations – lining him up under center to execute quarterback sneaks.

Did I mention Warren can block, too? If you are thinking to yourself, "Tony, we already have Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper on the roster," just stop, please. They shouldn't even factor into the equation.

Henry and Hooper are "nice" tight ends. They are reliable. Neither of them, however, are nearly as electrifying or game-changing like Warren. Neither of them can block or line up all over the field pre-snap, including the "X" wide receiver spot or fullback. Neither Henry or Hooper are explosive after the catch like Warren is, and neither of the two will be with the Patriots three years from now.

Sure it would have been nice to land a D.K. Metcalf or a Tee Higgins to get that alpha receiver the Patriots so desperately need. But teams like the Chiefs and 49ers have shown that the alpha receiver does not need to be a wide receiver. Travis Kelce and George Kittles have been the focal point of their respective offenses for years and it has gotten their teams to several Super Bowls.

We don't have to look to Kansas City or San Francisco for validation for this pick. We have seen the impact a superstar tight end can have right here in New England. In fact, the Patriots have had three of the greatest tight ends in history – Russ Francis, Ben Coates, and Rob Gronkowski. Warren would be a worthy candidate to pick up the baton and carry on the tradition.