The 2025 NFL draft is still over a month away, which means we remain locked in to mock draft season. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest one on Tuesday and the biggest stunner happened at the top of the board where he has Travis Hunter falling to the New England Patriots at the No. 4 pick.
Last month Kiper had Hunter going to the New York Giants with the No. 3 pick but now has them taking former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Here's Kiper's breakdown of the Patriots picking Hunter, who can play both cornerback and wide receiver:
The Patriots have been active in free agency, including signing Milton Williams, Harold Landry III, Carlton Davis III and Robert Spillane. But as you can see there, the big-name additions have come on defense. All that spending and still no WR1.
While Hunter could absolutely play cornerback in the NFL, I have him ranked as a receiver, where he can pick apart opponents with his ball skills, quickness and instincts. Despite playing both ways, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 scores last season. I just really like the fit in the Patriots' offense with quarterback Drake Maye.
Kiper's first five picks now look like this:
No. 1, Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
No. 2, Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, OLB, Penn State
No. 3, New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
No. 4, New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
No. 5, Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mel Kiper Jr.'s New NFL Mock Draft Has Travis Hunter Falling Out of Top 3 to AFC Team.
