Patriots Predicted to Land Electrifying 22-TD Weapon

The New England Patriots need to add weapons all over the place, and while their hole at wide receiver remains prominent even after the acquisitions of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, they could use help in their backfield, as well.

The running back duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson was very disappointing in 2024, leading to new head coach Mike Vrabel stating that the Patriots will probably look to select a halfback at some point in the NFL Draft next week.

Fortunately for New England, this draft class is absolutely loaded with talent at running back, so the Pats should be able to come away with a stud, even if they wait until Day 3.

Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network has the Patriots doing just that, predicting them to land Tennessee Volunteers star Dylan Sampson in the fourth round.

Sampson is coming off of a fantastic 2024 campaign in which he racked up 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground, leading the SEC in both categories. He averaged a robust 5.8 yards per carry to boot.

The 20-year-old arrived at Tennessee in 2022 and was an impressive weapon over his first couple of seasons, but he didn't truly break out until this past year.

The one downside to Sampson is that he has not shown much potential as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, accumulating just 40 receptions across three campaigns with the Volunteers.

That being said, Sampson is so explosive as a runner that New England may choose to ignore his lack of production as a receiver. It's also entirely possible that the Pats can work with him and turn him into a very viable weapon in the passing game.

The Patriots' running back job is ripe for the taking, and Sampson could immediately enter the fray and threaten both Stevenson and Gibson.