Afc East Draft Capsules Ap News

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 2:43 AM

LAST SEASON: Jets won opener against Oakland, then things went bad in hurry, ultimately costing coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik their jobs. QB Geno Smith struggled through his second season, eight-game skid derailed playoff hopes early, and lack of depth at key spots, particularly cornerback, made for one of worst years in franchise history. THEY NEED: QB, pass-rushing OLB, pass-catching RB, WR. POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, Clemson OLB-DE Vic Beasley, Florida OLB-DE Dante Fowler, Nebraska OLB-DE Randy Gregory. OUTLOOK: Might be tough for Jets to pass up Mariota if they stay put and he’s still there at No. 6.

Uncertain whether new GM Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles believe Smith can be long-term solution, so Jets could add Mariota to Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Simms. Otherwise, pass-rushing threat could top wish list — unless Alabama’s Amari Cooper or West Virginia’s Kevin White fall to them. LAST SEASON: For second year in row, December collapse cost Dolphins potential postseason berth. They gave up 28, 41, 35 and 37 points in final four games, showing aging defense needed overhaul. Owner Stephen Ross kept GM Dennis Hickey and coach Joe Philbin, who enters his fourth season with 23-25 record. But Ross shook up power structure by hiring former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum.

Dolphins say Hickey remains in charge of draft. The Buffalo Bills are still the class of the AFC East, but did other teams in the division close the gap following the 2025 NFL Draft? There are still many moves to be made before the 2025 NFL season gets underway, but for the Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets, filling their biggest positional needs was... With two new head coaches in the division and an influx of talent via the draft, the AFC East will be more competitive in 2025. Here is a ranking of the draft classes highlighting draft selections that stand out for each team. Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf needed to have a strong draft and it looks like they came through as far as addressing needs and value picks at the middle and end of the draft.

The Dolphins entered the draft with a ton of picks and they used them wisely to fortify the trenches and add depth in key areas. The question is did they do enough to challenge the Bills for the AFC East crown? The 2025 NFL Draft started off with a bang on Day 1 as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns pulled off a stunner of a trade that landed Travis Hunter in Duval County! How did that impact the teams in the AFC East? Well, it set the board for the New England Patriots to draft for need at No. 4.

With a 4-13 record and finishing last in the division, the Patriots have many needs. With generational talents like Hunter and Abdul Carter off the board, Mike Vrabel and company went with LSU’s Will Campbell with the 4th pick in the draft. In what wasn’t the sexiest move, it was a necessary move for a Patriots team who needs to strengthen the offensive line in front of Drake Maye. Although his arm length has been questioned, the Patriots get a stellar football player who is a leader in the locker room, exactly the type of players Vrabel wants to rebuild a winner in... “He's a leader. He's durable.

He's physical, dependable, accountable. He's a quick study”, Vrabel said of Campbell. “We spent a lot of time with him. Whatever mistakes that showed up, which they all do, he recovers quickly and can fix those mistakes.” In being added to offensive line that needs stability and consistency, Campbell can do both. He also looks like the kind of impactful player along the offensive line the team needs in helping a young QB like Maye continue to develop.

For the football obsessed, the expression "It’s the most wonderful time of the year," is not so much a reflection about the holidays as it is about mock drafts. They're like Thanksgiving meals — we seemingly can’t get enough of them. So, shortly after releasing a traditional first-round mock draft, we thought it would be worthwhile to identify each team's most glaring holes as well as strong prospect fits to fill them. With two clubs emerging as legitimate contenders for the No. 1 pick, the AFC East felt like the perfect starting point to kick off the series. Here are early projections for the entire division's selections on Days 1 and 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

First round, No. 3 overall pick: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana The Jets’ decision to trade cornerback Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams to load up on draft picks suggests that the club is willing to undergo a complete roster rebuild. Perhaps that will allow New York to package picks to trade for a veteran quarterback, with intriguing candidates such as Kyler Murray and divisional rival Tua Tagovailoa thought to be potentially available this offseason. Should Jets general manager Darren Mougey take the more conventional approach, Mendoza’s inspirational play at Indiana could make him the first quarterback off the board this year. His dual-threat ability would make him an intriguing fit in the offense that head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand have used with incumbent starter Justin Fields this season.

With the 2025 draft complete, theScore's senior NFL writer Dan Wilkins hands out his initial grades for each team's incoming rookies. Jump to:NFCEast | North | South | WestAFCEast | North | South | West Defense was bound to be the focus heading into this draft and the Bills didn't disappoint. Hairston is an elite athlete who brings some much-needed playmaking skills to the secondary. Sanders is an explosive pass-rush talent who could complement Ed Oliver nicely on the interior. Jackson is a three-down player with size, athleticism, and a great motor - he's a steal in the third round.

The same can probably be said for 6-foot-7, 331-pound defensive tackle Deone Walker. He moves incredibly well for his size, and he likely would have been long gone by the fourth round if injuries didn't contribute to a down 2024 season. This is the exact draft haul the Bills needed coming off their latest playoff disappointment. Run defense will no longer be an issue in Miami. Grant is a massive defensive tackle who dominates in that area, and he's got more pass-rush upside than you'd expect for a player his size. Phillips is also a dominant run defender who provides great value in the fifth round.

While Savaiinaea fills a need on the offensive line, and while his athleticism will certainly make him a fit in Mike McDaniel's zone run game, it's tough to get on board with giving up... This roster could have used the extra Day 2 draft capital. The Patriots may be this draft's biggest winners. There was a clear focus on improving the situation around Drake Maye and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. All indications suggest the Patriots see Campbell as their left tackle of the future, and why wouldn't they? A lack of length didn't give him any issues against SEC competition.

While Henderson may not profile as a true workhorse back, he's a big-play machine and he's got the best third-down skill set of any back in this draft. Williams is one of the more exciting mid-round receivers in this class, and Wilson should push Garrett Bradbury for the starting center job sooner than later. There's also a lot to like about New England's defensive picks on Day 3, giving Mike Vrabel some young pieces to contribute on that side. This is how it's done. The 2025 NFL Draft is complete, and in this video, we’re diving into a full breakdown and grading of the AFC East draft classes! From the Buffalo Bills to the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets, we evaluate every pick and round and how each franchise handled the draft board.

Who added the most talent? Who reached? And which team set themselves up for success in the ultra-competitive AFC East? We deliver expert NFL Draft analysis, focusing on positional value, prospect fit, team needs, and overall roster impact. We cover it all, whether it's high-upside quarterbacks, trench upgrades, or late-round sleepers. Our AFC East 2025 NFL Draft grades give you the insight every NFL fan and draft fanatic needs to assess how each team performed over the weekend.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — When the New England Patriots get their next win – and with a schedule this easy, that seems almost a sure thing – they will have matched their win total from the... That’s how far the six-time Super Bowl champions had fallen under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo, and how quickly Mike Vrabel has turned things around. The Patriots (7-2) have won six straight games to move into first place in the AFC East following back-to-back last-place finishes. “We are at a good spot. Could we be better?

Hell, yeah,” receiver Stefon Diggs said after the Patriots beat Atlanta 24-23 on Sunday. “When it is early in the season and people come out with all these rankings, or where you could have been, don’t drink the Kool-Aid. That gets you distracted fast.” The team is not without concerns as it heads into the second half of its season, starting with next week’s game at Tampa Bay. Injuries threaten to undermine what Vrabel has built into a solid but thin roster — especially if Drake Maye is unable to get up after being one of the most-sacked quarterbacks in the league. And turnovers continue to be a problem — there were three more on Sunday, helping the Falcons come within a missed extra point of sending the game to overtime.

The Patriots will be on the clock shortly in Green Bay with the fourth overall 2025 draft pick in their pocket. It's a nice position to be in, especially should one of the top two players in the draft, Colorado's wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, or Penn State's edge, Abdul Carter, slip to pick No. 4. Patriot Nation can only hope. Regardless, though the Patriots squandered the first overall pick due to a meaningless, last-game "win" against the Bills, they are still assured of landing a top pick at his position with that pick. Alternatively, they can trade down and garner more premium picks in the only draft that matters: 2025.

As the draft creeps inexorably closer, we'll conduct a new Patriots' mock draft. Its only goal is to position the Patriots to traumatize the AFC East and overtake the Bills for the title. If Vrabel can ace the draft, he can position his team to compete and make a run at Buffalo and the playoffs in 2025, the only season that matters. The luck of the draw can play a big part in the draft when it comes to landing the best player of need early. In this case, the chips fall as Patriots Mike Vrabel hoped. Cam Ward, Mason Graham, and an even bigger surprise pick, Ashton Jeanty, go in the first three picks.

Afc East Draft Capsules Ap News

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