It’s looking more and more like the Patriots are heading for a worst-case scenario with Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Penn State edge defender Abdul Carter coming off the board before the No. 4 overall pick.

Barring a trade-up to take Hunter or Carter, that leaves the Patriots with a plethora of less than ideal options.

Here’s how head coach Mike Vrabel and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf can make the most of the situation in our latest seven-round mock draft.

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Round 1, Pick 4: OT Will Campbell, LSU

The most appealing option in this situation would be to trade down from the fourth overall pick to a range where the Patriots could still grab an offensive tackle, their biggest need. The Raiders (sixth overall), Jets (seventh overall) and Saints (ninth overall) could be in the market for a quarterback. If the Patriots are confident that they could still get Campbell or Missouri tackle Armand Membou in one of those spots, then they don’t necessarily need the strongest package in a trade-down. The biggest question is whether any of those teams value Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart enough to move up.

Campbell was one of the best left tackles in college football over the past three seasons, but he lacks prototypical arm length and wingspan for the position, which could potentially necessitate a move inside to guard.

Membou wasn’t charted playing a single snap at left tackle during his college career. He has longer arms and wingspan than Campbell, but he’s also two inches shorter.

Both Campbell and Membou have the requisite athleticism to play left tackle, but they both come with risks. Campbell’s lack of length is a huge outlier. And taking a right tackle with the fourth overall pick and hoping he can flip to left tackle is no guarantee.

The Patriots could wait until the second round to select a tackle, but their other options at No. 4 overall are no sure things. Michigan defensive Mason Graham and Georgia edge defender Jalon Walker are both undersized. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren lack top-end positional value to be selected so early.

So, that brings us back to Campbell. Head coach Mike Vrabel said last week that he views Campbell as a left tackle. The only question is if the scouting department values him high enough to take him fourth overall.

Round 2, Pick 38: DE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Fun fact about Nic Scourton: He’s only 20 years old and won’t turn 21 until late August.

He was also a well-rounded edge defender in the Big-10 at Purdue and in the SEC at Texas A&M.

The Patriots signed outside linebackers Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson to join Keion White and Anfernee Jennings for the Patriots at edge defender, but Terrell Williams’ defense still could use some more pass-rushing juice. Scourton would come with plenty of upside at the top of the second round.

Round 3, Pick 64 (TRADE): WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

We’re packaging the Patriots’ 69th overall pick with the fifth-rounder they got in the Joe Milton trade to move up to the bottom of the second round.

The Patriots lack a true “X” receiver, and that’s Harris’ calling card at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. He played just eight games due to injuries in 2024 but picked up 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 78.9% of his targets. Add Harris to a wide receiver group that already includes Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne and let them fight it out for three starting spots.

Round 3, Pick 77: RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee

Sampson would bring more speed to the Patriots’ running back room. He’s undersized at 5-foot-8, 200 pounds, but offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has had success in the past with similar running backs like James White, Dion Lewis and Kevin Faulk.

Round 4, Pick 106: DT C.J. West, Indiana

West is a great athlete for his 6-foot-1, 316-pound frame, clocking a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at the combine. This is a strong class for defensive tackles, and West would provide a study presence next to Milton Williams in the middle of the line.

Round 5, Pick 144: TE Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse

Patriots fans of the early dynasty era will recognize the name. His father was a productive wide receiver for the Dolphins from 1998 to 2003.

Gadsden II is a converted wide receiver who had two 900-yard seasons at tight end for the Orangemen. At 6-foot-5, 236 pounds, Gadsden could add more size, but he split his time between inline and the slot at Syracuse.

Fun fact: He was coached by another former Dolphin, Patrick Surtain, in high school.

Round 7, Pick 220: QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

The Patriots traded away Milton and could use another developmental rookie quarterback. Rourke has good athleticism for the position and showed off his toughness by playing through a torn ACL in 2024.

Round 7, Pick 238: K Andres Borregales, Miami

Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer said last week that the Patriots will add a kicker as competition for John Parker Romo. Borregales is the top-ranked kicker on consensus boards.