The New England Patriots took a step back in Sunday's 34-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins, dropping their record to 3-9 and guaranteeing a third straight losing season in Foxboro.
It's not all bad news, though.
The Patriots enter Week 13 with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, according to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), New England has the best chance of any team to end up with the No. 1 overall pick (27.4 percent).
The Patriots could gain ground on the No. 1 spot this week if a few results go their way, while also assuming they lose to the Indianapolis Colts at home Sunday afternoon. The last time the Patriots had a top-five pick in consecutive drafts was 1993 (Drew Bledsoe, No. 1) and 1994 (Willie McGinest, No. 4).
More Patriots coverage
Which teams should Patriots fans be rooting for on Thanksgiving and Black Friday in regards to the draft order? And which of the top draft prospects will be featured in this week's slate of college football games?
Check out our fan guide below.
Draft pick scenarios
Three games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday have potential draft pick implications for the Patriots.
New York Giants (2-9) at Dallas Cowboys (4-7) -- Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET
The Giants currently own the No. 2 pick and have the second-best chance to finish with the No. 1 selection (26.4 percent, per ESPN's FPI). A Giants win would be massive for the Patriots. Is it likely? Probably not, but the Cowboys aren't very good, either, and again will start Cooper Rush with Dak Prescott out for the season due to injury.
Chicago Bears (4-7) at Detroit Lions (10-1) -- Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET
The Bears will travel to Detroit to play the Lions in the early game. The Bears enter Week 13 with the No. 12 pick. They are one of four teams with four wins. A victory for the Bears would help the Patriots, but that would be quite the upset considering the Lions arguably are the league's best team with a 10-1 record.
Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) at Kansas City Chiefs (10-1) -- Friday at 3 p.m. ET
The Black Friday matchup features the Raiders playing the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders have a 2-9 record and own the No. 3 pick, just ahead of the Patriots. Las Vegas, at 18.6 percent, has the third-best odds to end up with the No. 1 pick, per ESPN's FPI.
A win for the Raiders would be hugely beneficial to the Patriots and almost certainly result in New England jumping at least one spot in the order. The Chiefs sit atop the AFC standings with a 10-1 record and come into this game as heavy favorites, but the Raiders have given their division rivals a strong test in recent matchups. The Raiders lost 27-20 to the Chiefs back in Week 8 and beat Kansas City on Christmas Day last season.
Here's a look at the current NFL Draft order going into Week 13.
Top 2025 draft prospects in action
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Game: Friday vs. Oklahoma State, 12 p.m. ET
Hunter is the No. 1 prospect on most draft rankings, and with good reason. He is playing at a high level at two positions -- wide receiver and cornerback. The Heisman Trophy favorite has caught 82 passes for 1,036 yards with 11 touchdowns on offense, and he has tallied 31 tackles, nine pass breakups and three interceptions on defense.
Hunter is probably more of a wideout at the NFL level, but the fact that he's been so good on both sides of the ball is quite impressive.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Game: Saturday vs. Arizona State, 3:30 p.m. ET
McMillan is the top-ranked wide receiver in the 2025 draft class. His combination of speed, size and route running make him a tantalizing prospect. He has tallied 78 receptions for 1,251 yards (third-most in the nation) with seven touchdowns.
Saturday's matchup at home versus in-state rival Arizona State is a huge opportunity for McMillan to boost his draft stock with another strong performance. Arizona State badly needs a win to remain in the Big 12 conference title race.
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Game: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 3:30 p.m. ET
Burden has been a little disappointing statistically this season, but in his defense, Missouri's offense as a whole has underwhelmed. He has tallied 60 receptions for 665 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. Burden has caught a touchdown pass in back-to-back weeks, and he has another favorable matchup this weekend against the Razorbacks.
Despite some of the lackluster numbers, Burden remains one of the top-ranked wideouts in the class.
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Game: Saturday vs. Ohio State, 12 p.m. ET
The stakes aren't as high for this year's Michigan vs. Ohio State matchup compared to previous seasons. The Wolverines have no chance at returning to the College Football Playoff. But the Michigan defense does have some excellent defensive prospects.
One of them is Mason Graham, who is arguably the top interior defensive lineman in the class and can wreak havoc as a pass rusher and run stuffer. Graham's impressive combination of athleticism and raw power has helped him tally career highs of 20 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season.
Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Game: Saturday vs. Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ET
The Patriots need a more consistent pass rush, and Carter has dominated throughout the season with 48 tackles, two forced fumbles and a career-high eight sacks. There are some very talented edge rushers in this draft class, and the Patriots would be wise to target at least one of them.
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Game: Saturday vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m. ET
The Patriots badly need a franchise left tackle, and Campbell is arguably the top-rated offensive lineman in the class. He has a tough challenge this weekend against a very talented Oklahoma front seven -- a group that bullied Alabama in an upset win last week.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Game: Saturday at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ET
Banks is one of the top-ranked left tackles in the class and has played a huge role in Texas enjoying so much success during their inaugural SEC campaign. He has the third-highest pass blocking grade among all FBS offensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus.
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Game: Friday vs. Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m. ET
Starks is projected to land between picks 10 and 15 in most mock drafts, so he'd probably be an option for the Patriots only if they traded down into that range. But he's one of the best defensive backs in the nation and an elite tackler.
