After four straight offensive selections to open the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots went defense with their fifth selection. At 106 overall in the fourth round, they brought in safety Craig Woodson out of Cal.
Let’s grade the pick.
Instant grade: Patriots draft Craig Woodson 106th overall
Bernd: Woodson definitely checks three of the boxes the Patriots are placing a lot of emphasis on this offseason: character, versatility, and speed. His processing needs to improve, and he does not fill any obvious need on the roster, but he should be able to find a role on defense and special teams from early on in his career. | Grade: C
Brian: A three-year starter at Cal, Woodson is a strong athlete who piled up 19 pass deflections and five interceptions in numerous spots along the backend the last three seasons — while also committing just one penalty in coverage. He is on the older side at 24, but is regarded as another strong character off the field who joins a deep safety room in New England. | Grade: B-
Matt: With pick 106, the Patriots took a safety ranked at 197 by consensus boards. Woodson isn’t a bad player, but he’s an old prospect with no standout traits who projects as a depth safety and special teamer in the NFL. Reaching by almost 100 spots to take a player with that profile with other talent on the board is hard to understand. | Grade: D
Pat: So much for the Patriots drafting the best player available. There’s nothing they love more than reaching for a safety, and an old safety at that, and they do it again here. Woodson is a guy who plays very physical and downhill, but his speed was a serious concern. He then ran a 4.45-second 40 at the Combine, which quieted some of those concerns. Still, the lack of length and true speed is a potential issue at the next level. Not sure where he fits in on this defense, but he is definitely a leader, so I would assume, with the focus on culture, that’s a big reason why he is a Patriot. | Grade: D+
The Patriots’ next draft pick is set to come at No. 144 in the fifth round. Their biggest remaining needs include edge, off-ball linebacker and kicker.
What do you think about this draft pick, though? Do you like it? Do you not? Please head to the comment section to discuss.
