Over the last few years, the Patriots have had draft picks in the top 5, a luxury after another failed season. It has given them their first opportunity in nearly two decades to get some of the best players of the incoming draft class, but they won't have that chance this weekend, as they are not on the clock until No. 31.
That makes it far more difficult to predict who they will take, as opposed to the last two years, when it had long been obvious they would pick Drake Maye and Will Campbell.
They have a lot of options this time around at various positions, and what they will inevitably prioritize is still a mystery. However, there have been plenty of signs suggesting they will lean toward drafting a successor for Morgan Moses, with Mike Vrabel taking a particular interest in Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
Based on everything we've seen leading up to the draft, seeing the Patriots make him their first-round pick wouldn't be a surprise. It would be even less shocking now, hearing NFL insider Adam Schefter express his belief that Iheanachor will be heading to New England.
Adam Schefter envisions the Patriots taking a top right tackle prospect in the first round
Schefter said as much on a recent episode of his podcast this week, emphasizing that the Patriots are likely operating as if they will successfully trade for AJ Brown later this summer. That enables them to overlook the wide receivers who might be available and prioritize another need, such as right tackle.
“I have a sense the Patriots might have some interest in him. They have to operate under the assumption that A.J. Brown’s gonna be coming in, so they’re gonna be in a good spot.”
Besides a dominant pass rusher, there has been the most speculation about the Patriots taking their next starting right tackle with pick No. 31, and for much of the past month, Iheanachor has been the top player connected to the team.
It all goes back to his Pro Day last month, when Vrabel was one of the few coaches who attended the event and got hands-on with Iheanachor during drills. That sparked the rumors of the former Sun Devil solidifying his spot as the Patriots' next draft pick, and Schefter seems to think so, too.
It wouldn't be a bad decision, especially since Moses is set to play in the final year of guaranteed money on his contract during the 2026 season. Iheanachor would have a year to adjust to life in the NFL, learning from a veteran like Moses before becoming a full-time starter in 2027.
There are some wondering if Vrabel and Wolf would use a first-round pick on a player that wouldn't be a Day 1 starter, which is certainly fair, but if they view Iheanachor as a long-term solution to a roster hole in 2027, then it makes sense that they would take him.
The tackle class is considered to be deep, same with pass rushers, so they can still get a top talent even at 31, and could couple some of their mid-round picks to move up in the second if they want to get a more dominant pass rusher on Day 2.
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