The New England Patriots began the 2026 NFL Draft just like they conducted the 2025 version — with a flourish.
They moved up for their first two picks to immediately fill their top needs, offensive tackle and pass rusher. The selections were Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu and Illinois' edge Gabe Jacas.
In the third round, the Patriots may have reached a bit for tight end Eli Raridon, who's had major injury issues in the past and limited college production. Then, in a decision reminiscent of the Bill Belichick days, they drafted a cornerback, Karon Prunty of Wake Forest, who was considered well off the fifth-round radar.
Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal recently cited a Patriots scout who made the Prunty pick sound like more of a spur-of-the-moment pick than a planned one.
“We didn’t spend much time on him. Just never popped up on a radar, and the times we were there (at Wake), no one was pounding the table for him."
Karon Prunty seems like a major reach for the New England Patriots
Since the Patriots had traded their two fourth-round picks to move up for Lomu and Jacas, the fifth-rounder took on added importance. While a reach pick can sometimes work out fine (safety Craig Woodson of California in the fourth round of 2025 being the most recent example), it is a draft strategy fraught with big risks.
The first issue was not targeting a position of need. The Patriots needed an offensive guard for depth purposes and a third running back. Guard was — and still is — a clear and present need. It went undrafted.
The pick also felt off because they took a player rated much lower by the consensus than he was picked. He was ranked the 88th defensive back by NFL Draft Buzz.
Consensus on draft picks may occasionally mean nothing, as examples like Tom Brady attest. But it beats reaching all day long. Not drafting for need is never a good idea and is a waste of an opportunity to improve. After Rounds 1 and 2, the rest of the draft more resembled the disastrous 2024 effort than the outstanding 2025 one. Karon Prunty, like Woodson, may be fine, but when you don't draft for need and reach for a player, it's two strikes against right then and there.
Add us as a preferred source on Google