With the 2026 NFL Draft just under two weeks away, what the Patriots are likely to do with their first-round pick is starting to become clearer. Although it's far from the certainty we've had over the last few years when they were selecting in the top-10, their needs are apparent, and from all accounts, those are the positions they will prioritize.
There's also the chance that they will trade the No. 31 pick, whether it be for a player or to trade up in the draft order. Some speculate it will be part of a package for AJ Brown, despite the belief he won't be moved until June, and the latest feeling from NFL analyst and draft expert Daniel Jeremiah seems to point that way, too.
Jeremiah was recently on Mina Kimes' podcast and went through a mock draft. Both analysts predict the Eagles will take a receiver in the first round, with Kimes citing the reason is to replace the production inevitably lost with Brown.
Why is that? 'Because he's a Patriot,' according to Jeremiah.
In a mock draft exercise with @minakimes, @MoveTheSticks had the Eagles selecting WR Denzel Boston as a replacement for AJ Brown.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) April 7, 2026
Mina Kimes: “You’re taking Boston, but you’re trading AJ.”
Daniel Jeremiah: “Yeah, AJ’s a Patriot.”
(🎥 @ESPNNFL) pic.twitter.com/xJqEoVefqT
That's a dream come true for Patriots fans who have been holding their breath for the news to drop, so hearing this confidence from Kimes and Jeremiah only seems to further the whispers that it's only a matter of time before Brown is in New England.
A dream trade and a top prospect falling into the Patriots lap would make for an incredible offseason
Beyond the excitement of a clear WR1 eventually joining the team, making the selection even better is that in their mock draft, the Patriots do not give up their 2026 first-round pick to get a deal done, and still get exactly who they need for their roster once they're on the clock.
Jeremiah and Kimes have them taking offensive tackle Max Iheanachor to eventually replace Morgan Moses at right tackle. The team has made it clear that they really like what the former Arizona State starter has to offer, as we saw with Vrabel getting physical with him during his Pro Day, and they manage to see him fall into their lap at the right time.
This would add so much more value to the state of the offense, with Iheanachor being a future starter and Brown boosting the receiving corps to a level Drake Maye hasn't had in his short NFL career so far.
It feels like a win-win scenario, and seeing that two respected analysts believe it could become a reality makes it even more exciting to see if Vrabel and Wolf can get it done.