The 2026 NFL Draft will have a major impact on the New England Patriots' ability to remain contenders for the foreseeable future.
Coming off their run to Super Bowl LX, the franchise needs their selections to pan out and provide cheap, young talent that will keep hopes of getting back to the big game in the coming years alive, as cap space becomes increasingly tight with expected big-money contracts on the way for cornerback Christian Gonzalez and quarterback Drake Maye.
However, should New England’s picks this April fail to develop into quality NFL talent, that will make it harder to stay competitive throughout Maye’s prime without the abundance of cash they’ve enjoyed in recent offseasons to improve the roster with top-tier free agents.
In order to keep the latter scenario from coming to pass, the Patriots should consider adding these prospects to the team.
Full 7-round 2026 mock draft as the Patriots hitting every weakness
Round 1, Pick 31: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
New England must pick up a productive pass rusher this offseason, especially if their playoff sack leader, K'Lavon Chaisson, walks in free agency for a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
Miami’s Akheem Mesidor fits that bill about as well as any player who might still be available at the end of the first round could, coming in as a high-motor guy who excels at wreaking havoc on opposing offenses with both finesse and power moves.
The 2025 second-team All-American set collegiate career-highs in almost every major statistical category last season, including tackles (63), tackles for loss (17.5), forced fumbles (four), and sacks (12.5, led the ACC).
Mesidor is effective at both getting after opposing signal callers and stopping the run, making him exactly the type of player the Patriots need to reinforce their defensive line. NFL Next Gen Stats gave the Hurricanes team captain a production score of 90 and an overall prospect score of 80, ranking third and fourth among edge defenders in the 2026 class, respectively.
While Mesidor carries some injury concerns, having undergone surgeries on both feet in college and will be 25 years old before even being drafted, New England should take advantage of these circumstances that may cause his stock to fall.
The team has already indicated interest in the Ottawa native, having reportedly met with him at the NFL Combine, after which Mesidor expressed some enthusiasm at the idea of joining the defending AFC champions.
Round 2, Pick 63: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
Although the Patriots have been projected to add another veteran wide receiver either via the free agency or trade market, it’s looking like a pair of their top targets, Alec Pierce and AJ Brown, might ultimately not be available.
With recent reports indicating it “feels possible” Pierce may be on the verge of reaching a contract agreement with the Indianapolis Colts, and the Philadelphia Eagles asking for an “unserious” return in a deal for Brown, plus with the recent release of last season’s leading receiver Stefon Diggs, the team should think about using their second pick in the draft on a tall playmaker like Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II.
New England had just one wideout that stood above 6’0” who caught passes for them during the 2025 season (Mack Hollins), so picking up another big target for Maye should be a priority, which Brazzell’s height can certainly provide.
The 2025 first-team All-SEC and third-team All-America selection also possesses really impressive speed for his stature, running a 4.37 at the NFL Combine’s 40-Yard Dash, tenth fastest at his position in this draft class, and a better time than the one recorded by current Patriots speedster at wide out, Kyle Williams (4.40).
Brazzell hauled in 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns last season, including his six grabs for 177 yards and three scores in a single game against Georgia. The Biletnikoff Award semifinalist has been knocked in scouting reports for concentration drops, failing to create after the catch, and the limited press coverage he faced in college.
If Brazzell can clean up those mental errors and fill out his frame a bit, he could develop into a dangerous, explosive, and towering pass catcher.
Round 3, Pick 95: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
It’s worth noting that both of the major names at the linebacker position who the Patriots have been linked to possibly landing this offseason, Devin Lloyd and Tremaine Edmunds, excelled at ball-hawking opposing quarterbacks during the 2025 campaign, with Lloyd notching five interceptions and Edmunds grabbing four picks on the year.
If that’s a trait the Patriots’ front office is high on adding to their linebacking corps, Jacob Rodriguez out of Texas Tech makes a lot of sense.
Rodriguez started his college football career at Virginia Tech, playing quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, before joining the Red Raiders and transitioning to the defensive side of the ball.
The change of position paid off in a major way for Rodriguez, who totaled 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, one sack, six pass deflections, four interceptions, and an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles, on his way to winning the Butkus, Lombardi, and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards last season.
The 2025 unanimous All-American showed he has elite speed dropping back into coverage and coming back downfield to make a play on the ball, logging the fastest time of any linebacker over the last four years during the NFL Combine’s Backpedal & React Drill, reaching 18.43 mph, nearly a full mile per hour faster than the next-closest player at his position in this year’s draft class (Arvell Reese, 17.49 mph).
However, scouting reports cite his below-average size and length for the traditional mike role at the pro level, as well as an over-aggressive tackling technique, as reasons Rodriguez may not get selected until the third round.
Round 4, Pick 125: OT Kage Casey, Boise State
After Maye was sacked an NFL record 21 times during the postseason, the Patriots will almost undoubtedly bring in some veteran reinforcements to their offensive line.
Assuming New England is indeed active in this area of the free agent market, that should allow the team to wait a few rounds before hopefully scooping up a high-upside blocker like Boise State standout Kage Casey, who they reportedly met with at the Senior Bowl.
The two-time All-Mountain West first-team selection started 13 games for the Broncos at left tackle last season, playing a team-high 942 offensive snaps and posting the fifth-highest Pro Football Focus overall grade (80.0) among FBS blindside protectors.
NFL Next Gen Stats rated Casey at 69 in both production and overall prospect scoring, ranking as the 10th- and 14th-best offensive tackle in the class.
Casey was once considered a potential first-round pick after a 2024 campaign in which he didn't surrender a single sack across 947 snaps, recording an 87.0 PFF pass-blocking grade that ranked seventh nationally among tackles and a conference-best 99.3 pass-blocking efficiency rate.
Concerns about his below-average arm length and struggles against stronger defenders have caused him to slide down draft boards, but Casey could still very well develop into a solid swing tackle or guard, which would make him a steal here for a Patriots team desperately needing depth at those spots.
Round 4, Pick 131: TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati
New England is expected to bring in some outside help at tight end, with Austin Hooper set to hit free agency and incumbent starter Hunter Henry not getting any younger ahead of his age 32 season. Adding young talent in the draft should be a part of how the team plans to address this position group, and Cincinnati’s Joe Royer is a solid candidate to fill that need.
Royer started his college football career at Ohio State in 2020, where he redshirted as a freshman and then saw the field sparingly for three seasons before transferring to play for the Bearcats.
The Cincinnati native’s decision to return to his hometown paid off, as Royer had a breakout campaign in 2024, totaling 50 catches (breaking a program record for tight ends previously set by Travis Kelce) for 521 yards and three touchdowns on his way to first-team All-Big 12 honors.
Last season, he posted 29 grabs for 416 yards and four touchdowns, while earning a third-team All-Big 12 nod.
He’s a big-bodied pass catcher who can make tough, physical grabs over the middle, presenting a bit of a matchup nightmare with a wide catch radius and decent 4.65 speed. While Royer will need to improve his consistency as a run blocker at the pro level, he’s already more talented at clearing rushing lanes than some of the prospects ahead of him on big boards and his plus-size also gives him a pretty high ceiling in that regard.
Round 5, Pick 169: OG Ar'Maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
With the Patriots' previously mentioned struggles protecting Maye and the team’s possible plans to move incumbent starting left guard Jared Wilson to his collegiate position at center, it seems likely the team will pick up additional interior offensive line depth in the draft.
Selecting Texas A&M‘s Ar'Maj Reed-Adams could be part of how New England shores up this position group, allowing them to bring in a big-bodied lineman who excels at run blocking and has enough versatility to start games at left guard, right guard, and right tackle while in college.
Reed-Adams was once billed as a potential first-round talent after a 2024 campaign that saw him earn a PFF overall grade of 79.7 and a run-blocking grade of 82.4, the latter the second-highest among all qualifying offensive guards in the Power Four conferences.
However, his PFF ratings slid a bit this past season, falling to 69.1 overall and 72.7 in run blocking, a trend that has hurt his previously lofty draft stock.
However, there’s still a lot to like about the Aggies team captain, who started every game at right guard for the program during the 2025 campaign and allowed just a single sack across 680 offensive snaps, earning him second-team All-American honors.
Scouts have criticized his conditioning and the number of penalties he incurs (flagged 20 times in the last two seasons), but with a massive frame and great length (34 3/8’’ arms), the Patriots could get a steal here if Reed-Adams gets into better shape and cleans up those mental errors.
Round 6, Pick 190: DT Nick Barrett, South Carolina
Defensive tackle was arguably among the Patriots' strongest position groups in 2025, but with the availability of Christian Barmore at least somewhat uncertain due to his ongoing legal issues and the price of re-signing Khyiris Tonga reportedly on the rise, New England will probably want to add some youth at this spot.
The team can do so by drafting Nick Barrett out of South Carolina, a lane-clogging run stuffer.
The Gamecocks team captain started all 12 of his team’s games last season, totaling 42 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass deflection, and one fumble recovery he returned 17 yards for a touchdown. While not known for being an explosive athlete, analysts have praised Barrett’s “slow power,” which he uses to eat up space at the line of scrimmage.
Though he doesn’t offer a ton as a pass rusher at the moment, Barrett takes on double-team blocks well, opening up opportunities for his teammates to make plays in the backfield.
The 2025 fourth-Team All-SEC selection has the potential to be a rotational piece for the Patriots' defensive line, and the team has shown some interest during the pre-draft process, having reportedly met with him at the NFL Combine.
Round 6, Pick 201: CB Toriano Pride Jr., Missouri
New England has one of the league’s top cornerback groups, with Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, and Marcus Jones making up a highly talented trio, but going past these three clear starters, the depth at the position starts to get a lot thinner.
Enter Missouri‘s Toriano Pride Jr., a speedy defensive back who can cut his teeth on special teams while working to develop into a player the Patriots could rely on in a pinch.
The Missouri native ran a 4.32 at the NFL Combine’s 40-Yard Dash, which was the best time at his position and sixth fastest among all prospects. Pride’s athleticism score of 75 from NFL Next Gen Stats was the 12th highest mark among cornerbacks in this class, and his 9.14 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10.00 ranked 240th out of 2,779 corners from 1987 to 2026.
He posted 24 tackles, four pass deflections, two interceptions (including one 19-yard pick-six), and a fumble recovery he returned 62 yards across 13 games for the Tigers last season.
Scouts worry Pride may be a bit undersized at the pro level and isn’t a strong enough tackler yet, but he already made strides cutting down his missed tackle rate considerably in 2025, and further unlocking his potential will now be about putting on more muscle mass to bring down ball carriers at first contact rather than getting dragged for additional yardage.
Round 6, Pick 208: RB Adam Randall, Clemson
With the Patriots having already released running back Antonio Gibson following the ACL tear he suffered during the 2025 campaign, the team will be in search of someone to fill that No. 3 role in the backfield next season.
New England could look to solve that need by selecting Adam Randall out of Clemson, who possesses the versatility and special teams experience valued in a depth back.
Randall spent his first three seasons in college football as a wide receiver, but failed to make much of an impact at that position, surpassing 20 catches and 200 yards in a single campaign just once.
However, after transitioning to running back as a senior in 2025, he broke out to become a full-time starter, recording 68 carries for 814 yards (4.8 yards per attempt) and 10 touchdowns, while also grabbing 36 catches for 254 yards and three scores.
The Tigers team captain also saw action as a kick returner, another spot the Patriots need help at, as he returned 9 kicks for 213 yards (23.7 per return). Randall is a strong, physical runner with much better hands than most power backs, given his background as a receiver.
NFL Next Gen Stats gave him an overall score of 72, sixth best among running backs in this class, but noted concerns include his lengthy injury history (ACL tear in 2022, broken hand in 2023, and toe stress fracture in 2024), lack of experience at the position, and poor pass blocking.
Round 6, Pick 211: S Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
The Patriots should make a concerted effort to retain starting safety Jaylinn Hawkins before he finds another suitor in free agency, but they will also likely be keen to draft some insurance at the position regardless.
To that end, the impressively athletic Xavier Nwankpa out of Iowa, who has experience playing both safety spots in college, is an intriguing late-round option to take a chance on.
The Iowa native’s Relative Athletic Score of 9.95 out of 10.00 at the NFL Combine ranked seventh best out of 1,242 qualified safeties since 1987, putting Nwankpa in the 99.43% percentile. He also ran the tenth fastest 40-Yard Dash (4.48) at his position during the annual scouting event and earned a 78 athleticism score from NFL Next Gen Stats, the ninth highest among safeties in the class.
Nwankpa started all 13 games for the Hawkeyes last season, posting an interception, two forced fumbles, and a collegiate career-high 76 tackles, a performance which earned him third-team All-Big Ten honors.
Weaknesses that have been brought up include him being too reactive as a defender in coverage and taking poor pursuit angles on ball carriers. However, there’s still an abundance of athletic potential here that would translate into a solid special teams production at the very least.
Round 7, Pick 248: TE Dan Villari, Syracuse
Doubling up at the tight end spot may seem like a peculiar choice for New England. Still, Syracuse’s Dan Villari would bring such unique versatility to the position that he’d absolutely be worth a flier in the draft’s final round.
The Patriots have apparently been doing their due diligence on the New York native, having reportedly met with him at both the Hula Bowl and the Senior Bowl.
Originally coming into college as a quarterback, he completed 24 of 36 passes for 203 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions during his CFB career. Villari‘s background as a signal caller adds another layer to his jack-of-all-trades skill set, which includes making an impact as a receiver and ball carrier, grabbing 39 catches for 412 yards, while also taking 17 carries for 55 yards and a score last season.
Villari could become a gadget player for New England similar to what Taysom Hill has been for the New Orleans Saints, a prospect that may please the team’s offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, who has dialed up trick plays in the past that have seen players like Julian Edelman, Jakobi Meyers, and Efton Chism III get a chance to throw the ball.
However, he’ll need to improve as a blocker and clean up the occasional drops that have plagued him in order to make it at the pro level.