Over the last two offseasons, the New England Patriots have shelled out $550 million in free agency and have made 20 draft picks. Their conscious effort to completely restructure their team has been very successful, with a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance in 2025 and high expectations for the 2026 season.
The team no doubt has its sights set on the 2026 season, but Eliot Wolf and company are certainly keeping tabs on collegiate stars ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Patriots still have plenty of questions to answer over the next year before we reach the 2027 offseason, but the top position of need is widely viewed as edge rusher. In a recent mock draft from CBS's Mike Renner, the Patriots forgo adding to the edge and instead add another receiver to their ranks.
Patriots select Indiana receiver Charlie Becker in latest mock draft
Renner projects New England to add Charlie Becker, one of Fernando Mendoza's favorite targets, in his recent mock draft. Becker, a 6-foot-4 sophomore from Nashville, had 34 catches for 679 yards and four touchdowns last season. He averaged 20.0 yards per catch.
Becker played very well toward the end of the season. After not having more than two catches in a game during his first five matchups, he finished with 118 and 108 yards against Penn State and Wisconsin, respectively. In the Big Ten Championship, he finished with six catches for 126 yards, a career high. He had 8 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns across three playoff games en route to Indiana's National championship win.
Despite the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this offseason, the Patriots' receiver room is likely to see significant turnover at the conclusion of the 2026 season. Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and Pop Douglas all have expiring contracts, leaving only Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III as the notable receivers under contract.
While UDFAs like Kyle Dixon and Cameron Dorner could offer depth down the line, it's unlikely they'll have many opportunities to contribute in 2026. There's a need at receiver, even if it doesn't appear that way.
Is Charlie Becker the right type of receiver for the Patriots?
Becker is talented, but if the Patriots are looking to add to the receiver room, he might not be the best option.
81.7% of the Hoosiers' snaps came on the outside, making him redundant to Brown and Doubs, as well as Williams, who are all under contract in 2027. Becker's special teams experience (216 snaps last season) makes him an appealing candidate for the team's first-round draft choice, but opting for a slot option might be a better plan.
While the Patriots selected Becker with the 26th pick in the mock, a player like Oklahoma State's Wyatt Young, who was selected 32nd by the Rams, could be of interest. Young played two seasons for North Texas, where he thrived with Drew Mestemaker.
Both Young and his QB transferred to Stillwater after the former caught 70 balls for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns. He played 91.7% of his snaps in the slot, which could make him the perfect complement to what New England already has at receiver.
Whether it's Becker, Young, or a third option, the Patriots adding a wide receiver in the 2027 NFL Draft would be both a fun and intelligent selection given the current state of the wide receiver room.
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