The New England Patriots have 11 draft picks at their disposal later this month. While that may seem like a wild number, the team made 11 selections last season, and after their rookie season, it looks to be a very solid rookie class.
Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson were key contributors during last season as the team's selections in the first two rounds. New England holds their own picks in the top 64 this season, No. 31 and No. 63.
If the team wants any chance of returning to the Super Bowl in February 2027, they'll need to hit on those two selections. In a recent article from NFL.com's Eric Edholm, Arizona State's Max Iheanachor and Penn State's Dani Dennis-Sutton were named as the ideal additions to the roster in the first two rounds.
Upgrading the trenches should be the primary focus of the Patriots' draft
Edhold believes the trenches should be the priority for New England, and the stats show he's correct. The offensive line allowed a record 21 sacks in four playoff games, allowing 5+ sacks in each matchup. That happened three times during the regular season and didn't occur from Week 10 to Week 18.
To remedy their end of season woes, Edholm has the Patriots selecting Iheanachor at No. 31. He came in at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds at the Combine, but has below-average hand size and arm length compared to NFL tackles.
This season, he didn't allow a sack and had a just 3.1% pressure rate. He was, however, penalized eight times, which has been a legitimate concern through his three playing seasons at ASU: he's racked up 16 in the last three seasons, and he had five in his final four games.
The Sun Devil would succeed Morgan Moses on the right side after this season, operating as an athletic swing tackle option in the meantime. Should he and Will Campbell develop into what fans might hope, the Patriots would have an excellent set of bookends to the offensive line for the next decade.
Dani Dennis-Sutton could be an excellent pick for New England
The Patriots' defense, while top-5 in points allowed during the regular season, ranked 22nd in sacks per game. They lost Khyiris Tonga and K'Lavon Chaisson off their defensive line as well, further necessitating an addition.
Dre'Mont Jones received nearly $40 million to replace Chaisson, but his pass rush production peaked last season, as he's new to the edge position. Even if Jones replicates Chaisson's production, the Patriots need to continue to add to the position, particularly after releasing Anfernee Jennings.
Dennis-Sutton led draft-eligible edge defenders in NextGen Stats' NFL Combine athletic score, recording a 91/99 rating. Coming in at 6-foot-6, 256 pounds, the Delaware native is generally predicted to land somewhere in the mid-second to early-third round range, but given his athleticism, the former may be a more likely final landing spot.
This past season with the Nittany Lions, Dennis-Sutton recorded 42 tackles and 8.5 sacks, both identical totals to his 2024 season. He additionally forced three fumbles, and his pressure rate was just shy of 16%.
He recorded a season high 11 pressures with two sacks against Michigan State, took down Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, forced a fumble against Ohio State, and had a pair of sacks against Clemson. His burst and general athleticism were obvious throughout the season, and combined with his athleticism, it isn't shocking that he's a very well-regarded edge prospect.
Edge is a deep position in this year's draft
What could knock Dennis-Sutton down to Pick 63 would be the sheer number of edge rushers projected to be selected early on in the NFL Draft. PFF ranks Sutton the 67th-best player in the class and 14th among edge defenders when including hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese.
He ranks above Texas Tech's Romello Height and Michigan's Jaishawn Barham, who have been mocked in the first two rounds as well. That's 16 edge defenders that have a very real shot of being selected in the top 64.
The Patriots need to rebuild their defensive front after losing Tonga, Chaisson, and Jennings, and Dennis-Sutton may be the perfect player to do that with.
All in all, the Patriots need to improve in the trenches. The offensive line struggled towards the end of the season, and Morgan Moses is aging, while Dennis-Sutton's burst should offer the squad another horse in their stable of pass rushers.