The NFL draft is fast approaching. New England Patriots mock drafts abound, and the objective in most is to address the team's needs, no matter what Mike Vrabel said about never doing that. Any NFL team that doesn't attempt to address its needs in the offseason is headed toward the bottom of whatever division in which it resides.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports has cooked up a Patriots' mock draft that seems to have covered almost all the bases.
In the first three rounds, he takes an offensive tackle, an edge, and a tight end in that order. It's a solid start. In the middle rounds and later, he follows up with a wide receiver, two linebackers, a running back, and a guard. So far, so good. He finishes up with lower picks for a defensive lineman, a cornerback, and a quarterback.
While observers may take issue with a few of his selections, he seems to be in lockstep with many mock drafts, which are clearly targeted at improving the Patriots' roster's weak positions. Those seem to get more numerous as players like Marte Mapu are traded or broomed almost daily.
How solid are Tyler Sullivan's choices in his latest mock draft for the Patriots?
Sullivan accomplished the goal of the upcoming draft, as his selections are solid. In the first round, he takes the best available offensive tackle, one of the most important and needy positions on the team.
It's Max Iheanachor of Arizona State. Barring a trade-up, he couldn't have done any better. The Patriots need offensive tackles, and he's the best on the board.
In the second round, he takes a pass rusher, Dani Dennis-Sutton. Sutton is a big, rangy end/edge and gets sacks. He had 17 sacks the past two seasons for Penn State. He's another great fit. In the third round with the team's final premium pick, he goes with a player who lacked a lot of production but is seen as a possible find in Georgia's tight end, Oscar Delp.
Though he had only 20 catches in 2025, he's looked upon as a player with great potential going forward. Three picks, three needs filled. So far, so good.
In the middle rounds, four and five, the Patriots have three picks, and Sullivan goes wide receiver with Ja'Kobi Lane from USC, inside linebacker with Keyshaun Elliott from Arizona State, and running back, Adam Randall from Clemson. Again, he hits the nail on the head. All three positions needed additions.
Lane is a big receiver at 6'4" and a huge red zone target. Elliott is a smaller inside linebacker, but with the departures of Jahlani Tavai and Jack Gibbens, the need is strong. Running back Randall is a big, 6'3", 232-pound converted wide receiver. He's a dual-threat who can do it all from the backfield.
With the team's final five picks, Sullivan stays with need. The Patriots have accumulated four picks in the sixth round, mostly through trades. He drafts a guard, Alabama's huge, 6'5". 333-pound Jaeden Roberts. Then he takes a versatile linebacker in Trey Moore from Texas, followed by defensive tackle Nick Barrett from South Carolina. All are needed picks.
He only deviates from the strategy when he takes cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. from Ohio State and Connecticut quarterback Joe Fagnano.
Patriot Nation should be thrilled if Tyler Sullivan's draft is the Patriots'. He addressed the Patriots' biggest weaknesses on the roster. Whether Mike Vrabel really feels you should never draft for need or not, he'd be well-advised to follow Sullivan's and similar models. Both Vrabel and the team will benefit.
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