Patriots 7-round mock draft lays foundation for Drake Maye-led dynasty

Safe to say the next potential New England Patriots dynasty is ahead of schedule. Drake Maye took a huge leap in Year 2 and led the Pats to a Super Bowl berth. Although the Seattle Seahawks overwhelmed the young quarterback in the grand finale, Maye has a bright future ahead.

That future could look a whole lot better if New England nails the 2026 NFL Draft. It's always tougher picking near last in the pecking order, but what a nice uptown problem to have, eh?

Armed with 11 draft picks to play with, we could see the Patriots move all over the board, particularly with eight Day 3 selections. Most of the focus should be on building defensive depth, but to kick off this seven-round mock draft, we're giving Maye a shiny new toy to throw to.

Patriots 7-round mock draft headlined by Drake Maye's newest weapon

Round 1, Pick 31 — Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

Veteran tight end Hunter Henry is entering a contract year and turns 32 in December. It's time to look for another pass-catching security blanket for Maye at the position. That's where Vanderbilt playmaker Eli Stowers could be a big help.

Stowers functions almost more as a jumbo slot receiver than a traditional inline tight end. If anyone can get that inner dawg to come out of Stowers in the run game, it's an unusually hands-on head coach in Mike Vrabel and a seasoned offensive staff led by legendary play-caller Josh McDaniels.

The Patriots solidified their receiving corps by signing Romeo Doubs in free agency. They don't have a good contingency plan for Henry, never mind someone like Stowers, whose 4.51 40 speed can stretch the seam, and whose 45.5-inch vertical leap makes him a lethal high-point red zone threat.

Round 2, Pick 63 — Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan

To cap off his time in Ann Arbor, Derrick Moore logged a solid 10-sack campaign that only looked better through the prism of PFF's advanced metrics. His 92.4 pass rush grade and 19.8% pass rush win rate should translate to immediate value at the NFL level.

Those numbers suggest Moore would be quite the steal late in Round 2. He'd most likely be the next edge rusher in the Patriots' rotation behind Harold Landry III and splashy free agent Dre'Mont Jones.

Round 3, Pick 95 — Zxavian Harris, DT, Ole Miss

This might be a touch early for Zxavian Harris, but it's not a stretch to believe some team in the top 100 will fall in love with his remarkable 6'8", 330-pound frame.

Harris' missed tackle rate dropped from 20% on 343 snaps in 2024 to just 8% on 575 snaps last year, per PFF. Sounds like the type of trajectory and implicit coachability the Patriots would covet to bolster their interior d-line.

Round 4, Pick 125 — Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon

This is one of two positions I have the Patriots double-dipping in with this hypothetical rookie class. Every meaningful linebacker on New England's current roster is on an expiring contract, save for Robert Spillane. Unless another veteran addition comes along, someone like Bryce Boettcher is a savvy investment for the future.

Check out the production on Boettcher over the last two years: 230 combined tackles (13.5 tackles for loss), three sacks, two interceptions, 10 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles. He's a classic green dot linebacker and fits the Patriots' DNA as a walk-on who worked his way up to first-team All-American status.

It's possible that Boettcher's best football is ahead of him, too. He was juggling a promising baseball career before focusing on the gridiron full-time. The Houston Astros even drafted him in 2024.

Round 4, Pick 131 — Michael Taaffe, S, Texas

Speaking of fitting the Patriot Way like a glove, Texas safety Michael Taaffe fits that description as well. He's another former walk-on who earned second-team All-America honors two seasons ago and cracked the first team this past year.

Armed with loads of big-game experience, Taaffe is undersized at 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, yet he shouldn't be underestimated. The 23-year-old gave up a career 67.2 passer rating for the Longhorns, committing a mere six penalties on 2,074 snaps.

Round 5, Pick 171 — Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame

Incumbent 35-year-old right tackle Morgan Moses could be a cap casualty next offseason who'd save the Pats $9 million. While they could invest in a succession plan earlier than the fifth round, Aamil Wagner is a fine option at this juncture.

Wagner allowed only one sack and two QB hits in 2025. Furthermore, he held up quite well in a matchup against Miami Hurricanes first-round prospect Akheem Meisdor.

Patriots' 7-round mock draft caps off with deep late Day 3 haul

Round 6, Pick 191 — Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M

Round 6, Pick 198 — Anez Cooper, OL, Miami (FL)

Round 6, Pick 202 — Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo

Round 6, Pick 212 — Jalen Huskey, S, Maryland

Round 7, Pick 247 — DeVonta Smith, NB, Notre Dame

Dating back to Vrabel's playing days, the Pats have made a living off rugged defensive tackles and linebackers who won't wow scouts with raw athletic testing figures. They could find two of those types in the sixth round with Texas A&M run stopper Tyler Onyedim and Buffalo takeaway machine Red Murdock.

Onyedim had an excellent 11.7% run stop rate for the Aggies, which is a number more often associated with a traditional nose tackle, not a 6'3.5", 292-pounder facing SEC competition. As for Murdock, he clocked a 4.7 40 at his pro day, but he forced 17 fumbles over the last three years.

Miami right guard Anez Cooper would offer New England a solid backup option behind Mike Onwenu, who is due for free agency in 2027. Cooper is a mountain of a man at 6'6", 334 pounds, and allowed only one sack and nine pressures on 550 pass blocking snaps this past season.

To finish off, the Pats fish for secondary depth by drafting Maryland safety Jalen Huskey and Notre Dame nickel DeVonta Smith.

Huskey allowed only four TDs against 11 interceptions in three years as a starter, with a career missed tackle rate of only 10%. Smith is an excellent athlete who could be a contributor on special teams. He showed out at Notre Dame's pro day with a 43-inch vert and a 6.83-second 3-cone drill, per Essentially Sports' Tony Pauline.