Expectations were high for the Patriots going into the 2026 NFL Draft, as they assembled an impressive group last year, all of whom made an impact on the season in one way or another. It was quite a bounce-back from Eliot Wolf, whose 2024 class was immediately forgettable and regretable, but the same couldn't be said this time around.
Replicating that this year would be difficult, particularly since experts weren't as high on the incoming prospects, but the Patriots managed to select some top talent at positions of need and received high marks for their early selections.
Once they got to the mid rounds, however, analysts weren't exactly thrilled with who they chose. The worst feedback came from their fifth-round selection of Wake Forest cornerback Karon Prunty, as many draft experts predicted he would go undrafted.
It was immediately deemed a reach for Wolf and Co., and that label will unfortunately follow Prunty until he proves he was worth the risk, but there is an interesting plot twist to the decision that Patriots fans surely weren't expecting.
Pro Football Focus actually have him as their highest-graded pick of the weekend.
The least expected Patriots' rookie was graded the highest by PFF
While reviewing all 32 teams and their draft classes, the experts at PFF chose each team's highest-graded selection and highlighted him within their reviews.
For the Patriots, that was Prunty, which certainly was not expected, and that provides a lot of optimism for what he can do in the NFL, especially after so many analysts were condemning the selection rather than trusting the Patriots knew what they were doing.
"Prunty’s 2025 campaign was driven by an 86.8 overall grade, with strong coverage efficiency: he allowed 20 receptions for 220 yards on 45 targets, two touchdowns, one interception and six pass breakups, for a 65.0 passer rating in his coverage.
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with 31.75-inch arms, he pairs above-average size with solid testing — a 4.45 40-yard dash (84th percentile) and an 86th-percentile three-cone — which shows up in his ability to stay in phase and close on throws."
While they still mention that he went unranked on their big board, PFF believes he would be a valuable addition, and he has starting upside with further development. That's a far better projection than what some are giving him credit for, and not entirely unexpected for a late fifth-rounder.
Fortunately for Prunty, he's in good hands with a solid coaching staff and great mentors to learn from in Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez. Not to mention, the rest of the secondary has tremendous talent as well, putting the rookie in a good position to learn and thrive early on.
It's a much better situation than analysts are giving the Patriots credit for, and if the experts at PFF are right, they may have an underrated talent who could help shape their future cornerback room.
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