The New England Patriots have made their fair share of draft-day trades through the years. Most recently, they moved back from Pick 14 to Pick 17 in 2023 and still managed to grab Christian Gonzalez. They made an iconic trade-up in 2012 to nab Dont'a Hightower after selecting Chandler Jones earlier in the draft.
I wouldn't expect any outlandish moves this offseason, but unforeseen decisions are the theme of Rob Rang's recent mock draft. Rang has every selection being traded in his recent first-round mock, and while some trades are somewhat ridiculous, New England's move up from Pick 31 to 25 isn't far-fetched.
The Patriots hold 11 picks in this year's draft, and after making 11 selections last year, the odds of them using all of them seem incredibly low. Nonetheless, the shock surrounding Rang's mock comes from who the Patriots select rather than the trade itself.
The Patriots have no reason to trade up this early unless it's for one of their biggest needs
Rang's mock sees New England trade up in the first round, but not for a position viewed as a top need. While tackle, edge defender, and wide receiver have been the most common first-round selections, Vrabel and company add Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to their ranks after making a move up with the Bears.
The Patriots' safety room underwent major changes last offseason. Jabrill Peppers was released during final roster cuts, while Kyle Dugger was buried in the depth chart until his eventual midseason trade to Pittsburgh, where he'd join Peppers.
Jaylinn Hawkins had a breakout year with four interceptions, while rookie Craig Woodson immediately contributed to the back end of the defense. Hawkins left for Baltimore during free agency this year, while the Patriots brought in First-Team All-Pro Kevin Byard to replace him.
The former Titan spent six years with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee and led the league in interceptions last season.
While top-end talent in 2026 isn't likely to be an issue, there are concerns about depth, and rightfully so. Dell Pettus, Mike Brown, and John Saunders Jr. are the current backups. Pettus played 143 defensive snaps last season, while Brown played 4. Saunders didn't see action. 147 snaps between a trio of backup safeties is a concerning lack of experience.
Safety is a bigger need than originally thought
New England's lack of depth, combined with Byard's age (33 in August) and contract status (a one-year deal), should lead them in the safety market.
In January, I mocked McNeil-Warren to the Patriots, and it's easy to understand why, even then, he was a potential first-round addition. McNeil-Warren is a sure tackler, sporting an 11.3% career missed tackle rate, and has shown versatility as both a deep and box safety. He also has over 200 career slot snaps.
Looking at what Nick Emmanwori did for Seattle's defense in a wildcard role last season, McNeil-Warren being looked at by teams that don't necessarily have an immediate need at safety shouldn't be a surprise.
If the Patriots can harness his tackling and he continues to display versatility, they could select the Rocket as both an immediate contributor and Byard's long-term successor.