The New England Patriots enter the 2026 draft with a lot of needs, beginning with the offensive line and edge. There are several others, but one that isn't a major need is quarterback. Regardless, every NFL team needs at least three.
As of the moment, the Patriots have Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito, and that's it. One who shouldn't be on the list for draft consideration is Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt, an undersized quarterback, according to an article by Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report.
With Maye and DeVito on board, there is no need at all for the Patriots to waste even a lower-round pick on a quarterback. Those who think these are throwaway picks can just recall gems from the past like Tom Brady, a sixth-rounder, the Broncos' Terrell Davis, a sixth-rounder, and Julian Edelman, a seventh-round pick.
Other Patriots who've shone from later rounds include Ted Karras and Mike Onwenu, two solid NFL guards who were also sixth-round picks.
All of those picks should be used to take fliers on players who may not have all the combine-related "requisites" for NFL competence, but who make it up for phony stats in what can't be measured, heart. There are no wasted draft picks in the NFL draft if used on positions of need, just opportunities waiting to happen.
The Patriots don't need to draft any quarterbacks in 2026
As Zucker noted, though talented, Pavia isn't a prototypical NFL quarterback. While that might be intriguing, there are character concerns that come with bringing in the former Vanderbilt starter, all of which don't fit what Mike Vrabel is trying to establish in New England.
"Pavia was one of the signature stars from the 2025 college football season. He threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while running for 862 yards and 10 scores. Suffice it to say, there are a lot of questions about how Pavia's game translates from college to the pros.
At 5'10", he's undersized for the position ... and lacks the raw tools to make up for that. B/R NFL scout Dame Parson wrote that Pavia has 'spotty decision-making' and 'still struggles to read defenses post-snap'".
Pavia's size seems to work against him in his quest for an NFL career. Yet, no player can be counted out, especially after excelling at the collegiate level. Regardless, the Patriots have too many other needs to fill to waste even one of their four sixth-round picks or their seventh on a quarterback, no matter who he is.
The place to bring in a potential No. 3 quarterback like Pavia is in undrafted free agency. There, they can bring in a couple or a few and see who might stick as quarterback No. 3.
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