Going into the 2026 NFL Draft, there was a lot of talk about the Patriots prioritizing the talent around Drake Maye to help him reach the next level after leading his team to the Super Bowl.
They accomplished that with their early selections, drafting a swing tackle and a tight end with a lot of potential, and they have now doubled down on building a wall around the quarterback by selecting Texas A&M starter Dametrious Crownover with pick No. 196.
The 24-year-old adds a massive presence (literally because he's 6'7" and 319 lbs.) to the Patriots' offensive line, as he held down the role of right tackle in college and moved much faster than players typically do at his size.
Crownover immediately adds more competition to the offensive line room, especially since Caleb Lomu was drafted in the first round and is projected to be the team's future starting right tackle, and that's exactly what the Patriots have been lacking around Maye.
Even better, the Texas A&M alum has been practicing all over the offensive line in preparation for the draft, assuming teams will be interested in a player with more versatility. He's right, and the Patriots will utilize that skill.
The Patriots are going all-in to get Drake Maye the kind of protection he lacked in 2025
After watching Maye get sacked nearly 50 times during the regular season, and nearly too many times to count on the road to the Super Bowl, it was clear what Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf needed to prioritize early and often in free agency and the draft.
That explains why left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker was a big signing last month, allowing Jared Wilson to move to his natural position at center. And since then, they have added Lomu in the first round, who is projected to be a swing tackle with a chance to become the starter at right tackle, and now Crownover, who has the same possibility.
The best-case scenario is that they both pan out as starting-level talent, and that's not a bad position for the offense. It's a far cry from the depth and security Maye had in his second season, and fortunately, it shouldn't be an issue moving forward.
Knowing that Crownover, despite being a sixth-round pick, has such a high ceiling only confirms further that Vrabel and Wolf were beyond aware of exactly what derailed their chances in the Super Bowl and won't allow it to be their biggest weakness ever again.
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