Most New England Patriots fans expect the front office to either use the No. 31 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as a trade chip in an AJ Brown deal or use it to select someone who can in some way help Drake Maye continue to improve. That could be either a stalwart offensive lineman or promising pass-catcher.
If they go the offensive line route, which makes sense after their young unit was ripped apart in the postseason, they could either pick from a very deep class of tackles or go the other way and reach for an interior player.
ESPN's Peter Schrager, who has been unusually accurate with some of his mock drafts, has the Patriots using that No. 31 pick to select Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge.
In a sentence that is sure to raise the blood pressure of many Patriots fans, Schrager brought up the name of infamous bust Cole Strange. While he did say the surprise level wouldn't approach that, he seemingly acknowledged that this will be an unpopular pick. However, Schrager said many teams view Rutledge as a Day 1 or Day 2 prospect.
Patriots select Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge in 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Rutledge is a tremendous road-grading run blocker who was dominant at the Senior Bowl and answered many of his athleticism questions with a strong performance at the NFL Combine. The former Yellow Jackets star also showed that he could play center at the Senior Bowl if his team needed him to.
Rutledge is not the best pure technician on the inside, and that can lead to him struggling in pass protection when he can't lean on raw power. He'll need to be coached up, and that will give New England an offensive line that can start as many as three players in either their first or second seasons as pros.
If the Patriots are adamant that Will Campbell is going to stick at left tackle despite the physical concerns, this pick could lock in three-fifths of their offensive line for the next half-decade. Campbell can line up at left tackle, Rutledge would slide in at left guard, and Jared Wilson would kick back to his natural center position. This coincides with Alijah Vera-Tucker arriving to play right guard.
If the Patriots land Rutledge in the second round, they should be jumping for joy. If they use a first-round pick on someone that is almost assuredly going to be picked somewhere on Day 2, that could be a very difficult allocation of resources to get behind.