The 2026 NFL Draft came to a close in April, and the New England Patriots came out of draft weekend with nine new players. While we're a ways away from April 2027, the draft process has already started for scouts around the league.
In July 2025, I looked at a way-too-early mock put together by Pro Football Network. While these are interesting exercises, they mean very little in the actual draft process. In that mock, the Patriots were picking 14th and selected Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei to bolster the edge. Uiagalelei returned to school and is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
In the second round, New England selected Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. with the 46th pick. Hill was drafted 60th by the Titans this year. Baylor wideout Josh Cameron was the final selection at No. 78. He was selected in the sixth round by the Dolphins.
While a mock like this can offer context for a college football season, it is also a great way to evaluate the Patriots' needs down the line. For a team trying to maximize its window with Drake Maye on a rookie contract, every draft is crucial.
Patriots land help in the front seven in latest mock draft
Round 1, Pick 26: ED Damon Wilson II, Miami
The Patriots still have a lot of questions left to answer on the edge before the 2027 NFL Draft. They traded up for Gabe Jacas in the second round this year, while BC's Quintayvious Hutchins was selected in the seventh.
While they could offer support to an average edge group, that won't be revealed until the end of this season. Furthermore, both Harold Landry and Dre'Mont Jones will be on the wrong side of 30 next spring. No team has ever complained about having too much edge talent.
Wilson had an excellent season with Missouri in 2025, totaling 9 sacks, a forced fumble, and a 16.9% pressure rate. He spent only one season with the Tigers after spending 2023 and 2024 with Georgia, but transferred to Miami ahead of 2026.
The Hurricanes lost both Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor to the draft in 2026, and now Wilson will look to fill their shoes. Standing at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, Wilson has NFL size and the pass-rush acumen to be a contributor from the moment he puts a Patriots jersey on.
Round 2, Pick 58: LB Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
The Patriots cleared house at linebacker this offseason. They let Jack Gibbens leave in free agency, released Jahlani Tavai, and traded Marte Mapu to the Texans for a swap of Day 3 picks. They inked K.J. Britt to a one-year deal and drafted Namdi Obiazor of TCU in the sixth round. Chad Muma is an ex-third-round pick who could also make waves with a strong preseason.
While it appears New England has patched together linebacker depth ahead of the upcoming season, they need better long-term options than they currently have. Robert Spillane turns 31 during the season and dealt with a foot injury in 2025 that kept him sidelined for over a month.
Christian Elliss and Britt will both be free agents. Adding a long-term piece to the room will likely be necessary.
Despite an excellent season in Lubbock last year, Roberts wasn't the best linebacker on his team. Jacob Rodriguez, who finished fifth in Heisman voting, was his running mate. Rodriguez was selected by the Dolphins in the second round of April's draft, allowing Roberts to prove himself without an elite backer next to him.
In 2025, he finished the year with 90 tackles, 4 interceptions, and a pair of forced fumbles. His missed tackle rate was just 8.8%, and his elite 90.5 coverage grade matched his interception total. At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Roberts has the chance to be a top 50 selection in 2027. As of now, he's ranked 49th on PFF's Big Board.
Round 3, Pick 90: WR Brandon Inniss, Ohio State
New England is in an interesting spot when it comes to receivers now, but the room could look far different at the end of 2026. A.J. Brown will be traded to New England in June, likely for a 2028 first-round pick, according to Adam Schefter.
Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and Pop Douglas will all be free agents at the end of the season, but it is a safe assumption that at least one of Boutte and Douglas won't be with the team come the 2026 season.
Aside from Brown, who isn't yet a Patriot, Romeo Doubs, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III are the notable rostered players with contracts that go beyond 2027. By the time we reach the 2027 NFL Draft, adding a wideout in the third round may prove to be a wise decision.
Ohio State's Carnell Tate was selected at No. 4 in April, and Jeremiah Smith is widely considered the No. 1 player in the 2027 class. Tight ends Max Klare and Will Kacmarek were both selected in the top 100 as well. It shouldn't come as a surprise, therefore, that sophomore receiver Brandon Inniss slipped through the cracks in 2025.
Inniss, 247Sports' No. 5-ranked receiver in the Class of 2023, had just 36 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. The four-star recruit will likely be entrusted with WR2 snaps next season, meaning he could easily be a first-round pick by the time we reach April 2027.
If he finishes with 500-700 yards, however, the back end of the top 100 could be his range.
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