The New England Patriots have had a pair of exciting drafts since Mike Vrabel became the head coach. The team has made 20 selections over the last two years, seven of which were made in the first three rounds.
While both classes still have a long way to go, it appears they will each play major roles in the team's success over the next decade, with some players already becoming cornerstone pieces. Last season, Will Campbell started at left tackle as a rookie, while Jared Wilson started next to him at left guard.
TreVeyon Henderson had over 1,100 total yards, and Kyle Williams had a trio of touchdowns. Craig Woodson was a starter on one of the NFL's best defenses, while Andy Borregales also played a key role as a kicker. His game-winning field goal against the Bills in Week 5 secured a key divisional win for New England.
2026 promises an exciting batch of players, too. The team traded up for both Caleb Lomu and Gabe Jacas in the first and second rounds. At the same time, Eli Raridon is likely to have a larger role than expected as a rookie following a season-ending injury to Julian Hill. Players like Karon Prunty, Dametrious Crownover, and Namdi Obiazor are interesting Day 3 fliers.
The Patriots must continue to stack good drafts in 2027 and beyond
The focus for New England, of course, will be returning to, and hopefully winning, the Super Bowl in 2027. From Eliot Wolf's perspective, though, ensuring New England's scouting department is up to par ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft will also be a priority.
The Patriots made the bold move of sending a 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia for A.J. Brown, meaning the first selection in the 2028 NFL Draft won't come until Day 2.
Giving up a first-round selection is a high price to pay for any player, but given the team's Super Bowl window, getting a star like Brown in exchange is worth the gamble.
Given that the Patriots won't have a selection in 2028 to continue to build their squad, a strong selection in 2027 will be key. The team's edge defense could stand to improve, but the selection of Jacas helps reinvigorate the position's future. Elijah Ponder was encouraging as a rookie, and Bradyn Swinson has been reported to be having a strong camp so far.
In a recent Bleacher Report mock, New England forgoes the edge route, and instead adds to a different position on defense.
The Patriots add a cornerback in latest mock draft
With the 28th pick in Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski's mock draft, the Patriots add Mississippi State cornerback Kelley Jones. While it might appear that the Patriots' cornerback room is locked and loaded, Sobleski argues that adding Jones could bring a new dynamic playmaker to the defense.
Despite Christian Gonzalez not yet having a new contract, Sobleski says the plan would be for Jones to play opposite the former Oregon cornerback. Listed at 6-foot-4, opposing quarterbacks completed just 29% of their passes when targeting Jones last season.
New England's selection of Lomu this spring shows the staff's desire to select players a year early rather than a year late. Selecting Jones would stem from a similar ideology. All three starters are still under contract at the end of 2026, but Carlton Davis could be released.
The cornerback had an up-and-down regular season despite a strong playoffs, and at that point would be on the books for $22 million. That's a $10 million increase from 2025. Releasing Davis ahead of the 2027 season would save the team $16.5 million against the cap.
While Sobleski suggests he'd still play out the last year of his deal, it would be an opportunity for the team to save money.
Aside from Christian Gonzalez in 2023, the Patriots haven't selected a cornerback in the first round since 2010 (Devin McCourty), though they have selected 11 defensive backs in the second or third round since then.
Jone, given his size and SEC pedigree, would be a fascinating addition to New England's defensive backfield.
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