New England is giving Maye some much-needed protection
By Tyler Sullivan Apr 7, 2026 at 9:43 am ET • 1 min read 
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The New England Patriots burst onto the scene in 2025. In Year 1 of Mike Vrabel's head coaching tenure, the organization saw second-year quarterback Drake Maye ascend to an MVP candidate, while the franchise won the AFC East, the conference as a whole, and found themselves in Santa Clara playing in Super Bowl LX.
That was certainly a momentous start to the Vrabel era, but the blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the big game showed that there is still work to be done. That's where the 2026 NFL Draft comes into focus. New England needs to continue surrounding Maye with top-tier talent so that the franchise can not only get back to the Super Bowl, but also hoist the Lombardi Trophy once they do. Fortunately for the Patriots, they'll have plenty of kicks at the can later this spring as they possess a total of 11 selections at the draft, starting with the 31st overall pick in the first round.
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Below, you can see every selection the Patriots have leading up to the draft, along with our seven-round mock, where we aim to highlight some prospects who could fill various holes on the depth chart.
Patriots' 2026 NFL Draft picks
- Round 1: Pick 31
- Round 2: Pick 63
- Round 3: Pick 95
- Round 4: Pick 125
- Round 4: Pick 131
- Round 5: Pick 171
- Round 6: Pick 191
- Round 6: Pick 198
- Round 6: Pick 202
- Round 6: Pick 212
- Round 7: Pick 247
Patriots seven-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 31
Max Iheanachor OT Arizona State • Sr • 6'6" / 321 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 6th Mike Vrabel got an up-close look at Iheanachor at Arizona State's Pro Day when the Patriots head coach was working with the offensive tackle one-on-one. Clips even showed Vrabel hand-fighting with Iheanachor, which indicates they are taking a hard look at him at No. 31. With Morgan Moses entering his age-35 season, adding a figure like Iheanachor into the fold would give New England two book-end tackles alongside 2025 first-round left tackle Will Campbell. Round 2, Pick 63 
Dani Dennis-Sutton EDGE Penn State • Sr • 6'6" / 256 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 105th POSITION RNK 13th New England needs to add some talent on the edge, especially with K'Lavon Chaisson leaving in free agency. They did add Dre'Mont Jones and still have Harold Landry III, but an injection of youth at this spot is paramount. Dennis-Sutton posted back-to-back seasons with 8.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions and can help against the run. Round 3, Pick 95 
Oscar Delp TE Georgia • Sr • 6'5" / 245 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 139th POSITION RNK 11th REC 20 REYDS 261 YDS/REC 13.1 TDS 1 Tight end is a sneaky need for the Patriots after losing Austin Hooper in free agency, along with Hunter Henry entering the final year of his deal at age 31. The team did bring in Julian Hill from the Dolphins, but he's merely a blocking tight end. Delp is a project but has upside as a pass catcher, making him an intriguing player to bring in and work behind the likes of Henry before possibly taking over in 2027. Round 4, Pick 125 
Ja'Kobi Lane WR USC • Jr • 6'4" / 200 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 168th POSITION RNK 25th REC 49 REYDS 745 YDS/REC 15.2 TDS 4 We've held off on bringing in a receiver until now because we're assuming the Patriots are still trying to land A.J. Brown after June 1. If the pursuit of Brown fizzles, then the team could look to address this position much earlier. That said, Lane could help the Patriots in the red zone after they scored touchdowns on just 55.7% of their trips in 2025 (20th). The 6-foot-4, 200-pound receiver had 12 touchdowns in 2024, but those numbers dipped last season (4 TDs). However, his 15.2 yards per reception were a career high at the collegiate level. There's upside here. Round 4, Pick 131 
Keyshaun Elliott LB Arizona State • Sr • 6'2" / 235 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 175th POSITION RNK 18th The Patriots need to add some depth at inside linebacker behind Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss. Elliott has good size at 6-foot-2, 231 pounds, and is coming off a 2025 season for the Sun Devils where he earned second-team All-Big 12 honors. The Richmond native has also been commended for having a strong work ethic and high character, which seems to fall in line with the type of players Vrabel wants in his locker room. Round 5, Pick 171 
Adam Randall RB Clemson • Sr • 6'3" / 232 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 289th POSITION RNK 18th RUYDS 814 YDS/ATT 4.8 REYDS 254 TDS 13 The Patriots used a second-round draft pick on TreVeyon Henderson last spring, and still have Rhamondre Stevenson on the roster, so they won't be springing for a back much earlier than this in my estimation. That said, the guarantees on Stevenson's contract run out after the 2026 season, so a changing of the guard could be looming in New England's backfield. Randall is a converted wide receiver, but has a great blend of size (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) and speed that could make him an intriguing heir apparent to Stevenson. Round 6, Pick 191 
Jaeden Roberts IOL Alabama • Sr • 6'5" / 333 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 267th POSITION RNK 21st New England added Alijah Vera-Tucker on a three-year, $42 million deal in free agency. While Vera-Tucker has elite skill to be the team's left guard, injuries have been a major question mark for him. Meanwhile, right guard Mike Onwenu is in the final year of his deal. All that makes rolling the dice on a physically gifted prospect like Roberts a worthwhile endeavor, especially if given the time to develop as a depth piece behind Vera-Tucker and Onwenu as a rookie. Round 6, Pick 198 
Trey Moore LB Texas • Sr • 6'4" / 243 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 213th POSITION RNK 24th Moore has some position versatility as he can work off the edge and as an off-ball linebacker, which would give the Patriots depth at two key spots on the depth chart. He's played a lot of football at the collegiate level (46 starts), which could help him adapt quickly at the next level. Round 6, Pick 202 
Nick Barrett DL South Carolina • Sr • 6'3" / 312 lbs The interior of New England's defensive line is arguably one of the stoutest on the depth chart, headlined by Milton Williams and Christian Barmore. That doesn't mean the position should be ignored entirely, however, especially with the guarantees running dry on Barmore's contract after this season. Barrett was a team captain for the Gamecocks and has the physical tools at 6-foot-3, 312 pounds. Round 6, Pick 212 
Lorenzo Styles Jr. CB Ohio State • Sr • 6'1" / 194 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 216th POSITION RNK 20th We're almost obligated to have Vrabel -- a former Buckeyes player and coach -- dip into the Ohio State water in some capacity, right? Of course, Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III headline the secondary. Styles Jr. would factor in as a depth piece (either at corner or safety) and make most of his impact on special teams. Round 7, Pick 247 
Joe Fagnano QB Connecticut • Sr • 6'3" / 226 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 319th POSITION RNK 15th PAYDS 3448 RUYDS 131 INTS 1 TDS 31 The Patriots have their franchise centerpiece in Drake Maye, but that shouldn't preclude them from adding a developmental quarterback behind him and top backup Tommy DeVito. Fagnano is in New England's backyard, playing initially at Maine before transferring to UConn, and had 48 touchdowns and just five interceptions over his last two seasons playing for the Huskies. The 2026 NFL Draft is to take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, PA. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
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