Patriots Ready For 2026 NFL Draft: Here's Who They Could Pick Thursday Night

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday night in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Patriots are gearing up to hopefully select their next franchise star.

New England holds the 31st of 32 picks in the opening round as a result of losing Super Bowl LX in February. While anything is possible, draft specialists and other media members have narrowed down the positions the team is most likely to target.

Offensive tackle is one position the team is expected to add to in this draft, and it could be as early as the first round for the second straight year. Left tackle Will Campbell had a solid rookie campaign overall, however weaknesses to his game became apparent in the postseason and especially the Super Bowl as the 21-year-old struggled to protect Drake Maye’s blindside. On the other end of the line, right tackle Morgan Moses had arguably the most effective season of his career. However, the need for an eventual replacement may be required as the veteran will be 35 years old for the 2026 campaign.

Blake Miller, Max Iheanachor, and Caleb Lomu are all tackle prospects that could still be on the board by the time the Patriots are due to pick. Miller is a 22-year-old who has started every game at right tackle for the Clemson Tigers throughout the last four seasons. He is believed to be “pro-ready” due to his experience and consistency. Iheanachor is different from Miller, as he has less experience playing the position and the sport but is considered an elite athlete. The Nigeria native did not start playing football until 2021 when he was at junior college in Los Angeles. He transferred to Arizona State in 2023, where he became the full-time starter at right tackle in 2024.

Lomu plays the more “premium” position of left tackle and did not allow a single sack while playing for Utah this past season. The 21-year-old may be off the board by the time pick 31 comes around, however the Patriots may be remiss not to select him if he is still available.

Defensive edge rusher is another position that would make sense for the team to focus on. Journeyman veteran K’Lavon Chaisson had a relatively unexpected year of resurgence in 2025, however the seven and a half sack artist has taken his talents to Washington D.C. His starting counterpart Harold Landry III got off to a promising start for New England until a knee injury derailed his production.

Zion Young has appeared as the Patriots’ selection on the mock drafts of many NFL media members. The 22-year-old broke out at Missouri in 2024 after transferring from Michigan State. The six foot six-inch-tall pass rusher was named the best in the Southeastern Conference at his position last year as he racked up 16.5 sacks. He is considered to be a versatile player who can also assist in run defense in addition to pressuring the quarterback.

Clemson’s T.J. Parker is predicted to still be on the board by the end of the first round. The junior had a standout 2024 season with 11 sacks and a school record six forced fumbles, however a return to the mean in 2025 may have lowered excitement for the 263-pound pass rusher by NFL teams. Parker is nonetheless perceived as another “complete player” that the Patriots franchise has been known to prioritize historically.

Akheem Messidor may be the least likely prospect to not have been already selected when New England is on the clock. The former Miami Hurricane racked up 12.5 sacks for the National Champion runner-ups in 2025 along with fellow first-round prospect Reuben Bain Jr. The detractors that could lead to a draft fall for Messidor include his age, as 25 is considered older for a player entering the NFL. In addition, Messidor tore ligaments in each foot in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Wide receiver has been floated as the third premium position the Patriots may prioritize despite the free agent addition of Romeo Doubs and the all-but-guaranteed trade for Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro A.J. Brown. Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston has praised Texas A&M’s K.C. Concepcion as an “explosive play machine” who specializes in earning yards after the catch and separating from courage quickly.

The 21-year-old is approximately six feet tall and weighs less than 200 pounds. One area where the receiver struggled in his collegiate career was with drops, as he totaled 19 in three seasons, equaling to approximately 10 percent of total targets.

Of course, New England could end up trading out of their pick to move forward or backward in the draft. Historically, the organization has been known to move out of its first-round position when it is picking toward the bottom to accumulate more draft capital. With the expectation that the upcoming trade for Brown will cost them picks in future drafts, it may be logical for them to add more equity in picks by trading out of the 31st spot.

Here’s where the Pats will draft over the coming days:

• 31st (Round 1)
• 63rd (Round 2)
• 95th (Round 3)
• 125th (Round 4)
• 131st (Round 4)
• 191st (Round 6)
• 198th (Round 6)
• 202nd (Round 6)
• 212th (Round 6)
• 247th (Round 7)