The NFL Draft will take place next week and is the best opportunity for teams to work on the last areas of construction in the squad after free agency. For the Super Bowl participant New England Patriots, one topic is particularly in focus.
The Patriots still have a few serious construction areas on their roster in the run-up to the draft, but at the top of the list are certainly the trenches, i.e. both the offensive line and the defensive front.
A possible draft for the Patriots could be that they tackle both positions in the first two rounds and then, above all, improve the squad depth at several important positions.
sport.de-Editor Marcus Blumberg plays out this scenario in a team mock draft about the 2026 New England Patriots.
You can watch the NFL Draft 2026 live from April 24th at 1 a.m. on NITRO and RTL+ for free!
NFL Team Mock Draft: New England Patriots
Round 1 – 31st Pick: Max Iheanachor – OT, Arizona State
New England’s top priority is protecting Drake Maye. Worst case scenario is that Iheanachor starts as swing tackle and then takes over from Morgan Moses as right tackle next year. He’s still a project since he didn’t start playing football until 2021, but he has all the tools to become a starter in the NFL.
Round 2 – 63rd Pick: Dani Dennis-Sutton – EDGE, Penn State
He certainly has the right frame and length for the edge position and can play both 5-technique and standing. He’ll still need to improve, but he should at least be a good rotation player at a position that desperately needs more options behind Harold Landry and newcomer Dre’Mont Jones.
Round 3 – 95th Pick: Malachi Fields – WR, Notre Dame
Fields should be able to play a good role as a big-slot receiver at least once if he gets a little more aggressive. He has good end speed and could also attack outside with his frame. He would fit well into what the Patriots want to do with Maye’s arm, which is to attack vertically.
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Round 4 – 125. Pick: Billy Schrauth – OG, Notre Dame
Another Fighting Irish, because guard is also a position where the Patriots are still fairly well positioned. AVT is an upgrade, but its health and fitness is a big question mark. Schrauth, who mainly played left guard, has his qualities primarily in pass blocking and is therefore certainly a help when it matters.
Round 4 – 131st Pick: Jack Endries – TE, Texas
Endries is a good athlete who is progressing quickly. He is at least a weapon on seam routes, can be positioned anywhere and is a reliable blocker. The Patriots have plenty of room for improvement at tight end behind Hunter Henry, who is entering his final year of contract. And they recently played more often with multiple tight ends. Endries would facilitate this approach.
Round 5 – 171. Pick: Cade Klubnik – QB, Clemson
Sooner or later the Patriots will sign another quarterback, be it on the third day of the draft or after. Klubnik seems like a good depth option at this point. He probably won’t be a starter in the NFL, but Maye needs a long-term backup first and foremost. Klubnik could compete with Tommy DeVito for this role with his game intelligence and good touch.
Round 6 – 191. Pick: Demond Claiborne – RB, Wake Forest
Claiborne, who has a sprinter background, is a typical McDaniels receiving back who has speed and good hands and could thrive as a third-down back. The team certainly has room for a third useful back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, who still has plenty of room for improvement, and Claiborne could be a good pick in Round 6.
Source: PFF Mock Draft Simulator
Round 6 – 198. Pick: Tanner Koziol – TE, Houston
The huge Koziol is more of a classic in-line tight end, but can also act as a big slot. He has a large catch radius and is well equipped for contested catches. He would be a good addition to Henry and Endries (see above).
Round 6 – 202. Pick: Cole Brevard – DL, Texas
In real life, we are certainly at a point in this area where one could or even will trade such picks. But for this exercise, Brevard is the pick. He brings another option to what is actually a well-stocked defensive line. He was solid in college in the pass rush and a little better against the run.
Round 6 – 212. Pick: Jack Kelly – LB, BYU
The Patriots will certainly prefer to draft a linebacker higher up, but one was never available at the right time in this mock draft. But Kelly fits into Mike Vrabel’s scheme because he is athletically useful, showed good range and was pretty decent in coverage. He also performed well as a blitzer.
Round 7 – Vincent Anthony Jr. – EDGE, Duke
Drafting Anthony in Round 7 as a pass rush project certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing. He has very good stature and length for his position, but urgently needs to put in extra shifts in the weight room and learn to use his body better and more aggressively. But with the right coaching, something could happen in the long term.
