2026 Patriots Mock Draft Tracker

Our staff has compiled what the top 'experts' are predicting the New England Patriots will do in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Apr 01, 2026 at 09:00 AM

Pictured is Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell (9). AP Photo.

Our staff has compiled what the top 'experts' are predicting the Patriots will do in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. New England is currently slated to pick 31st.

EXPERT: Vinny Iyer, The Sporting News

LAST UPDATED: April 1, 2026

PICK: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

Iyer's Analysis:
"The Patriots should want to work on getting pass-rush reinforcements and Parker would have appeal for Mike Vrabel with the size and power he can also bring vs. the run."

Click here for Vinny Iyer's full mock draft.

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EXPERT: Mike Dussault, Patriots.com

LAST UPDATED: April 1, 2026

PICK: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri

Dussault's Analysis:
"Young fits the late–first-round profile as a long, powerful edge defender who can stay on the field for all three downs. He wins with strength, leverage and effort more than pure explosiveness, but his ability to set the edge and collapse pockets makes him a strong schematic fit for the Patriots defense. With a stacked edge class, there are other, more explosive pass rushers to consider, but Young's play style and size could help him make a more significant impact than a player who might only play on third downs out of the gate."

Click here for Mike Dussault's full Patriots mock draft.

Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller (78).

EXPERT: Evan Lazar, Patriots.com

LAST UPDATED: April 1, 2026

PICK: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

Lazar's Analysis:
"New England needs to start prepping for life after Moses and its tackle depth behind Moses and starting LT Will Campbell is thin. The draft is also much deeper at immediate positions of need (EDGE) but extremely shallow at tackle. If the goal is to get Moses's replacement in-house this offseason, it's hard to envision doing that without using the 31st overall pick on his successor. Miller made 54 starts at right tackle for Clemson, starting every game since his true freshman season. By selecting Miller, the Patriots would have the best offensive line depth that they've had in years, with Campbell and Miller projecting as starting tackles for the foreseeable future."

Click here for Evan Lazar's full Patriots mock draft.

Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.

EXPERT: Charles Davis, NFL.com

LAST UPDATED: March 26, 2026

PICK: Max Iheanachor, T, Arizona State

Davis's Analysis:
"Plenty of development lies ahead for Iheanachor, but the Patriots have to improve the pass protection in front of QB Drake Maye."

Click here for Charles Davis's full mock draft.

EXPERT: Josh Edwards, CBS Sports

LAST UPDATED: March 26, 2026

PICK: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

Edward's Analysis:
"Veteran Morgan Moses is present in the event Blake Miller is not ready to start the season, but Moses is also 35 years old. If the Patriots could bring in his replacement a year in advance, that is an ideal outcome."

Click here for Josh Edward's full mock draft.

EXPERT: Field Yates, ESPN

LAST UPDATED: March 24, 2026

PICK: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Yates' Analysis:
"The 6-4 Boston would give the team better size than it has in its current corps. He is a smooth-moving, versatile wideout who could make splash plays with quarterback Drake Maye. Boston hauled in 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons, and he dropped only four of his 209 career targets."

Click here for Field Yates' full mock draft.

Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell (9).

EXPERT: Todd McShay, The McShay Report

LAST UPDATED: March 23, 2026

PICK: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

McShay's Analysis:
"Howell's short arms (30 1/4 inches) are a major red flag. NFL teams tend to avoid outliers, and the league hasn't seen a double-digit sack producer in 20 years with sub-31-inch arms. That said, if Howell had a more prototypical build, we'd be talking about him as a top-10 pick—he's that impactful. And honestly, his lack of length rarely showed up on tape. His standout trait is his ability to corner tightly at high speed. He plays with violence, burst (4.59 40, elite 1.58 10-yard split at the combine), and rare change-of-direction quickness. It's not a perfect comp, but the fit makes a lot of sense given the success Mike Vrabel has had with undersized edge rushers like Harold Landry III—first in Tennessee and now in New England."

Click here for Todd McShay's full mock draft.

Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor (58).

EXPERT: Chad Reuter, NFL.com

LAST UPDATED: March 23, 2026

PICK: Max Iheanachor, T, Arizona State

Reuter's Analysis:
"New England's pass-protection issues were on full display in the Super Bowl. The team hopes Will Campbell gets stronger at left tackle, but Iheanachor has no such issues stopping edge rushers from reaching the quarterback."

Click here for Chad Reuter's full mock draft.

EXPERT: Alex Barth, 98.5 FM The Sports Hub

LAST UPDATED: March 23, 2026

PICK: Blake Miller, Tackle, Clemson

Barth's Analysis:
"Miller stands 6-foot-7, 317 pounds but moves very well for a player his size. He's also experienced with 54 college starts, 52 of which came at right tackle. He needs to sure up his technique, but those issues are more minor tweaks than a major overhaul. The fact that most of the first round tackles are right tackles pushes him down the board a bit too. He'd project as a player that should be ready when the Patriots need him, whether it be midway through 2026 or in 2027 if they get another full year from Morgan Moses."

Click here for Alex Barth's full mock draft.

EXPERT: Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

LAST UPDATED: March 23, 2026