Usually we do our first Patriots Mock Draft of the year the day after the Super Bowl, as a way to usher in the unofficial start of the NFL offseason. This year though, the Patriots were busy well through that (not complaining at all). Now that the dust has settled from their Super Bowl appearance though, it’s on to building for 2026.
This will be a different offseason than the last few. Instead of needing a full roster overhaul with an overwhelming to-do list, the Patriots now have a core to build around. This year is more about targeted additions at specific positions, rather than building from the ground up. That’s something head coach Mike Vrabel shared he told the team in his final speech to them this year.
“I just talked about a disappointing finish to a phenomenal, exciting, enjoyable year. It’s unfortunate. Talked to them about the foundation I think that we’ve built,” Vrabel said in his end-of-year press conference on Tuesday. “Much like a home, you build a home and then run out of things to do, so you continue to add on to it, you finish the basement, you make additions to it, and we’ll try to do that to this football team. I like the foundation of it, and we’ll try to improve on it.”
That’s something we’ll take into consideration here in our first Patriots Mock Draft of the year. Because it’s the first one, it presents a unique challenge of having to project the rest of the offseason ahead. That includes internal free agents, as well as potential free agent additions or other moves.
We’ll highlight those as we go, but there is one overarching take behind this to set the table. Offensively, the Patriots are a younger team with multiple players at key positions on rookie contracts. Meanwhile, the defense is slightly older (not old, just older) with more big-money deals (especially if and when Christian Gonzalez’s extension kicks in). Given that, and the fact they hammered offense in the top 100 of last year’s draft, we’re working off the idea that the big additions on offense (ex. a starting left guard, wide receiver) are coming via free agency and/or trades, leaving them to get younger and more affordable on the defensive side of the ball in the draft. If in realty they don’t, then we’ll change up the approach for Mock Draft 2.0 after the first couple of weeks of free agency.
The other assumption/projection we need to make is the picks on Day 3. While the top 100 selections are locked in, the rest won’t be finalized until the league announces comp picks next month. For now, we’ll be going off of the OverTheCap.com comp pick projections, which are typically pretty accurate. The Patriots don’t have any comp picks so their individual slots won’t move significantly, but the exact spot of the picks from Round 4 on that we’re using here may not be exact. Again, once those numbers become official we’ll adjust.
Unlike past years, there’s a lot more variance in what the Patriots can do in the draft – even once those unknowns mentioned above start to be ironed out. The ultimate goal of these mock draft exercises is to get to know some of the players that might make sense for the Patriots at different points in the draft. There will be plenty of permutations of what this can look like, but here’s one run at it to get things started…
Round 1, Pick 31:
EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
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First things first, yes there’s a strong argument for the Patriots to trade this pick for an established veteran (ex. Maxx Crosby, A.J. Brown, etc). We’ll cover those possibilities as the offseason goes on, but to get started we’ll keep a focus on the prospects.
This is a very strong edge class, so talented players are going to fall. One of them is Mesidor, who rushed at Miami opposite projected high draft pick Rueben Bain. It was Mesidor, not Bain, that led the ACC with 12.5 sacks thanks to his deep and developed pass rush repertoire that balances both speed and power. His 67 pressures was second in the conference behind Bain, and fourth nationally. At 6-foot-3, 265 pounds he’s also a plus run defender, pairing a high motor and good play strength to work his way into the backfield.
So, why is Mesidor one of the edge rushers who might fall? The biggest thing working against him is his age – he turns 25 in April. That age gives him less upside than some of the younger options at the position. That’s the difference picking at 31 instead of in the top five though. For a Patriots team that is now in a ‘win-now’ mode, Mesidor is exactly the kind of player that makes sense as a late-first-round pick.
TRADE!
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-Round 2, Pick 63
-Round 4, Pick 130
The Patriots own 11 picks in this draft, and should be consolidating to move up. Meanwhile the Chargers only have five picks, and should be looking to add volume. It’s a win-win, modeled after a 2023 trade between the Jaguars and Bears.
Round 2, Pick 55 (from LAC):
S A.J. Haulcy, LSU
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Safety is a sneaky need for the Patriots. It won’t be if Jaylinn Hawkins leaves in free agency, but even if he says the team doesn’t have much behind him and Craig Woodson.
That’s where Haulcy looks like a fit – not just as a depth option but as a player that would complement both current safeties and give the Patriots the personnel to run more of the three-safety packages that are becoming more popular around the NFL. At 6-foot, 222 pounds he’s built more like a box safety but his strengths are in coverage – in particular against tight ends. He’s also experienced as a four-year starter between his freshman year at New Mexico followed by two seasons with Houston before transferring to LSU where he was an All-American last year.
Additionally Haulcy is great at just getting his hands on the football. He had 10 interceptions, 19 pass breakups, and four forced fumbles during his college career. For a Patriots’ defense that did a good job of preventing opposing offenses from making plays but didn’t make a lot of plays of its own, he’d bring a playmaking element to the secondary right away.
Round 3, Pick 95:
LB Kyle Louis, Pitt
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Robert Spillane was a huge factor for the Patriots’ defense this year, and his impact showed by how much things regressed when he got hurt. The spot next to him though was inconsistent between Christian Elliss, Jack Gibbens, and Jahlani Tavai.
In particular, Patriots linebackers got picked on in coverage. Louis would be a way to fix that. He’s a high-level athlete at 6-foot, 225 pounds with a great understanding of coverage concepts, and is always around the football. He’s shown promise as a pass rusher as well, and has 10 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss over the last two years – including his All-American sophomore season in 2024.
Given his size Louis may end up being a situational player in the NFL. Still, he could be a third-down chess piece in a defense with talent and flexibility around him, which the Patriots have.
Round 4, Pick 124 (from CHI):
TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
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After investing in the offense in free agency (hopefully you read the open before the mock started), the Patriots make their first offensive selection to start Day 3. In taking Delp, they’re getting younger and more athletic at the tight end position and hopefully setting up a pipeline behind 31-year-old Hunter Henry.
At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds Delp is one of the more well-rounded tight ends in this draft. As a receiver he’s a natural mover both before and after the catch, with good hands. He’s also a factor in the run game, which is something the Patriots should be factoring in for their next tight end, in a draft full of primarily blocking tight ends.
Because Georgia didn’t involve its tight ends in a volume way in the passing game, and Delp split the role with Lawson Luckie (who is returning to school), he doesn’t have the massive production some other players at the position do. But he’s shown ability and potential, and could be a steal outside of the top 100.
NOTE: The Patriots acquired this pick in a draft-day trade last year
TRADE!
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-Round 6, Pick 188 (from Bears, via Chiefs)
-Round 6, Pick 206 (from 49ers)
Another chance for the Patriots to consolidate draft picks. This is similar to a trade between the Eagles and Jaguars in 2022. The Patriots got these picks from the Joshua Uche and Keion White trades.
Round 5, Pick 152 (from TB):
CB Hezekiah Masses, Cal
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In the short term, the Patriots could stand to upgrade their third boundary cornerback spot. Masses would at least provide competition in camp for Alex Austin and Charles Woods. In the long term, Christian Gonzalez should get his extension and be the Patriots’ top corner, but it’s not as clear who will be opposite him with Carlton Davis’ contract not including any guaranteed money beyond 2026. Given what they’ll likely pay Gonzalez, it would help if that player is on a rookie contract. Masses could be a developmental player for that role.
Masses has the size (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) and length to play the Patriots’ system, and has proven himself in man and zone between three years at FIU before transferring to Cal last year. The step up in competition did nothing to phase him – he allowed just 30 catches on 62 targets for 413 yards on 477 coverage snaps last year.
Like with the other defensive back we have the Patriots taking in Haulcy, Masses showcases a playmaking element and style. He was one of the most productive on-ball cornerbacks in college football last season with 13 pass breakups and five interceptions. That aggressiveness can lead to a higher penalty count – he had eight last year – but having a more ball hawk-like corner opposite Gonzalez can work – like the setup the Patriots have now.
Round 5, Pick 168:
OT Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
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After adding their starting left guard in free agency the Patriots don’t take an offensive lineman until the end of the fifth round. Just like some of their other Day 3 picks, this one is about creating a pipeline at a key position.
Wagner was a two-year starter at right tackle for Notre Dame, and showed significant improvement in 2025. He allowed just seven pressures and a sack in 12 games, although four of those pressures came in the opener against Miami.
At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds Wagner has the frame of a tackle but needs to continue putting on size and strength, as well as continuing to progress his technique. But he has the tools to work with, and with Morgan Moses still in the building as a bridge he’d provide the team another option along with Marcus Bryant to be next up at the position.
Round 6, Pick 199 (from PIT):
G Anez Cooper, Miami
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For their second offensive line pick, the Patriots dip back into their Miami connections. They add Cooper to bolster their interior.
Cooper is a 6-foot-6, 350-pound bully who would add an edge to the Patriots’ offensive line. He wins at the point of attack, but needs to improve against power rushers. His performance against Indiana in the National Championship Game should get him some added attention.
In New England, Cooper wouldn’t need to start right away but could be a candidate for either guard spot down the road. With some uncertainty around Mike Onwenu’s contract, there could be a path to him stepping into a bigger role down the road.
NOTE: The Patriots acquired this pick in the Kyle Dugger trade last year
Round 6, Pick 209:
WR Barion Brown, LSU
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Brown’s college tenure has some similarities to another LSU wide receiver the Patriots took in the sixth round – Kayshon Boutte. Like Boutte Brown was a highly-ranked recruit and became a standout freshman. In 2022 for Kentucky he caught 50 passes for 628 yards and fourth touchdowns. However he never really got back to those numbers, including this past year when he transferred to LSU. That was his best season since, with 53 catches for 532 yards and a score.
The traits are still there with Brown. He has elite speed and can make defenders pay after the catch. While his route running is still raw and he’s had some trouble with drops, he did show some promise at the Senior Bowl.
But receiving isn’t why Brown is on here. Sure he’d be a developmental player there, but he could be a game-changing kick returner right away. While the different kickoff in the NFL can make it tougher to tell who translates, he was excellent on returns in college averaging 29.4 yards per return on 65 returns with five touchdowns.
The Patriots were one of the few contenders without a true return threat this year (once Antonio Gibson got hurt), and late in the season and throughout the playoffs the impact those returners can make in the field position battle showed up repeatedly. They should be looking for their answer to guys like Marvin Mims and Rashid Shaheed this offseason, and Brown has the potential to be that player.
Round 7 Pick 245:
RB Kejon Owens, FIU
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The Patriots’ running back depth evaporated quickly last year. With Antonio Gibson a potential unknown coming off a torn ACL the Patriots use their last pick to bolster that room by adding Owens.
Owens would give the Patriots another homerun threat in the backfield with TreVeyon Henderson to spell with Rhamondre Stevenson. He dominated in his first full season as a starter for the Panthers, with 1,334 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games. His 6.4 yards per carry the most among all draft-eligible running backs with at least 200 carries. His 23 15-plus-yard runs were tied with Jeremiah Smith for the most. At 5-foot-11, 210 pounds he also has the build to contribute on special teams.
At the Senior Bowl Owens continued to show out. That includes showcasing some pass-catching ability he didn’t get a ton of chances to prove in FIU’s offense.