Thursday is the biggest day of the week for New England Patriots fans watching the NFL Combine, and that is because it is the day that edge rushers will work out.

All signs point to New England addressing the pass rush immediately with their No. 31 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

It’s a good year to need a pass rusher, as it is one of the deepest edge rusher classes this century, with eight prospects receiving first-round grades. 

 At the end of the first round, New England will miss out on a lot of the top talent. But there will still be plenty of potential game changers to take a stab at. Here are five names to know. 

Cashius Howell

Cashius Howell is becoming a runaway candidate for New England at 31. However, his official measurables left much to be desired. A lot is riding on his performance this week as a fringe first-round projected prospect.

T.J. Parker

Before the season, T.J. Parker, out of Clemson, was a projected top-15 pick. But his Tigers imploded and nearly every single prospect’s draft stock tanked during the 7-5 season. He could be on the board at the end of the first.

R Mason Thomas

R Mason Thomas, like Howell, is an undersized edge rusher. The Oklahoma Sooner is an explosive speed rusher who plays with a high football IQ. He draws comparisons to New England’s Harold Landry II.

Keldric Faulk

Like Parker, Keldric Faulk was talked about as one of, if not the top, edge rushers in the entire class in the preseason. At 6-foot-6, Faulk is beyond prototype size for an NFL defensive end. He did not produce in his junior year with the Auburn Tigers, but at just 20-years-old there’s plenty to be excited about. He would be a steal at 31.

Akheem Mesidor

Akheem Mesidor is a name that’s coming up more and more in Patriots mock drafts. I don’t see it. That’s because I can’t see a world in which he escapes the top-20. He has polished pass rush moves that resulted in 12.5 sacks in his sixth and final year in college. This is a pipe dream, but sign me up for the 6-foot-3 defender.Â