Patriots Predicted To Draft Ohio State Star To Bolster Defense originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are several strategies the Patriots could employ during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah believes that New England might opt for a defensive tackle with their 31st pick.
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Jeremiah put together a mock draft on Tuesday, and he had the Patriots selecting Ohio State’s defensive tackle, Kayden McDonald.
“McDonald gives New England a run-stopping force on the interior. He can do the dirty work and let Milton Williams get up the field,” Jeremiah wrote.
The 21-year-old defensive tackle played three seasons at Ohio State, appearing in 34 games and recording 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. He was a rotational player during his first two seasons with the Buckeyes but became a full-time starter last year.
New England should consider drafting McDonald, as he has the potential to develop over the next few seasons while playing alongside someone like Williams.
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However, there’s also a chance the Patriots won’t have a first-round pick this year. They could still possibly trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, which would take them out of the running for McDonald.
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