The New England Patriots made it all the way to the Super Bowl last season, and the team is looking to build off that.
New England could go in a couple of different directions with the 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Patriots have been linked to drafting a couple of different positions, but the team could very well just take the best player available.
Ahead of the NFL Draft later this month, NFL analyst Chad Reuter of NFL.com predicts the Patriots will select Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen at 31.
“The Patriots lock up a team leader in the middle of their defense,” Reuter wrote in an article published on Friday. “Allen’s film shows he can reach ball carriers when they’re in his sights.”
Allen spent three years at Georgia and is a tackling machine. Last season with the Bulldogs, he recorded 88 tackles, four pass defenses, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles as he was a wrecking ball on defense.
Allen can come in and be an immediate starter for the Patriots and help shore up the defense. He can also help be a leader on defense and project to be someone who can run the defense and call the plays.
The Patriots have 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Draft is set to take place on April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
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