With all of the offensive positions covered, our 2026 NFL Draft positional preview moves to defense. If you missed any of the offense, or just want to revisit, those can all be found on our Offseason Hub page here.
We’ll start defense with the front – both defensive tackles and edge rushers. Both are needs for the Patriots, but to varying levels.
Edge rusher is arguably the biggest need for the team, as has been the case all offseason. They ranked tied for 22nd in sacks last year, and were middle of the back in defending the outside run. So far this offseason they’ve lost more than they’ve added, signing Dre’Mont Jones but having K’Lavon Chaisson leave in free agency and releasing Anfernee Jennings. With Harold Landry coming back from offseason knee surgery, there are a lot of unknowns at the position.
At defensive tackle the team has just one offseason loss in Khyiris Tonga. However Tonga was a key part of the Patriots’ run defense, and while there are some options in-house to compete for that role adding another nose tackle would make sense.
Luckily for the Patriots, this draft is deep at both positions – especially edge rusher. We’ll start there as we get going on learning the defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Top of the board
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Part of the reason this edge class is so deep is there are multiple top 10-caliber players at the top of the board. With more blue-chip prospects than usual, mid- to late-first-round picks will be pushed further down the board.
David Bailey from Texas Tech and Rueben Bain from Miami are both expected to be top-10 picks this year. The same goes for Arvell Reese from Ohio State, who is listed as both an edge rusher and off-ball linebacker in varying places and realistically can play both positions in the NFL – it will be up to whatever team that drafts him to decide how to use him best.
Then there’s Keldric Faulk from Auburn, who is regularly mocked in the top 20. Even if he were to fall, it would likely mean an extreme trade up for the Patriots to have a shot at him. Akheem Mesidor from Miami is a more realistic faller given he’ll be a 25-year-old rookie, but his play strength and ability to make plays against the run and the pass should get him top-20 looks.
Targets at Pick 31
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Assuming all of those players come off the board before the Patriots’ pick, they’ll still have plenty of options if they want to take an edge rusher with their first selection. The names to know here are Cashius Howell from Texas A&M, T.J. Parker from Clemson, Zion Young from Missouri, and Malachi Lawrence from UCF. All have playmaker potential, but their makeup does come with a question that pushes them to the end of the first round.
Howell has quickness, bend, and power that led to a highly-productive season last year in a Texas A&M defensive system that doesn’t always facilitate stats for players at his position. He finished the year with 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 13 games. As he continues to build on his pass rush moves, he’ll become a more nuanced rusher on top of what he did in college.
However, there are questions about his size. He measured in at the Combine at 6-foot-2, 253 pounds but with 30 1/4-inch arms. That’s the shortest measurement among edge rushers at the Combine since 1999. If not for that, he has the makeup of a top-20 pick. Would the Patriots take a chance on a talented but short-armed player in the first round for the second year in a row?
Parker’s breakout season came in 2024 when he had 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. A power rusher who uses his hands well, he was initially projected to go in the top half of the first round of this draft but regressed this past season with just five sacks (as the Clemson program as a whole struggled). The question teams will have to answer is, which is the real version of Parker – 2024 or 2025?
Young is another power player, but played mostly with his hand in the ground in Missouri. Fitting him into a system where he’ll be more of a standup rusher – which would probably be the case in New England – is more of a projection. He doesn’t have the pass rush production of some of his peers but as a 22-year-old rookie still has room to grow. A DUI charge from December is also something teams will have to look into.
Lawrence has been one of the fastest risers during the pre-draft process, especially after his strong performance of the Combine. He’s an explosive speed rusher who not only regularly gets into the backfield, but knows exactly what to do when he’s back there. He’s not just somebody who creates havoc, but finishes plays as well. There’s questions about the level of competition he faced this year, but he has a lot of tools to work with.
First-round defensive tackles
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A first-round defensive tackle might seem like a lot for the Patriots with Milton Williams and Christian Barmore at the top of the depth chart and players like Cory Durden, Leonard Taylor, Eric Gregory, and Joshua Farmer offering depth. The team might feel differently though, as they met with Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald for a top-30 visit.
Unlike most of the defensive tackles on the Patriots’ roster, McDonald is a pure run stopping nose tackle at 6-foot-2, 326 pounds. He doesn’t just eat blocks, but gets off of them and makes plays. The question is, would the Patriots invest their top pick in a player that would likely only play on early downs right away.
Peter Woods from Clemson and Caleb Banks from Florida are more rushing defensive tackles similar to the players the Patriots already have on the roster. Woods, like his teammate Parker, was better in 2024 and teams will have to make sense of that drop-off. Banks is raw but an elite athlete, at 6-foot-6, 327 pounds. He also dealt with a nagging foot injury last year, which popped back up at the Combine and required surgery.
‘Bridge’ edge rushers
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While the top of the edge class is strong, it has depth too. So while it’s the Patriots’ biggest need, there’s an argument to be made for them to address a position with less depth in the draft (tackle? receiver?) knowing there should still be talent down the board. With extra picks in the fourth and sixth rounds, they also have the assets to move up the board.
That’s where this next group of edge rushers comes in. They may not be in the conversation at Pick 31, but won’t make it to Pick 63. Could the Patriots move up and get one? Trade-up candidates include Gabe Jacas from Illinois, R Mason Thomas from Oklahoma, and Derrick Moore from Michigan.
For how much the Patriots have preached ‘violence’ on defense, Jacas seems like an ideal fit. He’s a high-motor player with a wrestling background, which is clear in his physical play style at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds. Not only does he make blockers work to the whistle, but when he gets in the backfield he makes plays, with three forced fumbles each of the last two years. He has the strength to set the edge as well, giving him three-down potential. Jacas was also a team captain for the Illini last year.
Thomas is the opposite kind of rusher – a pure speed player who flies off the edge and around the corner. With good explosiveness and bend he’s a tough matchup for slower tackles, especially when he can just pin his ears back and go. At 6-foot-2, 241 pounds with 31 5/8 inch arms he’s on the smaller side, which might limit him to just a passing down role. For teams looking for a dedicated pass rusher though, there’s a lot to like.
As for Moore, he’s a technical rusher with a deeper toolbox of moves. At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds his game is based on power but he can go beyond that when needed. He has the physical tools to be a better run defender than he was in college, suggesting more upside there. Last year was a breakout year for Moore with 10 sacks, so he’s a player trending in the right direction at 23 years old.
‘Stick and pick’ Day 2 edge rushers
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If the Patriots stay in their assigned Day 2 slots they still should have a chance to grab an edge rusher who could make an impact as a rotational player in Year 1. Starting at Pick 63 that player is Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State. Sutton’s case is similar to Parker’s – he had a strong 2024 but failed to build on it as the program around him faltered in 2025. Teams will have to ask themselves which is more reflective of the player he is – further complicated by the fact that he was playing opposite 2025 third-overall pick Abdul Carter last year.
When Sutton is on he explodes off the end to cause havoc in the backfield against the run and pass, although he’s a stronger run player. Penn State would take advantage of his athleticism at times and drop him into coverage too, where he had eight pass breakups and two interceptions in his career. However his technique still needs work, which showed up more often in 2025.
At Pick 95, options include Joshua Josephs from Tennessee, Romello Height from Texas Tech, L.T Overton from Alabama, and Keyron Crawford from Auburn.
Josephs and Height are pure speed rushers, while Overton at 6-foot-3, 274 pounds is more of a traditional run-stopping defensive end. Crawford stands out from this group as a stylistic Patriots fit, at 6-foot-4, 253 pounds. He was tasked with a number of different assignments in the Auburn defense last year, in his first season as a full-time starter in the SEC (he played a starting role for Arkansas State in 2023 before transferring). He didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school so he’s still developing technique, and plays an aggressive style that both helps and hurts him at times. His athleticism, toughness, physical nature, and experience in the Auburn defense offer a lot to work with though.
One last player to know here is Jaishawn Barham from Michigan. He mostly played off-ball linebacker in college, but his skillset might translate better to being an edge rusher in the NFL. Different teams will likely have different plans for him at the next level.
Day 2 defensive tackles
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When it comes to the defensive tackles on Day 2 of this draft, they fit into two groups. There are the run-stopping nose tackles, and undersized athletic rushers. Players who have the size and ability to play both roles (ex. Banks) typically are first-round picks.
If the Patriots trade slightly back from Pick 31, or way up from Pick 63, Lee Hunter from Texas Tech is the nose tackle in that range, and Christian Miller from Georgia is the rushing tackle.
The more realistic conversation comes around Pick 95, or a slight trade up. Domonique Orange from Iowa State is the player to know here, and profiles kind of similar to Tonga – who the Patriots need to replace. The 6-foot-2, 322-pound nose tackle is primarily a run stuffer, but has the burst to make plays in the backfield at times rather than just plug gaps. That also makes him not completely out of place as a pass rusher – he’s not going to play on third-and-longs, but he’s not a liability on the field on intermediate downs.
Also at that range, Gracen Halton is a smaller, quicker interior rusher. Darrell Jackson Jr. from Florida State is more of a project player who has size and length at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds with 34 3/4-inch arms, but struggles against more technically-sound blockers.
Early Day 3 edge rushers
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It would be a major surprise if the Patriots don’t add an edge rusher at some point in the top 100. That being said, a double-dip does make sense as the Patriots need depth in addition to a player at the top of the depth chart.
Two players to know here are Caden Curry from Ohio State and Anthony Lucas from USC. Curry, at 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, flew up draft boards this year. In his lone season seeing significant playing time he was dominant as a pass rusher with 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for a loss in 14 games.
He wins mainly with power, but is developed for a rusher who hasn’t played a lot of football (hadn’t played more than 231 snaps in a season before 2025). His game has some versatility too, with experience both inside and dropping into coverage. Teams will need to bet on 2025 being a trend and not an anomaly, but for a team like the Patriots that has done a good job developing edge rushers he makes sense.
Lucas is more of a project player. He’s never had more than three sacks in a season, which came last year. At 6-foot-5, 256 pounds he has the size and length to play in the NFL and plays with good power, but his rush plan is still being developed.
Max Llewellyn from Iowa and Mikail Kamara from Indiana also project in this range, but are not as strong of fits stylistically.
Late Day 3 edge rushers
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Moving on to later Day 3, where a double dip makes more sense. At this point teams are often looking for individual traits, or small school players who may have failed to separate themselves during the pre-draft process.
Let’s start with the second option. Nadame Tucker was a monster for Western Michigan this year, with a nation-leading 21 tackles for loss to go along with 14.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 13 games on his way to being named a third-team All-American. That was his only year as a full-time starter so there’s significant projection that comes with his game.
In terms of athletic upside, Mason Reiger from Wisconsin was a plus tester at the Combine. At 6-foot-5, 251 pounds he ran a 4.78 40 with a 40-inch vertical. He’s aggressive when it comes to getting up field after the quarterback, but needs to pair that athleticism and motor with rush plan. He also missed all of 2024 with a knee injury, returning last year with five sacks in 12 games.
A true project player is George Gumbs from Florida. He began his college career as a receiver before moving to tight end and then eventually edge rusher. At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds he’s still building out his frame for the position and needs to learn the finer points, but he has the size and athleticism teams look for at the position.
Depending on how much teams value past tape, Patrick Payton from LSU could be a player to know. He had a breakout year for Florida State in 2023, but has failed to match that production the last two years. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds with an up field playing style, he does profile as a Patriots fit.
Early Day 3 defensive tackles
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Starting off the Day 3 defensive tackles is another potential nose tackle fit in Dontay Corleone from Cincinnati. At 6-foot, 340 pounds he’s a pure run player who does a good job of occupying blockers to create chances for others. Part of the reason he’s projected on Day 3 may be his medical history – he suffered a blood clot issue in his lungs in 2024. Given the Patriots’ recent history dealing with blood clots between Christian Barmore and David Andrews, they may have more insight into that situation from their own experience.
Tim Keenan from Alabama fits a similar profile at 6-foot-1, 327 pounds. He’s not as explosive out of his stance as Corleone, but is tough for offensive linemen to move once he gets into his set.
If the Patriots are simply looking for more depth for their pass rushing defensive tackles, Kaleb Proctor from Southeastern Louisiana could be a target. As an athletic, attacking defensive tackle from a smaller school he has drawn some comparisons to Milton Williams during the pre-draft process. At 6-foot-2, 291 pounds he quickly beats blocks and gets upfield to make plays – the question will be how that translates against tougher competition. Zane Durant from Penn State is another plus athlete defensive tackle, with less physical upside but a stronger resume.
The ‘tweener’ player in this group is DeMonte Capehart from Clemson. At 6-foot-5, 313 pounds he’s a good mover but has the size to play the run, and is more of a run stopper than pass rusher. He’s also an older prospect who will turn 24 in July.
Late Day 3 defensive tackles
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Landon Robinson from Navy has gotten a lot of attention in this range. At 5-foot-11, 293 pounds he’s certainly undersized for the position but is one of the best overall athletes in the draft. He ranked 13th on The Athletic’s Freaks List this past year, for benching 465 pounds, squatting 665, while recording a 20.13 MPH top speed on GPS tracking. He does a little bit of everything, with Navy even occasionally giving him the ball on trick plays. For a team that values explosiveness up front, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Patriots were interested in him.
Jordan Van Den Berg is another rare athlete at the position in this range. At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds he recorded an elite Relative Athletic Score, ranking second among all defensive tackles since 1987 behind only Jordan Davis. That athleticism is his carrying trait, and he only really got to showcase it in one full year as a starter in five seasons of college football. In 13 starts for the Yellow Jackets last year he had three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. His athleticism is exciting but he’s a developmental player as an older prospect.
Tyler Onyedim from Texas A&M was a Combine standout, who has three years of starting experience in five college seasons (four at Iowa State, one at TAMU). He’s also undersized at 6-foot-3, 292 pounds and is still developing his pass rush, but has versatility across the line and a first-step quickness that will play at the next level.
In terms of nose tackles in this range, a player to watch is Bryson Eason from Tennessee. Eason was originally recruited as an off-ball linebacker but after putting on size and moving up and inside is now a 6-foot-2, 323-pound nose tackle six years later. He occupies blocks and has the quickness to react to caps opening up, and has shown some pass rush flashes in his career. He’s another older prospect, but makes sense as a depth addition.