Edge and receiver are still positional needs for the Patriots.
Eli Stowers is one of the players being projected as a possible Patriots draft pick. AP Photo/George Walker IV
The second day of the 2026 NFL Draft is here, and the Patriots have a pair of picks to make at No. 63 and No. 95.
New England went with an offensive tackle in the first round, taking Utah’s Caleb Lomu at No. 28 after swinging a trade with the Bills.
So, where do the Patriots go from here? They are once again at the end of the upcoming rounds. They’ve already traded up once, and there are several needs to fill.
Edge-rusher and wide receiver remain positional needs for New England. They could also get younger at tight end. Perhaps they could look at a defensive tackle to even further solidify the defensive line.
As we head into the Day 2 festivities, here’s a round up of what the experts are predicting the Patriots might do.
ESPN
ESPN’s Matt Miller called this a “trenches” draft for the Patriots with Lomu in the fold.
He has New England taking Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound senior who has “the tools to move around the line” at No. 63.
The Patriots have had one of the league’s best run defenses over the last few years, and they’ve got time to develop players up front with Christian Barmore and Milton Williams in the middle.
Their pass-rush lacked punch at times late in the year, but Miller doesn’t have them addressing that here.
He also had New England taking Stanford tight end Sam Roush, a possible replacement for fellow Stanford product Austin Hooper who signed with the Falcons in free agency. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Roush ranked second among tight ends at the combines athletic score test per NFL.com, but has much left to prove in terms of production.
The Athletic
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner also has the Patriots taking a TE/DT tackle on Day 2.
Baumgardner thinks the Patriots will take Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers at No. 63. Another potential weapon for Drake Maye.
“Stowers is not a blocking asset, but he’s one of the most explosive pass catchers in the draft,” Baumgardner wrote about the 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight-end. “His vertical jump (45 1/2 inches) set an NFL combine record for his position.”
He projected run-stuffing Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan to the Patriots at No. 95.
NFL.com
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had the Patriots taking Michigan edge Derrick Moore at No. 63.
“Moore’s production and traits are worthy of a second-round pick if he can keep his motor engaged,” he wrote.
UConn receiver Skyler Bell was the projected choice for the Patriots at No. 95. The speedy 5-foot-11, 192-pound Bell was sixth among receivers in overall athletic score.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports’s Josh Edwards projected Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds to the Patriots at No. 63. At 5-foot-9, 182 pounds, there are concerns about size, but Edwards thinks it won’t be too big of an issue.
“Could Ponds be that next undersized cornerback, like Trent McDuffie, who has the flexibility to line up outside as well as over the slot?” Edwards wrote. “He plays bigger than his size and held his own against some very talented receivers in the Big 10.”
Edwards projected Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham to the Patriots at No. 95. The 6-foot-3, 243-pound senior had just four sacks last season, but could bring an element of speed off the edge.
Khari A. ThompsonSports Reporter
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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