The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The New England Patriots have the 31st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 23 in Pittsburgh. The Patriots own 11 total picks in the seven-round draft.
Patriots’ draft picks
RoundPickOverallNotes
1
31
31
2
31
63
3
31
95
4
25
125
From Bears
4
31
131
5
31
171
6
10
191
From Chiefs
6
17
198
From Vikings
6
21
202
From Steelers
6
31
212
7
31
247
“The Beast”: Dane Brugler’s NFL Draft guide scouts 402 prospects
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 23, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 24, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 25, noon ET
About the Patriots
• Executive VP of player personnel: Eliot Wolf (third season in this role)
• Head coach: Mike Vrabel (second season with team)
• Last year’s record: 14-3 (lost in Super Bowl)
After last season’s magical run, the outlook has ramped up for the Patriots. The annual expectations of deep playoff runs have returned. That’s for several reasons, but none more important than Mike Vrabel’s arrival and Drake Maye’s emergence. Overall, the roster is good, but not great. An important draft looms as the franchise searches for more cornerstones at premium positions. Three years ago, they landed cornerback Christian Gonzalez in the first round. Maye came in 2024. Then the Pats drafted left tackle Will Campbell last year. They hope to build the team around those players, but the roster still needs work.
Scouting the decision-makers
The shotgun marriage between Wolf and Vrabel worked better than anyone could have expected last year. With more clarity about what the head coach was looking for, Wolf’s second draft in charge of the front office was much more successful than his disastrous debut in 2024. While there will be plenty of collaboration in the first three rounds, he’s largely in charge of who gets picked on Day 3. At the end of the day, though, the Patriots are Vrabel’s show, especially after the success of last season, and that isn’t lost on anyone.
• The Patriots’ 2025 NFL Draft class
Patriots’ key free-agent signings
• WR Romeo Doubs: Four-year, $80 million deal• LG Alijah Vera-Tucker: Three-year, $42 million deal• Edge Dre’Mont Jones: Three-year, $39.5 million deal• S Kevin Byard: One-year, $8 million deal
Patriots’ key positions of need
Edge rusher: The Patriots signed Jones, who brings positional versatility and can play on the inside. He’s a good run stuffer, but the Patriots need more help in the pass rush from the edge spot. Look for them to draft an edge rusher who can get after the quarterback, even if that player is a bit undersized.
Wide receiver: This is an odd one to include since the assumption around the league is that the Pats will trade for A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles at some point this summer. Until they do, the position remains a need. Perhaps, if the right receiver falls to them at the 31st pick, it could change the likelihood of going after Brown.
Offensive tackle: This isn’t the most immediate need, since New England is content to roll into next season with Campbell at left tackle and Morgan Moses on the right. Moses is 35, however. He’s not a long-term answer. While it’s not a hugely pressing spot at the moment, the Pats would be wise to develop an offensive tackle who could provide depth in 2026 and replace Moses as the starter in 2027.
Tight end: Hunter Henry has been a nice player for the Patriots, but he’s entering the final year of his contract and will turn 32 next season. Beyond him, the Patriots only have a blocking tight end (Julian Hill) and a couple of low-level options, so this is an immediate need. Ideally, they’ll target a tight end who excels as a receiver to complement Hill.
Patriots draft analysis
Patriots big board: 27 players who fit what the team is looking for
Dane Brugler’s top 300 from ‘The Beast’
What I’d do if I were in charge of the Patriots
The best fits for the Patriots in the 2026 draft
What we learned about the Patriots’ draft plans from Eliot Wolf
Potential NFL Draft fits we love
Patriots big board: 15 players they could pursue in the first three rounds
15 prospects who could be fits for the Patriots in the draft
The Athletic’s latest mock drafts
April 22: Beat-writer mock draft 3.0
This time around, the Pats get UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with pick No. 31.
April 20: Chad Graff’s final Patriots mock draft
Chad projects all seven rounds as he searches for help for Drake Maye and the pass rush.
April 15: Dane Brugler 7-round mock draft
Dane predicts all 257 picks, including Clemson OT Blake Miller to the Pats in Round 1.
April 9: Patriots 7-round mock draft
Chad Graff thinks New England could go after edge rusher T.J. Parker before adding O-line and TE depth.
April 1: Bruce Feldman mock draft
Based on intel from coaches, scouts and agents, Bruce has the Patriots selecting OT Blake Miller.