{"id":790410,"date":"2026-03-04T02:20:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T02:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/790410\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T02:20:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T02:20:18","slug":"espn-mock-draft-has-patriots-choosing-a-pass-rushing-menace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/790410\/","title":{"rendered":"ESPN mock draft has Patriots choosing a \u2018pass-rushing menace\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew England Patriots\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\u201cBurst and elusiveness are on Howell\u2019s rush menu and he pairs it with a refreshing inside spin counter.”<\/p>\n

\"Texas
\n\tHowell recorded 11.5 sacks this past season with the Aggies. AP Photo\/Gerald Herbert\t<\/p>\n

Bolstering their pass rush stands as one of many offseason tasks for Eliot Wolf, Mike Vrabel, and the rest of the Patriots\u2019 top brass.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Beyond the potential scenario of losing K\u2019Lavon Chaisson (7.5 sacks) in free agency, New England\u2019s current crop of edge rushers was already in need of a lift. Only six teams posted fewer sacks during the regular season than the Patriots (35.0).<\/p>\n

As such, it should come as little surprise that a new 2026 NFL mock draft from ESPN\u2019s Jordan Reid<\/a> has New England taking a pass-rushing force with their first-round pick (No. 31 overall).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reid has New England using their 31st overall pick on Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell \u2014 a twitchy and explosive athlete who could develop into a heat-seeking missile on Vrabel\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowell is a pass-rushing menace who tends to be a disruptive presence,\u201d Reid wrote. \u201cHe has an advanced repertoire of pass-rushing moves, and his 11.5 sacks last season ranked seventh among all FBS defensive linemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howell was a thorn in the side of opposing offenses in 2025, leading the SEC in total pressures with 41. If New England is looking for a pure blitzer who can sap momentum on critical drives, Howell could fit the bill.<\/p>\n

The only knocks against Howell are his smaller frame and questions around whether or not he can hold up as a true three-down player on an NFL defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBurst and elusiveness are on Howell\u2019s rush menu and he pairs it with a refreshing inside spin counter,\u201d NFL writer and draft expert Lance Zierlein wrote of Howell.<\/a> \u201cThough threatening, his rush could use more cohesive sequencing and better hand work to fully unlock its potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a run defender he\u2019s frequently knocked around at the point and struggles to consistently execute tasks asked of an NFL edge-setter. Howell might not be a three-down player right away, but his ability to create pressure sets him up for a role as a designated rusher, at minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n

New England has several areas of the depth chart that it could address with its first-round pick, including the offensive line, safety, tight end, linebacker, and edge rushers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even if the Patriots are able to retain Chaisson and hand him a nice pay raise, New England could use another explosive presence in that segment of the roster, especially with veteran Harold Landry Jr.\u2019s game slipping during the 2025 campaign due to a knee injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine last week, Vrabel acknowledged that this upcoming draft class has no shortage of physical edge rushers who could be fits for New England\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that there\u2019s got to be a violence. There\u2019s got to be an ability to move off the football and to create some sort of disruption,\u201d Vrabel said of what he\u2019s looking for in an edge rusher. \u201cYou have to be able to factor in on the quarterback. You have to be able to make plays on the football.\u201d <\/p>\n

\t\t\"Profile\t<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.<\/p>\n

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