The New England Patriots have finalized their 2026 NFL Draft class, and it’s a strong, throwback style of class to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
The New England Patriots
have wrapped up their 2026 NFL Draft class, and it’s a real old-school type of draft. They built the beef on both sides of the ball throughout the draft. It makes sense as the Patriots struggled there down the stretch of last season.
The Patriots have built for both the present and future, and are hoping this class is as impactful as their 2025 NFL Draft group was.
The Patriots started off the draft with a brief trade up to secure Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. A young, developmental offensive tackle, Lomu projects to be the primary backup and long-term heir to Morgan Moses at right tackle.
Lomu is a young, rapidly ascending offensive tackle prospect. His inexperience as an early declaree shows up, but he brings phenomenal tools and worth the upside pick here for a team needing a developmental tackle.
The New England Patriots filled out their pass rush rotation with Illinois’ Gabe Jacas after a brief trade upwards.
He's a high-floor edge rusher who should immediately bolster the Patriots' pass rush rotation as a three-down defender. His power profile should immediately translate to the NFL, and he is a much more consistent run defender than K'Lavon Chaisson was last year.
New England needed to add the long-term heir to Hunter Henry at tight end. Additionally, head coach Mike Vrabel has spoken about their desire to get into more heavy personnel looks offensively moving forward. Raridon gives them that flexibility.
A well-rounded option, Raridon has the tools to develop into the Patriots’ top tight end in a few seasons.
A player that not many knew about entering the draft, Prunty brings some good length, speed, and productivity to New England's cornerback room.
The New England Patriots’ cornerback depth was particularly thin behind Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis . They needed to add more talent to this room before the season picked up.
Prunty has been a well-decorated cornerback throughout his career. His length and athleticism pop off the film. New England could have added another late steal here.
A raw, developmental tackle, Crownover is a mammoth human being at 6-7, 319 pounds. His inexperience at tackle shows with falling for stutters, and he lunges a fair bit too often. For all his size, he leaves his inside shoulder open to counters. Crownover plays too high, giving him a soft anchor against power rushers, and he's stiff moving laterally.
This, combined with his still raw technique, makes him an inconsistent option in pass protection. He's squarely a developmental tackle who needs time and seasoning to handle NFL pass rushers, but the size and strength are worth a look. However, for the Patriots, he’s a perfect option to sit on the bench and develop behind Will Campbell , Morgan Moses, and Caleb Lomu.
Obiazor is such a Patriots style of linebacker with his old-school style of play. A former safety turned linebacker, Obiazor is a violent force in run defense. I thought he was one of the best block shedding linebackers in the class, and he brings some strong instincts and diagnosing ability against the run.
The New England Patriots needed to reinforce their linebacker depth in the draft, and there is some intriguing upside to Obiazor’s game. However, he’s a limited athlete in coverage, so his role might be only on early-downs to start his career.
A classic point guard style of quarterback, Morton’s collegiate career was plagued by injuries. However, his accuracy and character were repeatedly praised by the Patriots.
Morton will be the QB3 behind Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito .
The New England Patriots had to address their running back depth, and they did so here with Jam Miller.
Alabama's Jam Miller feels like a Patriots' running back with his physicality and strong fundamentals. He has the build to hold up in pass protection and he boasts extensive special teams experience. With that on top of his physical rushing style, he could lock up RB3 duties immediately for the Patriots.
In the seventh round, teams are taking dart throws, and Hutchins can be a solid one to fill out the bottom of their pass rush rotation.
He's quick, with enough juice and bend to turn the corner, but is small and undersized. His motor blends well to special teams, and he can be a solid addition to fill out their outside linebacker room.
Round 1, No. 28: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Round 2, No. 55: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Round 3, No. 95: Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame
Round 5, No. 171: Karon Prunty, CB, Wake Forest
Round 6, No. 196: Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M
Round 6, No. 212: Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU
Round 7, No. 234: Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech
Round 7, No. 245: Jam Miller, RB, Alabama
Round 7, No. 247: Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College
New England Patriots News
Wendell Ferreira April 20, 2026
