This is my second New England Patriots Mock Draft after the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl have concluded. I did not want to post this until after the Super Bowl. Again, I used PFF Mock Draft Simulator because it is the most accurate and updates almost daily as the number of mock drafts are conducted. You can see players moving up the draft board.Free Agency will have a big impact on the Draft. The Patriots have Cap Space unused from 2025, carried over from the 2025 Salary Cap. The Cap has already been increased by $20M. PatsCap Miguel Benzan states that the Patriots have $41.5 available in Free Agency. Now for the bad news. Don’t expect the Patriots to spend that money. Robert Kraft has a reputation for spending in one off-season and not spending in the next two. They have a priority to sign Christian Gonzalez this off-season, and it won’t be cheap. I have seen an estimate of $40M AAV for 4 years at $160M total. Next year, they will have to deal with Drake Maye’s contract.I find it comical that pundits have the Patriots making a play for Maxx Crosby or AJ Brown. Their contracts are prohibitive, and Kraft won’t let Eliot Wolf make a play on either of them.The Patriots have needs at T, TE, S, EDGE, Linebacker, with six high-profile free agents of their own. Vederian Lowe, Austin Hooper, Khyris Tonga, Jaylinn Hawkins, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Gibbens are all Free Agents. I would like to see Tonga brought back, but it will have to be a team-friendly deal. Chaisson reportedly wants to come back, so there is hope the team and player can find common ground on a long-term deal. Hooper is 32, and I don’t think he will be back. I’m not sure they will be able to reach a deal with Hawkins. Gibbens is a JAG and should be able to be signed to a relatively small deal. Lowe is likely to leave for an opportunity to play. The OT market is pretty thin, and he should be able to sign a lucrative deal.Here is the Mock Draft1-31 Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama – 6’6” 366-pounds – As soon as I finished my Mock Draft #2, PFF came out with an updated 1st Round Mock Draft. I had Akheem Mesidor EDGE Miami going to the Patriots at #31 and Max Iheanachor OT Arizona at #95. I was originally going to take an Edge Rusher, but Kadyn Proctor stuck out like a sore thumb. This isn’t to say that Will Campbell will be moved inside to Guard. Mike Vrabel has made it clear that Campbell will be the LT next year. However, if he fails, they have a legitimate replacement in place. They will give Proctor a year under NFL coaching, and he will not be thrown into the fire (unless there is an injury). He also represents a possible switch to RT and eventually becomes the replacement for Morgan Moses, who will be 35 next year. Proctor had a pass reception last season and even had a carry as a Wildcat QB. I do not expect Proctor to be at pick#31, and if he is, teams will be knocking at the Patriots’ door to trade for that pick.2-63 Derrick Moore EDGE Michigan – 6’3” 254-pound, 4.65e 40 – This is what NFL Draft Buzz says about Moore:
Electric get-off that rockets him upfield, forcing tackles to scramble into recovery mode from the moment the ball is snapped.
Converts speed to power with devastating efficiency, jolting offensive linemen backward with violent hand strikes to collapse the pocket.
Shows impressive hip flexibility and bend when turning the corner, consistently flattening his rush angle to get home to the quarterback.
Relentless motor that shows up in backside pursuit and extended plays – never takes snaps off and hunts from whistle to whistle.
Versatile alignment capabilities allow him to rush from standing, three-point, and wide-9 techniques with equal effectiveness.
He played in 53 games with 24 starts, every game his last two years at Michigan. Moore might have helped himself more than anyone at the Senior Bowl practices. He repeatedly collapsed the pocket with a powerful bull rush and showcased his strength, setting the edge in run-defense reps. Moore was selected as a 1st Team All-Big 10 player in 2025. In his senior year, he had 10 sacks and 10.5 TFLs.3- 95 Jacob Rodriquez LB Texas A&M – 6’1, 223-pounds, 4.7e 40 – Rodriquez started his college career at Virginia as a QB, TE, RB, and WR. He transferred to Texas Tech and switched to LB. Rodriquez was the consensus top linebacker in the countr,y winning the following awards:
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2025)
Butkus Award (2025)
Lombardi Award (2025)
Chuck Bednarik Award (2025)
Pony Express Award (2025)
Unanimous All-American (2025)
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2025)
2× First-team All-Big 12 (2024, 2025)
Rodriquez amassed 244 Tackles in his last 25 games at Texas Tech! He was also a Team Captain.4-125 – Aiden Fisher LB Indiana – 6’1” 231-pound, 4.68e 40 – Two-time 1st team All -Big 10 Conference (24, 25), 3rd team All-Sun Belt Conference in 23. Fisher had 238 Tackles in his career. He was the heart and soul of the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers Defense. Fisher is known as a coach on the field. Although showing strong leadership traits and being a vocal voice on the field, Fisher was never named a Team Captain.4-131 Ted Hurst WR Georgia State – 6’3” 197 4.48e 40 – Hurst wasted no time making his presence felt with the Panthers after two years at DII Valdosta State, immediately establishing himself as the team’s number one receiving option in 2024. He grabbed 56 passes for 961 yards and set a Georgia State single-season record with nine touchdown catches. The breakout performance came against Vanderbilt (SEC) when he snagged two scores, including the game-winning touchdown with 15 seconds left that lifted Georgia State to a shocking upset. Explosive first step off the line gets him into his route stem quickly and forces defensive backs to respect his vertical threat immediately5-169 Mike Washington RB Arkansas – 6’ 228-pounds, 4.45e 40 – Build is ideal at 6’2″ and 228 pounds with a muscular frame that can absorb punishment between the tackles while maintaining balance through arm tackles. This is what NFL Draft Buzz has to say about Washington
Displays quick-twitch stop-start ability that’s surprising for his size, freezing linebackers with jump cuts at the line of scrimmage when the initial hole collapses.
Attacks downhill with a forward lean and pad level that generates momentum through contact, consistently falling forward for extra yards after defenders make initial contact.
One-cut decisiveness allows him to maximize blocking schemes by hitting creases with urgency rather than dancing behind the line looking for the perfect lane.
Acceleration through rushing lanes is immediate and violent, putting stress on second-level defenders who have to respect his ability to turn five-yard gains into explosive plays.
NFL Draft Buzz also had this major negative about Washington – Ball security remains a legitimate concern with ten career fumbles, suggesting he needs to prioritize protecting the rock when defenders arrive rather than fighting for extra yards.6-190 Devon Marshall CB North Carolina State – 5’10.3, 197-pounds, 4.49 e 40 – Marshall just needed an opportunity to play. He transferred from Villanova to NC State and blossomed. The best way to describe Marshall is sticky. Last season, he had 14 Pass Breakups, 2 INTs, and a PFF rating of 90.1. Marshall’s name was written about often from the East – West Shrine game as a riser and a little-known player. Marshall got that invite to the East-West game off an impressive performance at the Hula Bowl. At the Hula Bowl, he did not disappoint, far and away the best DB at the event. Competitive, tough, and sticky in coverage. He refers to himself as “Marshall Island”. The Boston native has a big chip on his shoulder as an under-recruited high school player at Catholic Memorial. He also possesses a quiet confident leader in the locker room. His Pro Day will be very important. I have seen a report that claims Marshall will crush the reported 40 time, and other testing will be amongst the highest at the position.6- 201 Robert Spears-Jennings S Oklahoma – 6’, 213-pounds 4.44 40 – Jaylinn Hawkins is a Free Agent, and I am not sure the Patriots will bring him back. Spears-Jennings played in 47 games and started 25 of those for the Sooners. Over his career, he had 178 Tackles. Spears-Jennings impressed at the East-West Shrine Game practices. An interesting note is that he was listed as a Zone Slot and Nickel Safety by NFL Draft Buzz. Position flexibility and man coverage skills are very important in the NFL. In the last two seasons, Spears-Jennings forced 5 fumbles from his Safety position. NFL Draft Scout states that Spears-Jennings could be a in the box safety or possibly switch to Linebacker.6-208 Dallen Bentley TE Utah – 6’5” 259-pounds, 4.74 e 40 – Austin Hooper is a Free Agent and is on the wrong side of 30. The Patriots cannot go into next season with two TEs who are going to be 32. Bentley is now considered among the top tight end prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, with multiple analysts ranking him in their top five. His breakout season, including earning All-Big 12 third-team honors, has led to invitations to the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFL combine events. In 2025, he had 48 receptions for 620 yards, 12.9 YPC, and 6 TDs. He is one of the biggest TEs in the draft and has the reputation of being a good blocker, something that College TEs have forgotten about.6-211 Bryce Boettcher LB Oregon– The 6’1” 228-pound Linebacker runs in the 4.7 range. He is a terrific athlete playing on the Oregon baseball team and was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2024. He has yet to play in minor league baseball. This may drop him in the draft with the uncertainty if he will play football or baseball. Boettcher is a converted Safety and his good pass coverage skills were on full display at the Senior Bowl. In the game itself, he was the leading tackler with 10 Tackles. He also won the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top walk-on player. If you haven’t seen the movie “Greater”, I recommend that you do. It’s about Brandon Burlsworth, for whom the award is named.7-247 Mason Reiger EDGE Wisconsin – 6’4”, 245-pounds, 4.76e 40 – He plays with a relentless motor and put on a show at the Senior Bowl with 3 sacks. Reiger received the Defensive MVP award at the Senior Bowl. He is listed as an EDGE player, but I see him moving to Linebacker. He is presently not expected to get drafted, and he will be a Priority UDFA. I take a shot at him and try to develop him as a Linebacker and Special Teams player. At this point in the draft, it’s like signing an UDFA without having to compete with other teams for his services.Comings and GoingsFormer Patriots Practice Squad player, S Miles Battle, didn’t sign a futures contract with the team and signed with the Miami Dolphins last week.
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About Mark MorseMerrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.View all posts by Mark Morse
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