The New England Patriots may have just lost Super Bowl LX a couple of weeks ago, but their attention is already on the 2026 campaign. With the 2026 NFL Draft Combine underway, the Patriots are beginning to figure out which prospects they want to target once the draft actually rolls around in April.
There are several areas of need the Pats will likely look to address during the draft. One such position is defensive end, where New England should be looking to add some help for Harold Landry III on the edge. With the No. 31 overall pick in the first round, the Patriots could take a close look at Miami Hurricanes star Akheem Mesidor, who sounded very interested in joining N.E. when asked about it at the combine.
“Keep building that Hurricane pipeline,” Mesidor said when asked about his thoughts on landing with the Patriots at the combine, per Christopher Price of the Boston Globe.
New England has several ties to Miami, as a key member of its front office, Alonzo Highsmith, played his college football for the Hurricanes before making his way to the NFL. The Patriots also have a pair of former Miami players on their roster currently in kicker Andy Borregales and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III.
As of right now, Mesidor appears set to come off the board in the middle of the first round, but concerns about his age (he turns 25 in April) and his injury history could result in him sliding to the backend of the first round. And if he does, the Patriots' ties to Miami could make him a sensible selection for the team with the No. 31 pick.
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