The New England Patriots will have some interesting decisions to make at the 2026 NFL Draft.
New England will have the 31st overall pick and has been active in free agency, addressing some needs. The Patriots signed receiver Romeo Doubs to bolster their offense and signed offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
On defense, New England added safety Kevin Byard III and edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones. With the Patriots making plenty of solid additions, Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf said the team won’t reach for a certain position and instead will draft the best player available
“(That) is always, at least in my experience, when mistakes have been made,” Wolf said. “It’s usually when you’re reaching for a position.”
Patriots analyst Chad Graff of The Athletic, meanwhile, echoed that as he believes New England will take the best player available.
“Even if it seems like the Patriots could still use more help at wide receiver and edge rusher, Wolf said the Patriots have done enough in free agency to allow them to be flexible in the first round of the draft,” Graff wrote. "In other words, they won’t have to pigeonhole themselves into one specific position.”
With the Patriots selecting 31st overall, who will be available is a bit uncertain, but Wolf expects to add an impact player.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23-26 in Pittsburgh.
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