Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
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Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on during drills during practice prior to Super Bowl LX at Stanford Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
In the New England Patriots‘ first season under head coach Mike Vrabel, they went from being one of the worst teams in the NFL to making a run to the Super Bowl. That’s how fast a franchise can turn things around.
While the Patriots should be proud of what they accomplished last season, they still fell short of bringing the Lombardi Trophy home. Heading into the 2026 NFL offseason, taking the last step towards winning it all has been the only focus.
So far this offseason, New England has been aggressive. The Patriots have added wide receiver Romeo Doubs, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, pass rusher Dre’Mont Jones, safety Kevin Byard III, and fullback Reggie Gilliam, among other players.
The offseason has already been a success for the Patriots. However, they still have moves to make.
More free agency action could be seen, but New England can still add talent in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in late April. With that in mind, an intriguing potential target has been connected to the Patriots.
Patriots Connected to “Explosive” Pass Rusher in NFL Draft
AJ Schulte of AtoZ Sports has come up with a very intriguing option for New England in the first round of the 2026 draft. In his latest seven-round mock draft for the Patriots, he has them selecting Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas at No. 31 overall.
“Harold Landry and Dre’Mont Jones are strong floor rushers, but the Patriots could use some more juice in their pass rush room to really threaten opposing offenses here and keep their pass rush fresh,” Schulte wrote.
“Thomas is an explosive, bendy rusher with the elite competitive toughness that Mike Vrabel will covet.”
Thomas played all four years of his college football career with the Sooners. During the 2025 season, he racked up 26 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a defended pass.
Throughout his entire four-year college career, Thomas totaled 65 tackles, 17 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three defended passes.
A Closer Look at What R Mason Thomas Brings to the Field
Standing in at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, Thomas will need to bulk up some for the NFL level. His ability to get after the quarterback was clear in college, but that gets more difficult at the professional level.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein has revealed that he thinks Thomas compares to Dee Ford. Ford hasn’t played since the 2021 season, but he amassed 40 sacks during his eight-year career.
Along with revealing the Ford comparison, Zierlein also shared an inspiring quote from an NFC scouting director about Thomas.
“He gets beat up for being small and not long enough but I think he’s going to be a nightmare for tall tackles because he can bend and he’s really explosive,” the scouting director said.
Thomas may not end up being the target for New England in the first round. However, he’s a name worth monitoring as the draft draws closer.