Now that the initial wave of Free Agency is complete, teams have a pretty good idea of what their team needs will be in the draft. They will compare those needs to the available talent. Ongoing are the Pro Days and occasionally a player or two will pop in those workouts as you will read here today.Again, I used Pro Football Focus Mock Simulator because I believe it to be the most accurate listing of players and is constantly updated. PFF changed their rankings on Monday, completely blowing my Mock Draft I completed over the weekend out of the water. PFF updated their rankings, and that blew my Mock out of the water. When selecting a player, I don’t try to get the best grade I can from the Simulator. I instead select players I think the Patriots will be interested in and meet some, if not all, of their needs. That means I will take a player at a position of need over the Best Player Available. The Patriots are not yet at the point of having enough depth to be able to go Best Player Available.Max Iheanachor jumped to #30 in the PFF Rankings, and the Fanspeak Simulator has him going as high as #23. Edge Max Reiger jumped into a 3rd round pick, and Bryce Lance, after his great showing at the Combine, is now a 2nd round selection. DB Charles Demmings, who I selected, is now a 4th-round pick.1-31 Max Iheanachor, Right Tackle, Arizona Stats – I have been on Iheanachor since I first saw him at the East-West Shrine game. He played Soccer and Basketball in High School and is still new to the game, having just started playing 5 years ago in Junior College. He will get a year behind Morgan Moses and learn what it takes to become a Pro. He is just too good a prospect with a high ceiling to pass on him. He ran a 4.91 40 (2), 1.73 10/Split (4), at 6’6”, 321-pounds, with 33 7/8” Arms. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was 9.87. His footwork was impeccable in drills, which reflected his Soccer and Basketball skills required by those other sports. He has jumped all the way into the 1st round in the PFF rankings. The Miami trade of Jaylen Waddle puts Iheanachor in jeopardy right before the Patriots’ selection. PFF Grade A2-63 Dani Dennis-Sutton, Defensive End, Penn State 6’6”, 256 pounds, 4.63 40 (5), 39.5 V (4) 10’1” BJ (1), and 6.90 3-Cone (1). This freak athlete had an outstanding RAS of 9.96. In 2024, when he started all 16 games opposite Abdul Carter and tallied 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 13 tackles for loss during Penn State’s playoff run. His senior season matched that output with 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss while leading the Big Ten in forced fumbles. Dennis-Sutton finished his career with 127 tackles, 23.5 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles across 54 games. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three straight years and was invited to the Senior Bowl. These are his strengths per NFL Draft Buzz: “Heavy hands create immediate disruption at the point of attack against both run and pass. Long arms (331/2”) let him control blockers and keep them from reaching his chest plate. Sets a firm edge against the run and holds ground versus double teams without giving ground easily. Bull rush has real force when he drops his pads and drives through contact. Combine workout was historic for his size, posting top-tier explosion and agility marks among all DEs tested. Heavy hands create immediate disruption at the point of attack against both run and pass. Long arms let him control blockers and keep them from reaching his chest plate. Sets a firm edge against the run and holds ground versus double teams without giving ground easily. Bull rush has real force when he drops his pads and drives through contact. Combine workout was historic for his size, posting top-tier explosion and agility marks among all DEs tested. Lower-body power shows up in testing and on tape when he gets downhill or closes on scrambling quarterbacks. Agility numbers suggest untapped pass rush potential that has not consistently translated to game film yet. Competitive effort shows up late in games and in postseason moments, with four sacks across two playoff games. Versatile enough to handle multiple alignments and occasional shallow zone drops without confusion. Lower-body power shows up in testing and on tape when he gets downhill or closes on scrambling quarterbacks. Agility numbers suggest untapped pass rush potential that has not consistently translated to game film yet. Competitive effort shows up late in games and in postseason moments, with four sacks across two playoff games. Versatile enough to handle multiple alignments and occasional shallow zone drops without confusion.” PFF Grade B+TRADE 3-95 and 4-125 to CAR for 3-83 – I overpay to get the player I wanted.3-83 Sam Roush, TE, Stanford – A huge need for the Patriots. Roush is a very reliable blocker at 6’ 6’’, 267 pounds, 30 5/8’’ Arm Length, and big 10’’ Hands. He ran a 4.7 40, with 1.61 10/Split (4), 38.5 V (3), 10’6” BJ (4). 7.08 3-Cone Drill (1). His RAS was 9.93. He was the biggest TE at the Combine, and is known to be a good blocker. This is what NFL Draft Buzz wrote after the combine: “Indianapolis changed the conversation on Sam Roush. Before the Combine, the tape showed a well-coached, ascending tight end from a run-first Stanford system who did a little bit of everything without doing any one thing, at an eye-popping level. The athletic testing told a different story entirely. A 267-pound man has no business posting a 38.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-6 broad jump, let alone running a three-cone faster than Kyle Pitts and showing agility on a weight-adjusted basis that compares to Sam LaPorta. That 87-athleticism score, third among all tight ends, forced evaluators to look at the film with different eyes, and what you see when you go back is a player whose physical ceiling was never fully tapped in an offense that leaned on the ground game.” His 3-cone number would have been the 6th fastest amongst WRs that ran the 3-cone. The 3-cone drill shows quickness and change of direction as opposed to straight-line speed. He has an issue with drops with too many passes getting into his chest. PFF Grade B4-131 Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin – 6’1”, 196-pounds, 4.41 40 (4), 42” V (2) 11’ BJ (1) 10 1/8” Hands. His RAS score was 9.97 and an 88 Athletic Score was 1st amongst all CB participants at the Combine. He is a “diamond in the rough” from a small school. In 2025 he was selected 1st team All-Southland Conference and 1st Team FCS All-American.Sports Illustrated had this to say about Demmings: “Demmings is recognized for his coverage versatility, quick trigger, and athletic frame. He demonstrates poise, balance, and range in zone coverage, with the ability to split routes and close downhill with good burst. His length and movement skills help narrow throwing windows and contest catches effectively. While he shows adequate press coverage, he can struggle against shiftier receivers and occasionally commits penalties due to over-aggressive play. He is also a willing tackler in the run game and on perimeter plays. Overall, he projects as a balanced man/zone boundary corner with immediate special teams value and rotational potential in the NFL.” PFF Grade C5-169 Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU – 6’1” 234-pounds 4.47 40When he finally got his shot as a full-time starter in 2023, Elarms-Orr wasted no time establishing himself. He ripped off 92 tackles in 11 games for the Golden Bears, adding an interception, five pass breakups, and six quarterback hurries. That kind of production in the old Pac-12, going up against offenses led by Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix, was enough to land him Second Team All-Conference honors from the AP and Phil Steele. After the Pac-12 dissolved, Elarms-Orr transferred to TCU for the 2024 season but found himself stuck behind Namdi Obiazor and Johnny Hodges. He played in all 13 games without starting one, contributing 54 tackles and a couple of sacks while biding his time again. The 2025 season was the full arrival. Starting every game for the Horned Frogs, Elarms-Orr led the Big 12 in tackles, with 130, tacked on 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, and earned First Team All-Big 12 honors. He posted double-digit tackle games six times, including consecutive 15-plus tackle performances against Baylor and West Virginia that hadn’t been done by a TCU player since at least 1995. He capped the year by winning the Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP with 11 tackles and 1.5 TFLs against USC. A Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week recipient and Senior Bowl invitee, Elarms-Orr declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in January, looking to become the first TCU linebacker drafted since Dee Winters in 2023.NFL Draft Buzz listed these as Elarms-Orr’s strengths: “Legitimate sideline-to-sideline range thanks to above-average long speed and quick-twitch burst out of his stance. Closes on the ball in a hurry. Flies downhill against the run with bad intentions. His run defense grading jumped dramatically from 2023 to 2025 as his reads and fits improved within TCU’s scheme. Tackled with real authority and discipline this past season. Cut his missed tackle rate nearly in half from his Cal days, finishing and wrapping through contact consistently. Comfortable and effective as a green dog blitzer. Shows feel for timing his rush, and his 25 total pressures in 2025 came on a relatively modest number of rush attempts. Contact balance stands out when he’s filling the gap. Uses leverage and a solid base to anchor against lead blockers better than his 235-pound frame suggests. Covered a ton of ground in Andy Avalos’s defense, logging the most snaps of any Power Four linebacker in 2025. Durability and conditioning are not concerns. Tremendous year-over-year growth trajectory. Went from middling overall grades at Cal to strong marks across the board at TCU, suggesting a player still ascending. Competes with an edge. His willingness to wait behind established starters at both Cal and TCU without checking out says something about his makeup and competitive drive. PFF Grade A-6-190 Owen Heinecke, LB, Oklahoma – 6’1” 227 227-pounds, 4.62 40, 7.15 3-Cone. – He got screwed by the NCAA denying him another year of eligibility because he played three games with the Ohio State Lacrosse team as a Freshman. He transferred to Oklahoma and played 3 seasons of Football. His acceleration and speed make him ideally suited for a special teams role where he can fly downfield attacking smaller players. As a linebacker, he would work best as a specialist on long and late downs matched up against less athletic tight ends. He plays with a violent tenacity that will endear him to personnel departments and coaches alike. The effort he shows on tape makes him an ideal candidate for a back-of-the-roster spot as a core special teamer. PFF Grade A-6-197 John Michael Gyllenborg, Tight End, Wyoming – I double down on TEs. The 6’6” 249-pound TE ran a 4.6 40-yard dash. His RAS was 9.92, slightly behind Roush. He had 80 catches and 1,023 yards with 7 TDs in his career, which has been marred by injuries. He missed 3 games in 2024 and another 3 games in 2025. The collarbone injury was to a growth plate that could have been deadly. He returned in 2025 but had a Hamstring injury that caused the loss of 3 games and part of 2 others. In the first 7 games, he played just 134 snaps. His Combine workout opened some eyes and made evaluators take a second look. PFF Grade B6-201 Eli Heidenreich, WR, NAVY – He is listed as an FB in the Navy Wing-T offense. What he is good at is catching the ball. The former WR turned back ran an incredible 4.44 40 time at the combine. This week at his Pro Day, he ran a totally unbelievable 6.50 3-cone drill. Julian Edelman was one of the quickest Patriots ever, and he ran a very good 6.65 3-cone drill. Heidenriech finished his career with 109 receptions for 1,994 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns, plus 169 carries for 1,157 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He was selected as Second-Team All-AAC wide receiver. Heidenreich’s RAS was 9.12, 4th highest from the Runningbacks group at the combine. This is what NFL Draft Scout said about Heidenreich: “ Tracks the deep ball with outstanding body control, adjusting mid-stride to pull in throws over his shoulder like a natural receiver despite playing the ‘snipe’ position. Averaged over 18 yards per catch across his entire college career, and that number holds up whether you watch the tape against Tulsa or against Notre Dame. Compact, powerful frame plays bigger than his listed size; consistently falls forward on carries and absorbs contact from bigger defenders without going down easy. Genuine dual-threat ability is not a gimmick here. He carried the ball nearly 170 times in college and averaged 6.8 yards per attempt with a decisive, north-south running style. Creates separation on crossing routes with quick feet and an understanding of leverage that belies his limited route tree; defenders struggle to stay attached when he changes direction. Willing and tough as a lead blocker in Navy’s Wing-T scheme, sticking his face into defensive linemen without hesitation despite giving up significant weight in those matchups. Ball security is outstanding: just one fumble across 1,138 offensive snaps over three seasons, and his drop rate stayed remarkably low throughout his career. The intangible makeup is off the charts. A team captain, Naval Academy graduate, and future Marine officer who delivered in the biggest moments, including that fourth-and-goal catch against Army.” PFF Grade B6-211 Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma – 6’2” 235-pounds. 4.32 40-yard dash, 10 3/8” hands, 32 ½” Arms. Spears-Jennings was not a starter until 2025, when he started 12 of 13 Games. Overall, he appeared in 47 games with 178 Tackles, 8 TFLs, 2.5 Sacks, 5 PBUs, and 5 Forced Fumbles. He will be an immediate Special Teams contributor and learn the Safety position from Kevin Byard.NFL Draft Buzz stated this about Spears-Jennings: “Instinctive run defender who diagnoses quickly and attacks downhill with purpose, consistently beating blockers to their spot. Physical tackler who breaks down well in space and drives through contact, particularly effective when coming downhill. Shows natural feel in zone coverage, maintaining proper depth and leveraging routes while keeping eyes in the backfield. Versatile defender capable of aligning at multiple levels – effective both in the box and playing deep. Brings excellent size at 219 pounds while maintaining the athleticism to range sideline to sideline. Strong closing burst to the football, evident in his late-season surge of production as a junior. Natural ball skills carried over from his receiver background, tracks the ball well, and attacks at the highest point. Ascending player who showed consistent improvement, peaking late in his junior season.” PFF Draft Grade C7-247 Riley Mahlman, OT, Wisconsin – The 6’8” 320-pound OT ran a 5.2 40 at the Combine. That is a very good time for his size. The 3-year starter at Right Tackle had 37 consecutive starts in the Big 10. Mahlman has reportedly met with the Patriots already. NFL Draft Buzz had this to say about Mahlman “Massive frame with ideal length for the tackle position, creating a wide arc for pass rushers to navigate around. Powerful base allows him to anchor effectively against bull rushes, rarely giving ground in pass protection. Displays good initial quickness off the snap, often beating edge rushers to the spot in pass sets. Strong hands enable him to latch onto defenders and control the point of attack in the run game. Shows the ability to drive defenders off the ball with leg drive and core strength on down blocks. Demonstrates improved footwork and balance in pass protection, particularly against speed rushers. Exhibits a nasty finishing attitude, looking to pancake defenders and play through the whistle. High football IQ, consistently picks up stunts and blitzes, rarely caught off guard by defensive schemes. PFF Grade B+Overall Draft Grade B+Comings and Goings Linebacker Jack Gibbens has signed a 2-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals today. No details are available.Longsnapper Niko Lalos was signed by the Patriots today to give Julian Ashby some competition in camp and serve as a potential backup should Ashby get hurt. Last week, the Patriots brought in several Free Agent snappers and signed free agent DE-turned-LS Niko Lalos following a successful workout, per a source. He last played with the Saints back in 2024, and played his college ball at Dartmouth. Lalos stands 6’5”, 265-pounds, and switched to Long Snapper last year. He has no NFL experience as a Long Snapper. Former Tampa Bay Buc Zach Triner, who played on their Super bowl winning team, was also one of the Free Agents who came in last week. Triner played at Assumption University in Worcester.The Patriots finally officially announced they have signed LB KJ Britt.New Coaches BJ Edmonds was named a Defensive Assistant. Edmonds, a former cornerback at Arkansas State, served in a defensive assistant role at Kansas Wesleyan, Utah State and Duke before being hired as running backs coach at Southern Miss in January. Just a month later, however, he made the move to New England, where he worked as an intern during the last training camp.The Patriots made the Coaching changes official: Terrell Williams, Assistant Head Coach; Zak Kuhr, Defensive Coordinator; Vinnie DePalma, Inside Linebackers coach; Charles London, Offensive Assistant; and Jonathan Decoster, Assistant Offensive Line coach.The Patriots Spent in Free AgencyThe Patriots didn’t cheap out, like I feared they would do after spending big last Free Agency. This from Nick Cattles, the Patriots spent money this Free Agency season as evident by the numbers reported by Over the Cap website.Overall Spending #5 $183 MAverage per Year #8 $7.9 MGuaranteed #8 $96.8 MFully Guaranteed #5 $92.8 MCash Spending (1st Year) #5 $61.9 MThe front office did a great job negotiating these free-agent contracts. The Doubs deal is a two-year deal, and they can get out of it if it isn’t working out. The Julian Hill deal looks like they overpaid, but it is really a two-year deal at significantly less than the $6M AAV appears. Hill has bonuses that will get him paid if he produces. The Alijah Vera-Tucker contract has $12.5M tied to per-game bonuses. If he plays and isn’t hurt, he gets paid. The DreMont Jones contract has incentives built in that could boost his earnings, but in reality, it is well below market value. He has $6.7 M in guarantees, and K’Lavon Chaisson has $11M guaranteed in his one-year contract.
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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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