The New England Patriots are beginning to put the finishing touches on their preparations for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. With less than a month to go, the Pats are doing some of their most important work yet, as they are meeting with a handful of prospects who they believe could be good fits for their team.
Of course, the most important pick New England will make will come in the first round. Armed with the No. 31 overall pick, the Patriots will be aiming to add a player who can make an immediate contribution to the team in 2026. With that in mind, Patriots reporter Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald recently predicted that the team would select Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young with this pick.
“The team still needs significant help in the pass rush department,” Kyed wrote. “Enter Young, who has prototypical size at 6-foot-6, 262 pounds, generated 57 pressures last season with 6.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.”
Young blossomed in 2025, as he proved he can get to the quarterback and blow up plays in the running game. Head coach Mike Vrabel values defensive linemen who can show up in both facets of the game, so Young's versatile skill set has made him an intriguing prospect for New England.
This draft class is loaded with talented defensive linemen, but Young has been perhaps the most popular selection for N.E. in the world of mock drafts over the past few weeks. If he falls to No. 31 on Apr. 23, the Pats very well end up selecting him in an effort to solidify their defensive front.
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