Only one team in the NFL has more picks in the 2026 NFL Draft than the New England Patriots. Fresh off an AFC Championship, the Patriots are primed and ready to bring in a boatload of young, cheap talent.
It’s a good year to have late-round capital, as the consensus opinion on the 2026 draft class is that it holds a deep pool of talent, with fewer high-end prospects than usual.
To celebrate the beginning of draft month (my favorite month of the year), I took a stab at a seven-round mock draft for the defending AFC East champs.
#Patriots Seven Round Mock Draft pic.twitter.com/VLsO0kLJfx
— Evan Cormier (@Cormier_Evan) April 1, 2026
Zion Young
In round one, the Patriots bet on the upside of Missouri Tigers edge rusher Zion Young. At 6-foot-6, Young is already an elite run defender; it is the best aspect of his game. This makes him a three-down rotational piece that New England can move around the line while he continues to work on his underdeveloped pass rush repertoire.
Elijah Sarratt
Aside from quarterback, wide receiver is the most expensive position in football. By drafting a wide receiver in the middle rounds, New England can land cheap production. Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt is perfect for that. Sarratt played four collegiate seasons for three different teams. In those four years, he had 3,678 receiving yards and 44 touchdowns. He led the nation in receiving touchdowns last season and will be a day-one starter for whatever team lands him in the second round. In my PFF mock, he fell to the Patriots at 63, making it a no-brainer.
Markel Bell
Markel Bell from Miami is not a day-one starter, which is exactly the kind of luxury the Patriots can afford with right tackle Morgan Moses expected to play one more season. Bell is a 6-foot-9 monster, with massive arms and strong hands. He did not allow a single sack in 2025, but his below-average lateral quickness raises eyebrows around the league. He is a project pick with All-Pro upside.
Best Of The Rest
Tim Keenan is a space-eating nose tackle, similar to Khyiris Tonga, whom New England is looking to replace. Marlin Klein is a stout blocking tight end who scouts think has a lot of meat left on the bone in the passing game. Michael Taaffe is a box safety and tackling machine. Speaking of tackling machines, Buffalo’s Red Murdock was the nation’s leading tackler in 2025. Domani Jackson and Adam Randall are guaranteed special teams contributors with developmental promise.
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