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The 2026 NFL Draft cycle is here! Last season, I was in mock draft mode by November. This season, it took until the end of February for my brain to get there. Always a good problem to have. Now let’s get into what happens this draft cycle.
Obviously, mocking draft picks before free agency has happened and the trade market has developed is a bit of a fool’s errand. In this one, we’ll say the New England Patriots made free agency signings at left guard and along the defensive edge that can fill spots in the starting lineup.
(Draft slots from Round 4 on projected, consensus board rankings in parentheses)
Round 1
1-31 WR K.C. Concepcion (Texas A&M | No. 28): Concepcion is a dynamic athlete who led the SEC with nine touchdown receptions last year to go with 919 receiving yards despite poor play from his quarterback. Concepcion can line up outside or in the slot and win PFF credits him with a 10 percent drop rate or higher in each of his last two seasons where he has a tendency to clap the football, but his athletic traits, route running, and ability to go up and get the football all point to him becoming a high-end receiver in the NFL from any alignment.
Round 2
2-63: LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech | No. 58): Free agent addition Robert Spillane made a massive difference for New England’s defense in 2025, but the lack of depth at the position was felt when he was out with an injury. The Patriots could use a linebacker for the future to pair with him, and Rodriguez fits the bill. He excels in coverage where his athleticism shines in man coverage, and his ability to sort through traffic and get to the right receiver in match coverage makes him ideal for New England’s scheme. He also had a knack for getting his hands on the football at big moments.
Round 3
3-95: CBDavison Igbinosun (Ohio State | No. 74): Igbinosun is fiery, physical, and aggressive – the kind of player it is easy to imagine Mike Vrabel loving. The Ohio State corner is handsy at outside corner, sometimes to his detriment, but he sets the tone and plays at 100 miles per hour. He’s also excellent in run defense, where Ohio State had no qualms playing him in the box when the situation called for it. In a New England defense that struggled to defend runs to the outside because of run defense at cornerback last season, he is an obvious fit to provide a boost. He figures to play a depth role in 2026 before replacing Carlton Davis in 2027.
Round 4
4-125 overall*: OT Drew Shelton (Penn State | No. 126): With Morgan Moses not getting any younger, tackle is a long-term need for New England. Enter Drew Shelton. The four-year Penn State product only allowed three sacks in his career, playing at both left and right tackle spots. He moves very well, but he’ll need to put on strength at the NFL level. As a developmental tackle, he is an intriguing option for the Patriots.
4-131*: TE Sam Roush (Stanford | No. 120): A four-year player at Stanford who improved every season, Sam Roush stood out at the Senior Bowl and then again at the NFL Combine. Roush is a big body who has been productive as a receiver with over 1,200 career receiving yards. Add in smooth movement skills and the frame to be a great inline blocker, and Roush has all the tools to be a quality NFL tight end to develop behind Hunter Henry.
Round 5
5-169*: OL Fernando Carmona (Arkansas | No. 193): Carmona is another Senior Bowl standout. As a wide-framed left guard prospect, he fits exactly what the Patriots could use at that position. Carmona spent four years at left tackle between San Jose State and Arkansas before switching to guard last season. That experience, combined with great testing at the NFL Combine, makes him a strong candidate to transition to the NFL to be productive immediately.
Round 6
6-190*: RB Adam Randall (Clemson | No. 209): How about something a little different here? Adam Randall is a wide receiver who converted to running back last season. He hit the ground running, rushing for over 800 yards last season with over 250 receiving yards out of the backfield. The third running back position is wide open with the release of Antonio Gibson, and this kind of skill-set could work in a Josh McDaniels offense.
6-201 overall*: TE/FB Riley Nowakowski (Indiana | No. 232): Run blocking was an issue for the Patriots last season. In this draft, they double-up at tight end to add size and strength. After five years at Wisconsin playing linebacker, then fullback, and then tight end, Riley Nowakowski transferred to Indiana and became a key tight end in their championship run. He had 387 receiving yards while adding a strong blocking element to their roster. In New England, he could compete with Jack Westover and any free agent tight end signings to carve out a role.
6-208*: DT Nick Barrett (South Carolina | No. 217): With a real chance that Khyiris Tonga leaves in free agency, how about a nose tackle that could replace him? Barrett impressed at the Senior Bowl after five seasons at South Carolina.
6-211*: ED Mason Reiger (Wisconsin | No. 255): Reiger is a tall and skinny edge rusher who found success with Wisconsin last season by generating 45 pressures. As the Super Bowl shows, you can never have too much talent in your pass rushing group.
Round 7
7-248*: S Skyler Thomas (Oregon State | No. 276): Skyler Thomas impressed during Senior Bowl practices. He has the size and speed to translate to the NFL where he can play on special teams and fill in depth at safety.
What picks do you like? What would you change? Please share your thoughts on this mock draft in the comment section below.