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Pundit mock drafts 2026 [maybe with FAILs]

From Pats Pulpit:

1.31 EDGE R. Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
2.63 WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
3.95 TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
4.125 OT Jude Bowry, Boston College
4.131 DL Rayshaun Benney, Michigan
5.171 S V.J. Payne, Kansas State
6.191 LB Lander Barton, Utah
6.198 CB Domani Jackson, Alabama
6.202 OG Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
6.212 RB Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
7.224 TE Carsen Ryan, BYU

 
From Pats Pulpit:

1.31 EDGE R. Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
2.63 WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
3.95 TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
4.125 OT Jude Bowry, Boston College
4.131 DL Rayshaun Benney, Michigan
5.171 S V.J. Payne, Kansas State
6.191 LB Lander Barton, Utah
6.198 CB Domani Jackson, Alabama
6.202 OG Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
6.212 RB Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
7.224 TE Carsen Ryan, BYU

I like Payne where he is drafted.
 
I think we've finally found the first FAIL of the year. This is just . . . "Why would you do that?"

TRADE NE sends 1.31 and 2027 4 to DEN for 2.62, 4.108, a 2027 2, a 2027 3, and a 2027 5.
2.62 WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State
2.63 EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
3.95 TE Michael Trigg, Baylor
4.108 LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
4.125 S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
4.131 OT Fa’alili Fa’amoe, Wake Forest
5.171 WR Eric McAlister, Boise State
6.191 EDGE George Gumbs Jr., Florida
6.198 DT Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
6.202 CB Jadon Canady, Oregon
6.212 OT Travis Burke, Memphis
7.247 QB Jack Strand, MSU Moorhead

 
Quite a few of those picks are pretty good values, to be honest. Ted Hurst at 62, Derrick Moore at 63, Kaleb Elarms-Orr at 108, Zakee Wheatley at 125 and Travis Burke at 212 (who I would take at 131) are all solid players who fill major needs. X-WR, EDGE, swing/right tackle, S, LB. Not thrilled with Michael Trigg at 95, whose arms are 7" longer than his VJ (34" vs. 27"), but TE spot on.

Getting a 2027 2, 3 and 5 would be great.

Not a fail, IMO. Substitute:

2(62) WR Ted Hurst
2(63) EDGE DDS
3(95) TE Sam Roush or Oscar Delp
4(108) LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
4(125) S Zakee Wheatley
4(131) OT Travis Burke
5(171) RB Adam Randall
6(191) CB Ephesians Prysock
6(198) DT Jordan Van den Berg
6(202) Slot WR Eli Heidenreich
6(212) IOL Micah Morris
7(247) QB Haynes King

I would call that draft a home run, not even including the extra 2027 picks.
 
Quite a few of those picks are pretty good values, to be honest. Ted Hurst at 62, Derrick Moore at 63, Kaleb Elarms-Orr at 108, Zakee Wheatley at 125 and Travis Burke at 212 (who I would take at 131) are all solid players who fill major needs. X-WR, EDGE, swing/right tackle, S, LB. Not thrilled with Michael Trigg at 95, whose arms are 7" longer than his VJ (34" vs. 27"), but TE spot on.

Getting a 2027 2, 3 and 5 would be great.

Not a fail, IMO. Substitute:

2(62) WR Ted Hurst
2(63) EDGE DDS
3(95) TE Sam Roush or Oscar Delp
4(108) LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
4(125) S Zakee Wheatley
4(131) OT Travis Burke
5(171) RB Adam Randall
6(191) CB Ephesians Prysock
6(198) DT Jordan Van den Berg
6(202) Slot WR Eli Heidenreich
6(212) IOL Micah Morris
7(247) QB Haynes King

I would call that draft a home run, not even including the extra 2027 picks.
When I first looked at it my thought was, its actually a pretty solid draft.
I would change some names, but overall It's quite good.
I like yours better, but wouldn't call the original a fail at all.
 
When I first looked at it my thought was, its actually a pretty solid draft.
I would change some names, but overall It's quite good.
I like yours better, but wouldn't call the original a fail at all.
I should have been clearer: I don't think the draft is necessarily a fail, but the trade is, IMO. DEN doesn't have a ton of picks, and I think there's enough of a drop-off from 31 to 62 that I don't think the Patriots would want to drop that far, especially since they're not getting back enough.
 
I should have been clearer: I don't think the draft is necessarily a fail, but the trade is, IMO. DEN doesn't have a ton of picks, and I think there's enough of a drop-off from 31 to 62 that I don't think the Patriots would want to drop that far, especially since they're not getting back enough.
I didn't really look too deep at the trade value, so fair point.
 
DraftTek, which gives a kinda ridiculous day 3 result:

1.31 OT Blake Miller, Clemson [Freeling is still available]
2.63 WR Chris Bell, Louisville
3.95 EDGE Keyron Crawford, Auburn
4.125 TE Jack Endries, Texas
4.131 CB Devin Moore, Florida
5.171 ILB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
6.191 DT Bryson Eason, Tennessee
6.198 S Louis Moore, Indiana
6.202 OC Pat Coogan, Indiana
6.212 RB Roman Hemby, Indiana
7.247 OG Alex Harkey, Oregon
 
SiriusXM just did their first mock of the season on "Moving the Chains," with Jacob Hester doing the odd-number picks including NE.

He ended up with the Pats taking a name I haven't seen linked to them . . . G Vega Ioane.
 
SiriusXM just did their first mock of the season on "Moving the Chains," with Jacob Hester doing the odd-number picks including NE.

He ended up with the Pats taking a name I haven't seen linked to them . . . G Vega Ioane.
He'll be long gone by 31
 
A very good Pats 7-round draft from Mark Daniels:


Blake Miller (4a), DDS (4b), VJ Payne (24), Damonte Capehart (30b), and Micah Morris (34b) are all on my 35-man short board of favorite prospects. Also a big fan of LB Jack Kelly, though he didn't quite make my short board.

I would substitute Sam Roush (10b) or Oscar Delp (21a) at 95, De'Zhaun Stribling (21b) at 125, and Adam Randall (29) at 171. But very good effort.
 
For completeness's sake:
1.31 OT Blake Miller, Clemson
2.63 EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
3.95 TE Michael Trigg, Baylor
4.125 WR Bryce Lance, NDSU
4.131 S V.J. Payne, Kansas State
5.171 RB Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
6.191 DT DeMonte Capehart, Clemson
6.198 LB Jack Kelly, BYU
6.202 OG Micah Morris, Georgia
6.212 CB Collin Wright, Stanford
7.247 QB Joe ***nano, Connecticut

 
For completeness's sake:
1.31 OT Blake Miller, Clemson
2.63 EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
3.95 TE Michael Trigg, Baylor
4.125 WR Bryce Lance, NDSU
4.131 S V.J. Payne, Kansas State
5.171 RB Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
6.191 DT DeMonte Capehart, Clemson
6.198 LB Jack Kelly, BYU
6.202 OG Micah Morris, Georgia
6.212 CB Collin Wright, Stanford
7.247 QB Joe ***nano, Connecticut


Not a big fan of Miller, but would take him over Iheanachor. I'm a lot lower on DDS than consensus, and I regard Bryce Lance as a 6th round talent. I like the rest of the picks, in isolation, though.
 
A 7-rounder from Patriots Wire.

1.31 T Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
2.63 EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
3.95 WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
4.125 TE Jack Endries, Texas
4.131 DT Chris McClellan, Missouri
5.171 G Jeremiah Wright, Auburn
6.191 S Michael Taaffe, Texas
6.198 EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College
"It's no secret that the Patriots love to filter in players from Boston College." Umm . . . they used to. But they haven't drafted one since Ron Brace [RIP].
6.202 C Matt Gulbin, Michigan State
6.212 LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
7.248 QB Joey Aguilar, Tennessee

 
Ian Cummings full 7-round mock:


For the Pats:

31. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
63. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
95. Bryce Lance, WR, N. Dakota St.
124. Carver Willis, OL, Washington
131. Travis Burke, OT, Memphis St.
171. Jack Endries, TE, Texas
191. Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
198. Chip Trayanum, RB, Toledo
202. Tim Keenan, DT, Alabama
212. Joe ***nano, QB, UConn
247. Bryce Phillips, CB, San Diego St.

Not my personal favorite.
 
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Ian Cummings full 7-round mock:


For the Pats:

31. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
63. Cashius Howell, RDGE, Texas A&M
95. Bryce Lance, WR, N. Dakota St.
124. Carver Willis, OL, Washington1
131. Travis Burke, OT, Memphis St.
171. Jack Endries, TE, Texas
191. Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
198. Chip Trayanum, RB, Toledo
202. Tim Keenan, DT, Alabama
212. Joe ***nano, QB, UConn
247. Bryce Phillips, CB, San Diego St.

Not my personal favorite.
A lot of smaller school guys at the top. Not my preference.
 
Ian Cummings full 7-round mock:


For the Pats:

31. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
63. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
95. Bryce Lance, WR, N. Dakota St.
124. Carver Willis, OL, Washington
131. Travis Burke, OT, Memphis St.
171. Jack Endries, TE, Texas
191. Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
198. Chip Trayanum, RB, Toledo
202. Tim Keenan, DT, Alabama
212. Joe ***nano, QB, UConn
247. Bryce Phillips, CB, San Diego St.

Not my personal favorite.
It's good to see Travis Burke finally get some love from draft pundit land. He's going to be one of those that gets taken in the mid rounds and when he is, the fans are going to look at dated big boards and say "why are we taking a late day 3 guy this high?"
 
The most exciting thing to me about this draft is it's depth. There is going to be so much variation in draft boards, and there are going to be productive players - even eventually starters - through the 6th round.

Imagine something like:

171. CJ Demmings or Ephesians Prysock, CB. Big, athletic outside CBs. CB4 in 2026, potential Carlton Davis replacements in 2027.

191. Adam Randall or Chip Trayanum, RB. Big, powerful guys who are more than just pounders, with pass-catching ability. RB 3-4 in 2026, potential Rhamondre Stevenson replacements in 2027.

198. Eli Heidenreich or Cyrus Allen, Slot WR. Super-quick guys who can break ankles and get open in a phone booth.

204. Jordan Van den Berg or DaMonte Capehart, DT. Athletic 1-techs who can chew up blockers, but can also create pressure. Khyiris Tonga replacements in 2026.

212. Micah Morris, IOL. Athletic and powerful, LG/RG versatility. Solid IOL5 in 2026, potential more athletic Mike Onwenu replacement in 2027.

There are lots of TE, outside WR, and LB candidates as well. Great year to have 4 6th round picks, could use 7 of them.
 
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