MORSE: Final Patriots Draft Analysis
MORSE's Final Patriots Draft Analysis: Aggressive Moves, Top Talent, and Day 3 Questions
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Posted Under: 2026 Patriots Draft
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Picking next to last in the draft is difficult. You have to watch the runs on certain positions somewhat helplessly. Tackle and EDGE positions were positions of need for the Patriots. Eliot Wolf and the Patriots staff were the most aggressive I have seen them in decades and moved up in both the 1st and 2nd rounds to get their guys! If the team hadn’t traded up to 28 and jump ahead of Kansas City and San Francisco, I would have taken Jacas at 31 anyway. I never wrote about Caleb Lomu because I never expected him to be available for the Patriots at the back of the Draft and because he played only Left Tackle.
Carter Bahns of CBS Sports really liked the Patriots’ draft and gave it an A- grade, the best in the Division. “Might this draft be a sign of things to come for Will Campbell? Just one year after the Patriots selected him No. 4 overall, they took a left tackle in the first round and another one in the sixth (actually, Crownover is a Right Tackle). Campbell struggled at times as a rookie, especially in the playoffs, and now that Lomu is in the picture, the Patriots could move him inside to a guard spot. At the same time, the Lomu pick might have nothing to do with Campbell at all. Morgan Moses is 35 and likely not long for the starting job at right tackle, and Lomu could simply be his successor.”
TRADE UP with Buffalo for 1-28 and 4-125 (Skyler Bell). Buffalo trades pick 28 and takes TJ Parker.
1-28 Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah – I called Lomu’s selection questionable because it opens up a new discussion of Will Campbell’s ability to play Left Tackle. I never scouted Lomu because he was a Left Tackle. There is no guarantee that Lomu can switch to Right Tackle either. Eliot Wolf stated that they worked out Lomu on the right side, and they were satisfied. Turns out that Lomu is a pretty good Left Tackle with one exception. He is not mean enough. When I first saw his interview after being selected, I thought he was in Jr High. I was impressed by how well spoken Lomu is. Lomu is just 21 years old and should be able to get a red-shirt year behind Morgan Moses, and is a very good depth piece. They have a potential true swing tackle. Draft Grade A
TRADE UP with Los Angeles Chargers for 2-55, giving up 2-63, 4-131, and 6-202
2-55 Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois – Gabe Jacas is Todd McShay’s favorite player in the draft. McShay posted a video extolling the virtues of Jacas as a nasty NFL player. I particularly loved the trade-up for Gabe Jacas. When looking at the draft after round 1, I wrote down 10 names of EDGE players according to Dane Brugler, who could go in Round 2. The way the EDGE players were flying off the board in the 2nd round, I was hoping the Patriots would muse some of their Draft Capital and move up. I had targeted the pick around 50 to get the trade done, and lo and behold, the Patriots did it. I was banging the table when they made the trade, and I was so excited to grab Jacas. Jacas’ position coach at Illinois was former Patriots DE coach Joe Kim. Jacas has the size, speed, and overall nastiness to be a 3-down dominating EDGE. He will have the opportunity to contribute at least on 3rd down and be an insurance policy for Harold Landry should he not be able to recover from his knee injury. Draft Grade A+
3-95 Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame – This from Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal. “An assistant coach I know well strongly disagreed with his placement (in Giardi’s TE Rankings), texting, “At worst, he’s the third-best tight end in the class,” then added, “If you can’t find a way to make this kid part of your offense and get more out of him, you shouldn’t be coaching offense.” Raridon has huge hands (10.68”) and a big catch radius (79.68”) to go along with 4.62 speed, which shows that Raridon’s upside in the Pros is higher than what he achieved at Notre Dame. The 40 time should answer any lingering questions about Raridon’s two ACL surgeries. Those happened in high school and as a freshman in college. He played two full seasons in 2024 and 2025. The way the board had been played, there was a run on TEs in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. The Patriots couldn’t move up again and were forced to stick and pick at 95. Raridon was a bit of a reach, but that was due to the fact that the Patriots had no 4th round picks left after the two trade-ups in rounds one and two. There was also an early run on TEs, which forced them to take Paridon early. Dane Brugler had him as his #9 TE and a 4th round projected selection.
I know that Nick Cattles of Locked On Patriots Podcast is ecstatic about the selection of Raridon. He selected Raridon in his final Mock Draft broadcast last week in the 3rd round. Being a Golden Domer fan, Cattles was pumping his tires all week leading up to the draft.
Eliot Wolf said about Raridon’s injury history of two ACL tears on the same leg, “the Pats medical staff checked him at the combine and again on his 30 visit, and no red flags were raised.”
Mel Kiper had this to say about Raridon. “(Raridon) was another one of my guys this year. He has a big 6-foot-6 frame and can make plays down the field. It was probably a round early on him, but considering the other much-worse reaches on tight ends on Day 2, I’m OK with this move, especially since it helps Maye.” Draft Grade B+
I felt that the Patriots punted on Day 3. They selected players who would be replacements for Special Teams for the Special Teams snaps they lost when they allowed players to walk.
5-17 Karon Prunty, CB, Wake Forest – The Patriots had thought they had found themselves a gem and a potential special-teams ace. They even brought Prunty in for a Top 30 visit. Then they discovered that they had competition for Prunty (Green Bay 30-visit), and they panicked and took Prunty at the end of the 5th round. I discovered that Patriots Defensive Cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton recruited Prunty out of High School when he was Director of Player Personnel-Defense at Virginia Tech.
Prunty also has some skill as a pass defender, too. His stats for 2025 were 40 Tackles 1 INT and 8 PBUs. Draft Grade D
TADE 6-191 to JAX for 6-196 and 7-245
6-196 Dametrious Crownover, RT, Texas A&M – According to Chad Graff of the Athletic, “the Patriots take a fun swing in the sixth round, taking a flier on an offensive tackle with off-the-charts length who will need time to improve.
Even though they chose an offensive tackle in the first round last year (Will Campbell) and again this year (Caleb Lomu), they still took Crownover with the hope that they might be able to develop his traits.
Crownover projects as the team’s No. 4 offensive tackle, so he probably won’t have to play this season. But it’s hard not to think about what could be with an offensive lineman with an 86-inch wingspan who ran a 5.14-second 40-yard dash at 319 pounds.”
Dane Brugler’s analysis
With his large frame and humongous wingspan, Crownover looks the part of an NFL tackle and has adequate movement ability and strength. He displays twitch out of his stance to get into position in pass pro or drive defenders from their spot as a run blocker, specializing on inside zone. However, his upright hips and erratic hands quickly cause problems, and his recovery skills aren’t yet on an NFL level.
I don’t care what you say, where there is smoke, there is fire! Selecting a mammoth Right Tackle that could replace Moses Morgan in a year, while also taking a Left Tackle in the 1st round tells me that Will Campbell could be moving inside to Left Guard. The Patriots have covered themselves if Mike Onwenu is injured or walks after becoming an Unrestricted Free Agent after the conclusion of the 2026 season. They can move Elijah Vera-Tucker to Right Guard, Campbell to Left Guard and Lomu to Left Tackle. Crownover is an older player at 25-years old. Draft Grade A+
TRADE 6-198 to MIN for 7-234 and 2027 6th
6-212 Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU – The Pats finally take a Linebacker. Obiazor is athletic and can play inside despite being 6’2.6”, 229-pounds. He runs an excellent 4.53 40-yard dash and has large 101/2” Hands. While at TCU for 4 years, he had 40 starts and is a little older (24), having spent 6 years in college. For the past three seasons, he has had over 80 tackles in each season while starting all those games in the three seasons. A former Safety turned LB. He has the speed to blanket TEs in coverage. His biggest contribution will be on Special Teams. Draft Grade C
7-234 Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech – Why did we take this QB? I was worried when I learned they had brought him in for a 30-visit. I just don’t see what the Patriots brass saw. There were, IMHO, better QBs available before they took him. Morton could have been a UDFA signing. Dane Brugler had Morton as the #19 QB in this awful QB Draft Class. His projection was for Morton to sign as a UDFA. He is barely over 6’2” and 218 pounds and can’t run (4.89 40). Very productive in his 5 years at Texas Tech. He led them to a 26-10 record as a starter. Threw for 8.989 yards in his career with 71/28 TD/INT ratio. Although he did not have a good playoff game, he led the Red Raiders with a 22-4 TD ratio and 66% completion percentage in his final year. Morton was a two-time captain and was described as a natural leader. Three-time Honorable Mention in the Big 12. His RAS was an awful 5.40. Draft Grade F
7-245 Jam Miller, RB, Alabama – Dane Brugler said, “Miller has the build and athleticism to be a reliable one-cut runner, but he must improve as a receiver and blocker to see quality NFL playing time. Scouts are bullish about his potential on special teams, which will help separate him on a roster.” Another Special Teams player. He can’t do much worse than the duo we shoved out there in the Super Bowl. D’Ernest Johnson and Efton Chism were the slowest pair in the entire league. They should have kept pick #198 and taken Eli Heidenreich. If Miller is just going to be a return man, then Heidenreich could have done that as well as being a backup RB and Slot Receiver. Heidenreich is faster and has an outstanding 6.55 3-cone drill. Major mistake and another wasted pick. Draft Grade F
7-247 Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College – I don’t know what they saw in Hutchins. He doesn’t do anything well. He has special teams production and also played TE for a season at BC. He will be in a fight with Bradyn Swinson for a spot on the roster. They should have taken Michael Heldman instead. They should have drafted a punter like Brett Thorson. Draft Grade F
Day Three was a disaster as far as I was concerned. They didn’t adequately address the needs at Safety, Guard, or Punter. I didn’t like their choice at Running Back. The Linebacker appears to be a Special Teams only player. Why would you draft a mammoth Right Tackle if you had just selected a player with your 1st pick to play Right Tackle? The disaster of Day 3 shouldn’t take away from what they did in the first two days. I would have taken a shot at Uah Bernard, the freak athlete from the International Pathway Program, who has never actually played football. Philadelphia took the chance and picked him at 251.
The New England Patriots spent Saturday at the 2026 NFL Draft making trades and selecting six players, but head coach Mike Vrabel was not in communication with the team, according to Eliot Wolf. He stated they had no contact with Vrabel throughout the day. They spent time the night before mapping out a strategy.
Caleb Lomu 9.90
Gabe Jacas 9.59
Eli Raridon 9.46
Karon Prunty 9.66
Dametrious Crownover 7.67
Namdi Obiazor 9.13
Behrens Morton 5.40
Jam Miller 7.17
Quintayvious Hutchins 5.15
Overall, the Patriots had the #22 of 32 teams’ RAS scores. The top 4 picks were good, but the Day Three picks dropped the ranking significantly.
Draft grades are mixed but generally positive. I have seen a B+, A-, B+, and a B. So generally, a B/B+ average. The 1st three picks were outstanding, but the disaster of Day Three brought the overall grade down.
The Patriots will bring their rookie class, Undrafted Free Agents, and select invited tryout players in for a Rookie Mini Camp on May 8-10. The Patriots have 90 players on their roster, but one player, OL Lorenz Metz, is their International Pathways Program player, and he carries a roster exemption. This means they have one roster spot available. The Patriots like to have this spot available as an incentive for those players who are trying out for the team.
Jacob Rizy, OG, Florida State
Rizy is a 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive lineman with local ties. He started his collegiate career at Harvard. He transferred to Florida State in 2024. Rizy made starts at left guard, right guard, center, and right tackle.
Kyle Dixon, WR, Culver-Stockton
A small-school prospect, Dixon is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound outside receiver. He caught 83 passes for 1,282 yards with 12 touchdowns last season. Dixon finished with 143 receptions, 2,394 yards, and 24 touchdowns over the last two seasons at the NAIA level. At Mizzou pro day, Dixon ran a 4.50 40-yard dash, 40.5 Vertical Jump, and 10’ 11” Broad Jump.
Dixon is signing with the Patriots on a deal worth $252,500 in guarantees. The guaranteed contract is highly unusual for a player who has never played above the NAIA level.
Channing Canada, CB, TCU
A 6-foot-1 cornerback, Canada started every game for TCU last season. He finished with 30 tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup. He earned First-Team Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2023. Canada ran a 4.36 40 at the TCU Pro Day.
Nick DeGennaro, WR, James Madison
DeGennaro is a 6-foot, 190-pound receiver who caught 28 passes for 500 yards with five touchdowns last season. He started his career at Maryland. In 2024, he transferred to Richmond, where he caught 40 passes for 576 yards and four touchdowns. He ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, 4.22 Short Shuttle and a 6.99 3-cone drill at his Pro Day. His 4.22 SS would have been the 9th-best overall and the 3rd-best amongst WRs at the combine.
Myles Montgomery, RB, Central Florida
Montgomery is a 5’ 9.7”, 205-pound running back who was productive last season for Central Florida. A team captain, he ran for 705 yards, 4.9 YPC, with four touchdowns. He also added 17 catches for 182 yards. At his Pro Day, he ran a 4.44 40- yard dash and a 4.25 SS. Started his career at Cincinnati for three years before transferring to UCF for his last two. Didn’t play until his 5th and final year.
Cameron Dorner, WR, North Texas
Dorner is a 6’0.6, 188-pound receiver who finished with 50 catches, 845 yards, and six touchdowns. He earned Third Team All-American Conference honors. Dorner spent his first three seasons at Division II Shepard University. Dorner ran a 4.57 40-yard dash and a 6.96 3-Cone drill at his Pro Day.
Tanner Arkin, TE, Illinois
Arkin is a 6-foot-4, 265-pound tight end who started the last two seasons for Illinois. A two-time team captain, he caught 13 passes for 144 yards last year. Arkin ran a very slow 4.88 40-yard dash at his Pro Day.
David Blay, DT, Miami
The Patriots dip into their Miami connections to add a nose tackle, who comes in a different shape than Khyiris Tonga as more of a penetrator. The 6’.23”, 292-pound DT ran a 5.07 40- yard dash and put up 27 reps on the Bench Press at his Pro Day. Blay was an All-ACC Honorable Mention for his one season at Miami. He started his career at Division II West Chester and then transferred to Louisiana Tech, where he was selected 1st Team All-Conference USA. Dane Brugler had this to say. “Blay needs to be more purposeful with his hands in all phases, but his short-area quickness could land him in an NFL rotation after time on the practice squad. “
Kenneth Harris, CB, Oklahoma State
A sixth-year senior, Harris has spent some time at safety over his collegiate career at both Arkansas State and Oklahoma State. The 5’ 11.6”, 192-pound DB ran a 4.45 40 at his Pro Day and an impressive 9.41 RAS, which is 182 out of 3069 CB from 1987 to 2026.
Jimmy Kibble WR Georgetown
A team captain for the Hoyas last season, Kibble had a career year with 63 receptions, 1,002 yards, and four touchdowns. The 6’.04” 199-pound, 4.45 40-yard dash receiver finished his Georgetown career fourth in program history with 2593 career receiving yards.
Korey Foreman, edge rusher, Fresno State
Fresno State announced that Foreman has been invited to attend the Patriots’ rookie minicamp. Foreman’s a 6-foot-4, 250-pound edge rusher who had 20 tackles and three sacks last season. In 2021, Foreman was a 5-star recruit and ranked No. 3 in the nation by ESPN. He signed with USC, spending three seasons there. Foreman ran a 4.82 40-yard dash, but plays faster than timed speed.
Jordan Kwiatkowski LB Central Michigan
A two-time All-MAC selection, Kwiatkowski played in 47 games with 25 starts for the Chippewas. The 6’0.3”, 229-pounder registered 255 tackles, four interceptions and three forced fumbles during his college career. Kwiatkowski is slow, running a 4.84 40-yard dash. However, he did a 6.98 3-Cone drill (quickness and change of direction), which is amazing compared to the 40. Anything under 7 for receivers and backs is good.
This is not an outstanding UDFA class like last year’s class was. Last year, there were 5 UDFAs who could have made the team. This is a different year, and the roster is much better than it was a year ago. It appears that the Patriots used their three 7th-round picks on players they would have signed as UDFAs, but selected them in the Draft rather than have to compete for their services with other teams as UDFAs.
Last season, they kept two UDFA on the Opening Day Roster (Elijah Ponder and Efton Chism). They picked up UDFA Corey Burden at cutdown day, and he remained on the 53- man roster all season. Lan Larison and Brock Lampe were UDFAs who had a good chance of making the team but were put on IR during Training Camp and lost for the year. CJ Dippre, Mehki Butler, Jeremiah Webb, and Brandon Crossley were waived at Cutdown Day and signed to the Practice Squad. Dippre was elevated and signed to the 53-man roster during the season.
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