Now that the initial wave of Free Agency is complete, teams have a pretty good idea of what their team needs will be in the draft.\u00a0 They will compare those needs to the available talent.\u00a0 Ongoing are the Pro Days and occasionally a player or two will pop in those workouts as you will read here today.<\/p>\n
Again, I used Pro Football Focus Mock Simulator because I believe it to be the most accurate listing of players and is constantly updated.\u00a0 PFF changed their rankings on Monday, completely blowing my Mock Draft I completed over the weekend out of the water.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0PFF updated their rankings, and that blew my Mock out of the water.\u00a0 When selecting a player, I don\u2019t try to get the best grade I can from the Simulator. I instead select players I think the Patriots will be interested in and meet some, if not all, of their needs.\u00a0 That means I will take a player at a position of need over the Best Player Available.\u00a0 The Patriots are not yet at the point of having enough depth to be able to go Best Player Available.<\/p>\n
Max Iheanachor jumped to #30 in the PFF Rankings, and the Fanspeak Simulator has him going as high as #23.\u00a0 Edge Max Reiger jumped into a 3rd round pick, and Bryce Lance, after his great showing at the Combine, is now a 2nd round selection.\u00a0 DB Charles Demmings, who I selected, is now a 4th-round pick.<\/p>\n
1-31 Max Iheanachor<\/strong>, Right Tackle<\/strong>, Arizona Stats<\/strong> \u2013 I have been on Iheanachor since I first saw him at the East-West Shrine game.\u00a0 He played Soccer and Basketball in High School and is still new to the game, having just started playing 5 years ago in Junior College.\u00a0 He will get a year behind Morgan Moses and learn what it takes to become a Pro.\u00a0 He is just too good a prospect with a high ceiling to pass on him.\u00a0 He ran a 4.91 40 (2), 1.73 10\/Split (4), at 6\u20196\u201d, 321-pounds, with 33 7\/8\u201d Arms. \u00a0His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was 9.87.\u00a0 \u00a0His footwork was impeccable in drills, which reflected his Soccer and Basketball skills required by those other sports.\u00a0 He has jumped all the way into the 1st<\/sup> round in the PFF rankings. \u00a0The Miami trade of Jaylen Waddle puts Iheanachor in jeopardy right before the Patriots’ selection. PFF Grade A<\/p>\n 2-63 Dani Dennis-Sutton, Defensive End, Penn State <\/strong>6\u20196\u201d, 256 pounds, 4.63 40 (5), 39.5 V (4) 10\u20191\u201d BJ (1), and 6.90 3-Cone (1).\u00a0 This freak athlete had an outstanding RAS of 9.96.\u00a0 In 2024, when he started all 16 games opposite Abdul Carter and tallied 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 13 tackles for loss during Penn State’s playoff run.\u00a0 His senior season matched that output with 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss while leading the Big Ten in forced fumbles. Dennis-Sutton finished his career with 127 tackles, 23.5 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles across 54 games. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three straight years and was invited to the Senior Bowl.\u00a0 These are his strengths per NFL Draft Buzz: \u201cHeavy hands create immediate disruption at the point of attack against both run and pass.\u00a0 Long arms (331\/2<\/sup>\u201d) let him control blockers and keep them from reaching his chest plate.\u00a0 Sets a firm edge against the run and holds ground versus double teams without giving ground easily.\u00a0 Bull rush has real force when he drops his pads and drives through contact.\u00a0 Combine workout was historic for his size, posting top-tier explosion and agility marks among all DEs tested.\u00a0 Heavy hands create immediate disruption at the point of attack against both run and pass.\u00a0 Long arms let him control blockers and keep them from reaching his chest plate.\u00a0 Sets a firm edge against the run and holds ground versus double teams without giving ground easily.\u00a0 Bull rush has real force when he drops his pads and drives through contact.\u00a0 Combine workout was historic for his size, posting top-tier explosion and agility marks among all DEs tested.\u00a0 Lower-body power shows up in testing and on tape when he gets downhill or closes on scrambling quarterbacks.\u00a0 Agility numbers suggest untapped pass rush potential that has not consistently translated to game film yet.\u00a0 Competitive effort shows up late in games and in postseason moments, with four sacks across two playoff games.\u00a0 Versatile enough to handle multiple alignments and occasional shallow zone drops without confusion. Lower-body power shows up in testing and on tape when he gets downhill or closes on scrambling quarterbacks.\u00a0 Agility numbers suggest untapped pass rush potential that has not consistently translated to game film yet.\u00a0 Competitive effort shows up late in games and in postseason moments, with four sacks across two playoff games.\u00a0 Versatile enough to handle multiple alignments and occasional shallow zone drops without confusion.”\u00a0 PFF Grade B+<\/p>\n TRADE<\/strong> 3-95 and 4-125 to CAR for 3-83 – I overpay to get the player I wanted.<\/p>\n 3-83 Sam Roush, TE, Stanford<\/strong> \u2013 A huge need for the Patriots.\u00a0 Roush is a very reliable blocker at 6\u2019 6\u2019\u2019, 267 pounds, 30 5\/8\u2019\u2019 Arm Length, and big 10\u2019\u2019 Hands.\u00a0 He ran a 4.7 40, with 1.61 10\/Split (4), 38.5 V (3), 10\u20196\u201d BJ (4). 7.08 3-Cone Drill (1).\u00a0 His RAS was 9.93.\u00a0 He was the biggest TE at the Combine, and is known to be a good blocker. \u00a0This is what NFL Draft Buzz wrote after the combine: \u201cIndianapolis changed the conversation on Sam Roush. Before the Combine, the tape showed a well-coached, ascending tight end from a run-first Stanford system who did a little bit of everything without doing any one thing, at an eye-popping level. The athletic testing told a different story entirely. A 267-pound man has no business posting a 38.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-6 broad jump, let alone running a three-cone faster than Kyle Pitts and showing agility on a weight-adjusted basis that compares to Sam LaPorta. That 87-athleticism score, third among all tight ends, forced evaluators to look at the film with different eyes, and what you see when you go back is a player whose physical ceiling was never fully tapped in an offense that leaned on the ground game.\u201d\u00a0 His 3-cone number would have been the 6th fastest amongst WRs that ran the 3-cone.\u00a0 The 3-cone drill shows quickness and change of direction as opposed to straight-line speed.\u00a0 He has an issue with drops with too many passes getting into his chest.\u00a0 PFF Grade B<\/p>\n 4-131<\/strong> Charles Demmings, CB,\u00a0 Stephen F. Austin – <\/strong>6\u20191\u201d, 196-pounds, 4.41 40 (4), 42\u201d V (2) 11\u2019 BJ (1) 10 1\/8\u201d <\/sup>Hands.\u00a0 His RAS score was 9.97 and an 88 Athletic Score was 1st<\/sup> amongst all CB participants at the Combine.\u00a0 <\/strong>He is a \u201cdiamond in the rough\u201d from a small school. \u00a0\u00a0In 2025 he was selected 1st<\/sup> team All-Southland Conference and 1st<\/sup> Team FCS All-American.<\/p>\n Sports Illustrated had this to say about Demmings:\u00a0 \u201c<\/strong>Demmings is recognized for his coverage versatility, quick trigger, and athletic frame. He demonstrates poise, balance, and range in zone coverage, with the ability to split routes and close downhill with good burst. His length and movement skills help narrow throwing windows and contest catches effectively. While he shows adequate press coverage, he can struggle against shiftier receivers and occasionally commits penalties due to over-aggressive play. He is also a willing tackler in the run game and on perimeter plays. Overall, he projects as a balanced man\/zone boundary corner with immediate special teams value and rotational potential in the NFL.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 PFF Grade C<\/p>\n 5-169 Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU <\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 6\u20191\u201d 234-pounds 4.47 40<\/p>\n When he finally got his shot as a full-time starter in 2023, Elarms-Orr wasted no time establishing himself. He ripped off 92 tackles in 11 games for the Golden Bears, adding an interception, five pass breakups, and six quarterback hurries. That kind of production in the old Pac-12, going up against offenses led by Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix, was enough to land him Second Team All-Conference honors from the AP and Phil Steele. After the Pac-12 dissolved, Elarms-Orr transferred to TCU for the 2024 season but found himself stuck behind Namdi Obiazor and Johnny Hodges. He played in all 13 games without starting one, contributing 54 tackles and a couple of sacks while biding his time again. The 2025 season was the full arrival. Starting every game for the Horned Frogs, Elarms-Orr led the Big 12 in tackles, with 130, tacked on 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, and earned First Team All-Big 12 honors. He posted double-digit tackle games six times, including consecutive 15-plus tackle performances against Baylor and West Virginia that hadn’t been done by a TCU player since at least 1995. He capped the year by winning the Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP with 11 tackles and 1.5 TFLs against USC. A Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week recipient and Senior Bowl invitee, Elarms-Orr declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in January, looking to become the first TCU linebacker drafted since Dee Winters in 2023.<\/p>\n NFL Draft Buzz listed these as Elarms-Orr\u2019s strengths: \u201cLegitimate sideline-to-sideline range thanks to above-average long speed and quick-twitch burst out of his stance. Closes on the ball in a hurry.\u00a0 Flies downhill against the run with bad intentions. His run defense grading jumped dramatically from 2023 to 2025 as his reads and fits improved within TCU’s scheme.\u00a0 Tackled with real authority and discipline this past season. Cut his missed tackle rate nearly in half from his Cal days, finishing and wrapping through contact consistently.\u00a0 Comfortable and effective as a green dog blitzer. Shows feel for timing his rush, and his 25 total pressures in 2025 came on a relatively modest number of rush attempts.\u00a0 Contact balance stands out when he’s filling the gap. Uses leverage and a solid base to anchor against lead blockers better than his 235-pound frame suggests.\u00a0 Covered a ton of ground in Andy Avalos’s defense, logging the most snaps of any Power Four linebacker in 2025. Durability and conditioning are not concerns.\u00a0 Tremendous year-over-year growth trajectory. Went from middling overall grades at Cal to strong marks across the board at TCU, suggesting a player still ascending.\u00a0 Competes with an edge. His willingness to wait behind established starters at both Cal and TCU without checking out says something about his makeup and competitive drive.\u00a0 PFF Grade A-<\/p>\n 6-190 Owen Heinecke, LB, Oklahoma – \u00a0<\/strong>6\u20191\u201d 227 227-pounds, 4.62 40, 7.15 3-Cone. –\u00a0 <\/strong>He got screwed by the NCAA denying him another year of eligibility because he played three games with the Ohio State Lacrosse team as a Freshman.\u00a0 He transferred to Oklahoma and played 3 seasons of Football. His acceleration and speed make him ideally suited for a special teams role where he can fly downfield attacking smaller players. As a linebacker, he would work best as a specialist on long and late downs matched up against less athletic tight ends.\u00a0 He plays with a violent tenacity that will endear him to personnel departments and coaches alike. The effort he shows on tape makes him an ideal candidate for a back-of-the-roster spot as a core special teamer.\u00a0 PFF Grade A-<\/p>\n 6-197 John Michael Gyllenborg, Tight End, Wyoming \u2013 <\/strong>I double down on TEs.\u00a0 The 6\u20196\u201d 249-pound TE ran a 4.6 40-yard dash.\u00a0 His RAS was 9.92, slightly behind Roush.\u00a0 He had 80 catches and 1,023 yards with 7 TDs in his career, which has been marred by injuries.\u00a0 He missed 3 games in 2024 and another 3 games in 2025.\u00a0 The collarbone injury was to a growth plate that could have been deadly.\u00a0 He returned in 2025 but had a Hamstring injury that caused the loss of 3 games and part of 2 others.\u00a0 In the first 7 games, he played just 134 snaps.\u00a0 His Combine workout opened some eyes and made evaluators take a second look.\u00a0 PFF Grade B<\/p>\n 6-201 Eli Heidenreich, WR, NAVY – <\/strong>He is listed as an FB in the Navy Wing-T offense.\u00a0 What he is good at is catching the ball.\u00a0 The former WR turned back ran an incredible 4.44 40 time at the combine.\u00a0 This week at his Pro Day, he ran a totally unbelievable 6.50 3-cone drill. \u00a0\u00a0Julian Edelman was one of the quickest Patriots ever, and he ran a very good 6.65 3-cone drill.\u00a0 Heidenriech finished his career with 109 receptions for 1,994 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns, plus 169 carries for 1,157 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He was selected as Second-Team All-AAC wide receiver.\u00a0 Heidenreich\u2019s RAS was 9.12, 4th<\/sup> highest from the Runningbacks group at the combine.\u00a0 \u00a0This is what NFL Draft Scout said about Heidenreich: \u201c Tracks the deep ball with outstanding body control, adjusting mid-stride to pull in throws over his shoulder like a natural receiver despite playing the ‘snipe’ position.\u00a0 Averaged over 18 yards per catch across his entire college career, and that number holds up whether you watch the tape against Tulsa or against Notre Dame.\u00a0 Compact, powerful frame plays bigger than his listed size; consistently falls forward on carries and absorbs contact from bigger defenders without going down easy.\u00a0 Genuine dual-threat ability is not a gimmick here. He carried the ball nearly 170 times in college and averaged 6.8 yards per attempt with a decisive, north-south running style.\u00a0 Creates separation on crossing routes with quick feet and an understanding of leverage that belies his limited route tree; defenders struggle to stay attached when he changes direction.\u00a0 Willing and tough as a lead blocker in Navy’s Wing-T scheme, sticking his face into defensive linemen without hesitation despite giving up significant weight in those matchups.\u00a0 Ball security is outstanding: just one fumble across 1,138 offensive snaps over three seasons, and his drop rate stayed remarkably low throughout his career.\u00a0 The intangible makeup is off the charts. A team captain, Naval Academy graduate, and future Marine officer who delivered in the biggest moments, including that fourth-and-goal catch against Army.\u201d\u00a0 PFF Grade B<\/p>\n 6-211 Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma\u00a0 – \u00a0<\/strong>6\u20192\u201d 235-pounds. 4.32 40-yard dash, 10 3\/8\u201d <\/sup>hands, 32 \u00bd\u201d <\/sup>Arms.\u00a0 \u00a0Spears-Jennings was not a starter until 2025, when he started 12 of 13 Games.\u00a0 Overall, he appeared in 47 games with 178 Tackles, 8 TFLs, 2.5 Sacks, 5 PBUs, and 5 Forced Fumbles.\u00a0 \u00a0He will be an immediate Special Teams contributor and learn the Safety position from Kevin Byard.<\/p>\n NFL Draft Buzz stated this about Spears-Jennings: \u201cInstinctive run defender who diagnoses quickly and attacks downhill with purpose, consistently beating blockers to their spot.\u00a0 Physical tackler who breaks down well in space and drives through contact, particularly effective when coming downhill.\u00a0 Shows natural feel in zone coverage, maintaining proper depth and leveraging routes while keeping eyes in the backfield.\u00a0 Versatile defender capable of aligning at multiple levels – effective both in the box and playing deep.\u00a0 Brings excellent size at 219 pounds while maintaining the athleticism to range sideline to sideline.\u00a0 Strong closing burst to the football, evident in his late-season surge of production as a junior.\u00a0 Natural ball skills carried over from his receiver background, tracks the ball well, and attacks at the highest point.\u00a0 Ascending player who showed consistent improvement, peaking late in his junior season.\u201d\u00a0 PFF Draft Grade C<\/p>\n 7-247\u00a0 Riley Mahlman, OT, Wisconsin \u00a0\u2013 <\/strong>The 6\u20198\u201d 320-pound OT ran a 5.2 40 at the Combine.\u00a0 That is a very good time for his size.\u00a0 The 3-year starter at Right Tackle had 37 consecutive starts in the Big 10. \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Mahlman has reportedly met with the Patriots already.\u00a0 \u00a0NFL Draft Buzz had this to say about Mahlman \u201cMassive frame with ideal length for the tackle position, creating a wide arc for pass rushers to navigate around.\u00a0 Powerful base allows him to anchor effectively against bull rushes, rarely giving ground in pass protection.\u00a0 Displays good initial quickness off the snap, often beating edge rushers to the spot in pass sets.\u00a0 Strong hands enable him to latch onto defenders and control the point of attack in the run game. Shows the ability to drive defenders off the ball with leg drive and core strength on down blocks.\u00a0 Demonstrates improved footwork and balance in pass protection, particularly against speed rushers.\u00a0 Exhibits a nasty finishing attitude, looking to pancake defenders and play through the whistle.\u00a0 High football IQ, consistently picks up stunts and blitzes, rarely caught off guard by defensive schemes.\u00a0 PFF Grade B+<\/p>\n Overall Draft Grade B+<\/strong><\/p>\n Linebacker Jack Gibbens<\/strong> has signed a 2-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals today.\u00a0 No details are available.<\/p>\n Longsnapper Niko Lalos<\/strong> was signed by the Patriots today to give Julian Ashby some competition in camp and serve as a potential backup should Ashby get hurt.\u00a0 Last week, the Patriots brought in several Free Agent snappers and signed free agent DE-turned-LS Niko Lalos following a successful workout, per a source. He last played with the Saints back in 2024, and played his college ball at Dartmouth.\u00a0 Lalos stands 6\u20195\u201d, 265-pounds, and switched to Long Snapper last year.\u00a0 He has no NFL experience as a Long Snapper.\u00a0 Former Tampa Bay Buc Zach Triner, who played on their Super bowl winning team, was also one of the Free Agents who came in last week.\u00a0 Triner played at Assumption University in Worcester.<\/p>\n The Patriots finally officially announced they have signed LB KJ Britt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n New Coaches <\/strong><\/p>\n BJ Edmonds was named a Defensive Assistant.\u00a0 Edmonds, a former cornerback at Arkansas State, served in a defensive assistant role at Kansas Wesleyan, Utah State and Duke before being hired as running backs coach at Southern Miss in January. Just a month later, however, he made the move to New England, where he worked as an intern during the last training camp.<\/p>\n The Patriots made the Coaching changes official: Terrell Williams, Assistant Head Coach; Zak Kuhr, Defensive Coordinator; Vinnie DePalma, Inside Linebackers coach; Charles London, Offensive Assistant; and Jonathan Decoster, Assistant Offensive Line coach.<\/p>\n The Patriots didn\u2019t cheap out, like I feared they would do after spending big last Free Agency.\u00a0 This from Nick Cattles, the Patriots spent money this Free Agency season as evident by the numbers reported by Over the Cap website.<\/p>\n Overall Spending\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $183 M<\/p>\n Average per Year\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $7.9 M<\/p>\n Guaranteed\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $96.8 M<\/p>\n Fully Guaranteed\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $92.8 M<\/p>\n Cash Spending (1st<\/sup> Year)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 #5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $61.9 M<\/p>\n The front office did a great job negotiating these free-agent contracts.\u00a0 The Doubs deal is a two-year deal, and they can get out of it if it isn\u2019t working out.\u00a0 The Julian Hill deal looks like they overpaid, but it is really a two-year deal at significantly less than the $6M AAV appears.\u00a0 Hill has bonuses that will get him paid if he produces.\u00a0 The Alijah Vera-Tucker contract has $12.5M tied to per-game bonuses.\u00a0 If he plays and isn\u2019t hurt, he gets paid. \u00a0\u00a0The DreMont Jones contract has incentives built in that could boost his earnings, but in reality, it is well below market value.\u00a0 He has $6.7 M in guarantees, and K\u2019Lavon Chaisson has $11M guaranteed in his one-year contract.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mark Morse has his Mock Draft #4, analyzing Patriots’ post-free agency needs and potential draft picks, including Max Iheanchor and Dani Dennis-Sutton.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":65297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[655,24447,24349,24448,24378,24449,24444,802,23801,24443,17,24346,24434,24360,44,1967,24446,24442,22427,24441,24445,24389,24380,23658,23664],"class_list":["post-66216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots-news","tag-arizona-cardinals","tag-bj-edmonds","tag-charles-demmings","tag-coaching-changes","tag-dani-dennis-sutton","tag-draft-grades","tag-eli-heidenreich","tag-free-agency","tag-jack-gibbens","tag-john-michael-gyllenborg","tag-julian-edelman","tag-kaleb-elarms-orr","tag-kj-britt","tag-max-iheanchor","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-nfl-draft","tag-niko-lalos","tag-owen-heinecke","tag-patriots-mock-draft","tag-pro-football-focus","tag-riley-mahlman","tag-robert-spears-jennings","tag-sam-roush","tag-terrell-williams","tag-zak-kuhr"],"yoast_head":"\nComings and Goings <\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Patriots Spent in Free Agency<\/strong><\/h3>\n