The 2026 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away and the New England Patriots continue the process of finishing their board. Things will look quite different for the team this draft picking 31st overall after back-to-back years selecting in the top-five. While Drake Maye is a big reason in that, New England is expected to add a developmental quarterback behind the 23-year-old at some point during the draft weekend.
So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the prospects that might make sense
for the Patriots at the position.
Patriots’ current quarterback situation
The aforementioned Drake Maye has established himself as the team’s franchise quarterback after a season in which he finished as the MVP runner-up while being named a second-team All-Pro. Maye’s development both on and off the field allowed the team to part with veteran backup Joshua Dobbs this offseason, which promotes Tommy DeVito into the primary backup position.
With just Maye and DeVito on the depth chart, the team will add a third quarterback this offseason — likely late on Day 3 or as an undrafted free agent
“We need a third arm. And we’ll try to find a young guy that we can develop,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “We’ll potentially add to the roster, whether that’s on the 53-man roster or practice squad.”
Patriots NFL Draft fits at quarterback
Sawyer Robertson (Baylor): The fifth-year senior is coming off a season in which he finished fifth in the FBS with 31 passing touchdowns and sixth with 3,681 passing yards. Robertson has good size to succeed in the pocket and is a strong athlete at the position to extend plays and pick up yards as a scrambler. His accuracy will need to improve but he may have the best developmental upside on Day 3 of the draft. | Consensus ranking: 212
Haynes King (Georgia Tech): After starting his career at Texas A&M, King spent the last three seasons at Georgia Tech where he was a three-time captain and earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year last season. The 25-year old rookie will have work to do as a passer but is a threat as a runner due to his speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash) and toughness. He can pick up dirty yards and finished his collegiate career with 37 rushing touchdowns. New England showed some interest in King at his Pro Day. | Consensus ranking: 292
Taylor Green (Arkansas): Speaking of athletes, it’s almost impossible to find a better one than Green at the quarterback position. His game is built around his athleticism as he posted one of the fastest ever 40 times for a quarterback (4.36) while breaking the positional record with a 43.5” vertical. That ability shows as he recorded over 2,000 career rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, but that ability and urge to escape out the back of the pocket often leads to sacks while accuracy and turnover issues will need to be corrected. | Consensus ranking: 153
Carson Beck (Miami): Once viewed as a top overall prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, Beck had a disappointing 2024 campaign for the Georgia Bulldogs that ended with a UCL injury in his elbow requiring surgery. Beck then transferred to Miami and helped lead the Hurricanes to the National Championship behind a career-high 30 touchdowns, but again struggled with turnovers —throwing 12 interceptions in each of his last two seasons while. He lacks top physical traits but his size and accuracy make him an intriguing depth option. | Consensus ranking: 115
Jack Strand (Minnesota State Moorhead): A largely unknown prospect in this year’s QB class coming from Division II, Strand fits the bill of a developmental quarterback. He stands 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and has a lively arm, good athletic ability, and leaves the NSIC holding career records in pass completions (1,147), passing yards (12,134) and passing touchdowns (115). The jump in competition will be major for the engineering physics major, but Strand has plenty of enticing tools. | Consensus ranking: N/A
In addition to those players, other names to watch include: Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Joe Fagnano (Connecticut), Brady Olson (Central Connecticut State), and Cole Payton (North Dakota State).
