The 2026 NFL Draft is officially less than one weeks away. So, instead of the usual questions submitted and answered in our #PostPulpit mailbag, we will be going through one last batch of your own mock drafts — where we hopefully will comment on a vast majority of prospects, trades, and all sorts of scenarios.
So with that, let’s get into this week’s #PostPulpit Mailbag.
JAC68: 1-31 Blake Miller OT 2-63 Derrick Moore Edge 3-95 Bryce Lance WR 4-125 Sam Roush TE 4-131 Harold Perkins LB 5-171 Aiden Fisher
LB 6-191 Landon Robinson DL 6-198 Jeremiah Wright OG 6-202 Eli Heidenreich WR/FB 6-212 Louis Moore S 7-247 Sawyer Robinson QB
I’ve flipped back and forth this draft cycle between whether the Patriots can afford a “luxury pick” in the first-round this season. The roster could use a day one contributor, but the value of the offensive tackle position outweighs that. This team needs a future successor to Morgan Moses and even a third offensive tackle this year (who may end up seeing playing time anyway due to injuries). Miller has plenty of experience and pairs tremendous length with a good athletic profile. His play demeanor will also earn him fans in the building. Having him and Will Campbell as your long-term bookends is enticing.
From there, Moore is one of my favorite Day 2 pass rushers with his speed-to-power ability. Lance is an exceptional deep threat who recorded 19 receptions of 20+ yards last season. The jump in competitions from the FCS will be big, but you can see the vision to pair the skillset with Drake Maye.
Good collection of guys on Day 3 at positions of need. Eliot Wolf noted the linebacker depth late in the draft and you add two personal favorites in Perkins and Fisher. Jeremiah Wright then makes plenty of sense as a developmental guard. I also like Roush at tight end due to his physicality and athletic ability, but his 1st percentile arm length and 8th percentile wingspan are noticable in a negative way at times.
Cheky Patriots:
1-31 Max Iheanachor OT
2-63 Dani Dernis-Sutton EDGE
3-95 Oscar Delp TE
4-125 Kamari Ramsey S
4-131 Kaleb Elarms-Orr LB
5-171 Jeremiah Wright OG
6-191 Landon Robinson DT
6-202 J´Mari Taylor RB
6-209 Haynes King QB
6-212 Andre Fuller CB
7-247 Eric McAlister WR
Same deal as the previous mock starting with an offensive tackle. I do think I would prefer Iheanachor at this point due to the ceiling and upside. I love Oscar Delp and would run the card up if he makes it to 95, but aren’t the biggest Dennis-Sutton fan. I think there will be better edge defenders on Day 2 who have shown more in the ability to get after the passer.
New England could use depth at safety and cornerback, but it will be interesting to see if they address both after Wolf noted the secondary class is weaker than usual. I am a big fan of Fuller, however, as an aggressive outside corner with man/match ability.
DTW10: I generally scoffed at mock drafts that had the Pats selecting a DT but here I am submitting a mock draft doing exactly that. The context is that Barmore would be available as an asset for a potential AJ Brown trade, since that seems to be inevitable despite my reservations.
Round 1 – Pick 31: Kayden McDonald – DT Ohio St
Round 2 – Pick 63: Derrick Moore – Edge Michigan
Round 3 – Pick 95: Zakee Wheatley – S Penn State
Round 4 – Pick 125: Sam Roush – TE Stanford
Round 4 – Pick 131: Elijah Sarratt – WR Indiana
Round 5 – Pick 171: Markell Bell – OT Miami
Round 6 – Pick 191: Eli Heidenreich – WR Navy
Round 6 – Pick 198: Justin Jefferson – LB Alabama
Round 6 – Pick 202: Logan Taylor – OL Boston College
Round 7 – Pick 247: Cole Payton – QB NDSU
It still may not be my favorite pick but I’ve warmed up to the idea of McDonald as well in Round 1. He’s a monster in the middle who has the makings of an elite run defender. It’d be hard to be too upset with them going best player available while it does create roster flexibility moving forward with someone like Barmore.
I like the collection of offensive lineman in the massive 6-foot-9, 346-pound Bell, who moves well for his size, and the super versatile Logan Taylor. Both would be good additions to the room, but may be selected a round (or two in Bell’s case) earlier. Sarratt has the makings of an all-around solid, tough wide receiver while I think Wheatley makes sense in the third-round with his coverage ability (plus was brought in for a pre-draft visit).
Networker: Here is the final board I would run, built around the real holes the post season and Super Bowl exposed. I’m also assuming we’re getting Brown to replace Diggs as WR1. The logic is simple. First, protect Maye and make McDaniels’ pass game more stable under stress. Second, add pass-rush bodies so Vrabel can pressure in waves. Third, use Day 3 on high-cieling athletic freaks that can be coached up.
31. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
63. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
95. Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
125. Zxavian Harris, DL, Ole Miss
131. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
171. George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, Florida
191. V.J. Payne, S, Kansas State
198. Malik Benson, WR, Oregon
202. Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
212. Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama
247. Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
I want to get right to Day 3 because I love the group of players. Elarms-Orr and Jefferson may be a bit redundant as athletic off-ball linebackers, but big fans of both players who absolutely fly around the field. Sticking with defense, Payne is incredibly lengthy with a wingspan close to 81-inches (!) and has plenty of range and versatility. Gumbs then is incredibly bendy and brings the speed they are looking for on the edge, while having room to grow after starting his collegiate career as a tight end than wide receiver. Burke is then a worthy development tackle with a nasty mean streak. I’d be surprised if Burke and Payne last to those picks.
One thing I wonder about early-on here is Jacas. I like the player as a violent, powerful pass rusher who has some explosiveness but not top-end athleticism. New England could look elsewhere if speed is purely the top trait they are looking for.
HannahHasNoEqual:
Consensus draft:
Trade with Houston, pick 31 for 38 and 106.
38- Malachi Lawrence EDGE UCF
63- Max Klare TE Ohio State
95- Jalen Farmer RG Kentucky
106- Jude Bowry OT Boston College
125- Kage Casey LG (was a LT, likely moving to G) Boise State
131- Kaleb Elarms-Orr LB TCU
171- Nick Barrett DT South Carolina
191- Jeff Caldwell WR Cincinnati
198- Jack Kelly LB BYU
202- Adam Randall RB Clemson
Trade with Pittsburgh, pick 212 and the NE 6th for 224, 230, and a 7th.
224- George Gumbs Jr. EDGE Florida
230- Andre Fuller CB Toledo
247- Xavier Nwankpa S Iowa
Our first trade down in a fair deal with the Texans to acquire another pick just outside the top-100. Could definitely see something like that happening based off how the board falls. I’m than a fan of the first two picks to get a high-upside pass rusher in Lawrence and a weapon in the passing game in Klare.
I like hammering the offensive line depth, but not sure two guards in that range is needed unless the plan is to immediately move off of Mike Onwenu. We touched on some of these late-round options we like, but we’ll add Barrett, who is a powerful run stopper with some pass rush ability, and the wide receiver-turned-running back Adam Randall as two others who I’ve liked in the process.
wrw921: I hope they don’t, but I’m hedging my bets and recouping ‘27 draft picks in case they pull the trigger on the proposed AJB trade.
1 (31) to Atlanta for 2 (48) and 2nd and 5th in ‘27
4 (125), 6 (202) to Baltimore for 4 (115)
5 (171), 6 (212), 7 (247) to Green Bay for 5 (160), 7 (236)
The picks are based on who fell to my slots on the PFN draft sim.
2 (48), Malachi Lawrence, ED, UCF
3 (63), Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
3 (95), Domonique Orange, Iowa State
4 (115), Kaleb Elams-Orr, LB, TCU
4 (131), Tristan Leigh, OT, Clemson
5 (160), Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
6 (191), VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
6 (198), Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
7 (236), Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria
It feels like teams around the league are going to try and target 2027 draft picks ahead of whats expected to be a very strong class. Teams also may be reluncant to give them away, but the Patriots would be wise to target that draft with 11 picks already in 2026 and with the Brown trade seemingly on deck.
Love the Lawrence and Delp combo to start things off, while Orange (aka Big Citrus) is a monster run stopper up front and would be the Day 2 option of Kayden McDonald discussed above. He does not provide much as a pass rusher but would be a good addition to New England’s current group.
I know someone had to include Bernard in this batch of mocks. He’s a 6-foot-4, 306-pound defensive lineman from a small village in Nigeria who did not play football growing up. He’s the definition of a project player, but the atheltic ability at that size is absolutely freakish.
We discussed the first-round tackle option up top. While I’m more than fine allowing a tackle to develop on the sideline this season, the Patriots can’t have their first two picks on the sideline. I really like Rutledge as a prospect, but unless the team is trading Mike Onwenu they would not be getting anything out of him and Iheanachor as rookies.
I feel almost similarly with Bell. He’s a good player but a tad redundant to their current group of pass catchers. If they take someone in this range I’d prefer someone with size and vertically ability to complement the current depth chart. Two good pass rushers in addition to Klein and Black on offense is a good finish on Day 3.
That’s all for this week’s #PostPulpit mailbag. If you have questions you’d liked to be answered in our next mailbag following the NFL Draft, submit them online in our weekly submission post or on Twitter using #PostPulpit. Make sure to be following @iambrianhines and @PatsPulpit as well.
