3 Players Who May Have Fallen Down Patriots Board at NFL Combine

As the New England Patriots turn their attention to the 2026 NFL season, a particularly sharp eye will remain focused on the upcoming NFL Draft.

The Pats currently possess 11 selections, with several needs on their roster. Needless to say, they will be among the busiest and most-watched teams on Draft weekend, which will begin on April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

While New England’s scouting endeavors remain a year-long process, one of its key milestones in the draft cycle took place earlier this week at the annual Scouting Combine commenced in Indianapolis. For the Pats, the week-long event was a great opportunity to scout some much-needed talent at several key positions of need. Though some highly-touted Draft prospects may have worked their way up the Patriots’ draft board with impressive performances, others possibly hurt their chances with subpar showings — or declining to participate.

In that regard, New England’s brain trust will undoubtedly hit the ground running as they look to evaluate potential “risers,” as well as those who may have fallen from grace when it comes to the team’s plans heading into this season’s NFL Draft.

Miles Kitselman, TE, Tennessee

While the Patriots would be happy to add some run-blocking prowess to their stable of tight ends in 2026, Kitselman’s Combine performance may place him outside their line of sight heading into April’s draft. The former Tennessee Vol ran a 4.90 40-yard dash — the slowest time of any player at his position in this year’s class. He also placed in the bottom five in both the vertical (34.5”) and the broad jump (9’ 8’’) — suggesting some concerns about his athleticism.

Though he may be a more nuanced route runner than his peers in this year’s class, Kitselman’s history with drops and lack of separation likely make him a poor fit for a team looking for an immediate complement {and possible heir apparent] to team captain Hunter Henry.

Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

Although it is highly-unlikely that the Patriots would remove a highly-touted prospect like Mesidor from their draft board, his lack of participation in Combine workouts may have taken some urgency away from status among New England’s braintrust. Mesidor is one of the most “pro-ready” defensive prospects in this draft class, he has the makings of being an instant contributor in Mike Vrabel's defense. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder recorded 12.5 sacks and 11 quarterback pressures in 2025, showing the versatility to play multiple spots on the defensive line.

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (DL51) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mesidor’s most impressive trait may be his ability to blend both finesse and power into his rushes, based on the style of his opponent. Still, his age [turns 25 on Apr. 5] and injury history, along with some deficiencies functional strength, may cause the Pats to re-evaluate whether he may provide the best return on investment at pick 31 in the first round.

Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

New England’s desire to upgrade its corps of pass-catchers continues to be one of the team’s stop storylines this offseason. With uncertainty surrounding the future of veteran Stefon Diggs, as well as their purported interest in trading for Philadelphia Eagles’ wideout A.J. Brown, the Pats may look to the Draft for another weapon to pair with quarterback Drake Maye.

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame wideout Malachi Fields (WO20) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Though Fields remains high on several pundits Draft boards, his Combine showing only served to further the divide between his attributes and the Patriots wants. Fields ran the 4.61s forty time, raising questions on his ability to separate. His lack of ”stop-start speed” often caused him to be late to his spots, while drops within his catch radius remain a concern. While Fields is likely to make a team quite happy as a ball-skill role player, his difficulty in achieving separation likely means an end to any significant consideration to adding his services,

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