Patriots Draft Preview: Finding Long-Term OT A Must

Last season, the New England Patriots drafted Will Campbell to be their left tackle of the future. Will they decide to do the same to the right side of the offensive line?

Starting right tackle Morgan Moses is entering his second of three seasons in New England after signing last offseason. His play, especially in the playoffs, was a positive for the Patriots. But his age (he's entering his age-35 season) and limited financial handcuffs (he doesn't have any guaranteed money on his contract in 2027) puts the future of the position up in limbo.

Lucky for New England, there's several tackles in this year's draft who could potentially be a long-term replacement for Moses. Though they may not be the biggest need on the team, a tackle could be the Patriots' first round selection come the NFL Draft.

Here's the fifth installment of the Patriots On SI Positional Draft Preview, taking a look at which potential tackle prospects could help improve the depth in 2026, and the starting lineup in 2027.

Current Depth Chart:

Campbell and Moses were the two starters in 2025, and barring a draft pick leapfrogging Moses in camp, the duo will remain in the lineup next season. Behind them, though, is where it gets a bit hairy depth-wise.

New England lost Vederian Lowe (signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers) and Thayer Munford Jr. (the team didn't re-sign him), and entered the spring without a swing tackle. They added James Hudson on a one-year deal, and he'll likely get most of the reps as the top backup on both sides of the line.

The rest of the roster is pretty deep, with Marcus Bryant, Sebastian Gutierrez and Lorenz Metz all returning from last season. Metz remains on the roster through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program. Caedan Wallace -- who spent 2025 as a reserve guard -- was originally drafted out of Penn State in 2024 as a tackle, possibly being another player to compete if needed.

Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) walks out of the player's tunnel before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Top Prospects:

The Patriots won't get a shot to draft any of the top tackle prospects in the draft, which includes the Utah duo of Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu. There are several options, however, that could slide to the back of the first round -- right in striking territory for New England.

Arizona State's Max Iheanachor, Alabama's Kadyn Proctor and Clemson's Blake Miller are all firs round talents that are currently along the fringe of the second round. Tackle-needy teams could try and jump the Patriots for this trio of players, all of them fits for New England.

Sep 7, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (58) against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While Miller -- who struggled to close his college career -- would be a nice fit for the Patriots, Iheanachor is rising up the ranks. The Nigeria native put together a productive career in college and has earned the right to be considered a top-32 player in the class.

If the Patriots decide to pass on a tackle in the first round, there's a drastic drop-off at the position. There's several options in the middle rounds, including BC's Jude Bowry and Miami's Markell Bell, but it certainly wouldn't be any player who'd compete for the starting job in camp.

One interesting name to note? Travis Burke from Memphis. The raw prospect is great in the running game, and some experts think he could go as high at the late third round pick, while others believe he'll wait a bit to hear his name called.

Final Pick Prediction:

The smoke continues to rise that the Patriots are going to take an offensive tackle in the first round. Vrabel's workout with Iheanachor at his pro day was eye-opening, and it feels like the team wants to get ahead of next year's potential hole at right tackle. Iheanachor -- if he's available at 31 -- is trending upwards with less than a month to go.

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