Patriots Deepen Edge by Drafting Boston College's Quintayvious Hutchins

The New England Patriots added some much needed depth to their defensive edge in the closing moments of the 2026 NFl Draft.

With pick 247 in the seventh and final round, the Pats selected Boston College edge rusher Quintayvious Hutchins, helping to bolster one of their most notable positions of need. Hutchins served as a team captain for the Eagles in 2025 — finishing the season with 35 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks in 10 games, making nine starts.

At his best, Hutchins demonstrates good play strength, as he is able to use strong hand placement to resist opposing offensive blockers. This allows him to create pressure by collapsing the pocket. Hutchins is also known to both swipe and swat blockers off his frame. The 6-foot-2, 233-pound defender is known to be proactive when pursuing plays on the perimeter, while chasing down opprotunities from the backside. While he must work on improving his ability to take on double teams and multiple blockers, Hutchins’ upside should allow him to fit well within the Patriots aggressive defensive front.

Patriots Inject Some Youth into their Pass Rush with Quintayvious Hutchins

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boston College defensive lineman Quintayvious Hutchins (DL43) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

New England’s first attempt to bolster its pass rush came on day 2 in the second round of this weekend’s draft. The Pats struck a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers trade to acquire pick 55 in Round 2 in exchange for their original pick at 63 as well as day 3 selections 131 and 202. With their newly-acquired second rounder, the Patriots selected Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas.

Jacas, a former wrestler with the power to perform a 400+ lb bench press, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season, in which he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss. Due to his combination of power and persistence, he appears to be a solid fit within the Patriots' four-down, aggressive system.

While it should be noted that New England’s defensive front was far from its biggest problem in 2025, the need for some youthful strength and speed in this area is one that needed to be addressed. Linebacker Harold Landry, who was hampered down the stretch by a knee injury he suffered in Week 13, could use some help along the edge in the form of a full-time pass rusher.

Additionally, the Patriots finished tied for 26th in the NFL in sacks (35). The pass rush continued their struggles in the team’s 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX — managing only one sack on Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold.

With linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson having departed via free agency and given Landry’s injury history, New England may be wise to decide on bolstering its pass rush with Jacas and Hutchins. The newest Patriots’ defenders each possess the size, speed and versatility to be an immediate factor in Mike Vrabel’s defense — as well as the straight-line speed and the lateral agility to pressure the quarterback and pursue ball carriers in the run game.

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