Patriots Draft Picks Trending Up, Down After Offseason Practices

After weeks of rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp, the New England Patriots have broken for the summer. They have roughly a month of rest and relaxation before the crop of rookies the Patriots brought in get their first taste of NFL training camps.

But which rookies, specifically the ones that were drafted by New England, are heading into July on a hot or cold streak?

Based on the sessions open to the media since the draft concluded in April, plenty of the newcomers made their mark -- some larger than others -- on the practice fields.

Out of the nine rookies that were drafted by New England this year, here are three that you could consider winners of the offseason, and three more that missed the mark a bit without pads on.

Trending Up: OT Caleb Lomu

Jun 10, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tackle Caleb Lomu (74) does a drill with offensive tackle Marcus Bryant (52) during minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

It didn't matter if it was at left tackle, right tackle or left guard. Lomu was all over the field during the non-padded practices. The first round draft choice doesn't have a clear spot in the starting lineup just yet, but is proving that he can be a valuable piece of the offensive line puzzle anywhere he slots in.

Lomu came to the NFL as a left tackle at Utah, and likely projects to be the Patriots' ideal long-term play at right tackle. Regardless, it's clear that he's progressing along nicely at any position the coaching staff slides him in at.

Trending Up: TE Eli Raridon

Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon (82) looks on during the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Raridon showed flashes in the passing game during practices, but still has plenty to go in his development. He's expected to get a larger dose of snaps this season that the team might have previously hoped after veteran Julian Hill went down with a season-ending injury to start the month.

The Notre Dame rookie now has a clearer outlook on what his training camp might look like. Instead of entering the summer as the TE3, it's obvious Raridon will be the top backup with an opportunity to really contribute in the Patriots offense in his first season.

Trending Up: CB Karon Prunty

May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Karon Prunty (21) does a drill with wide receiver Cameron Dorner (88) during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Without Christian Gonzalez present at OTAs, and rarely participating at minicamp, it gave the coaching staff a better look at some of the younger cornerbacks on the roster. One of those was Prunty, the fifth round rookie out of Wake Forest who some draft pundits wrote off when his name was called.

This spring, Prunty has been a really nice addition. During OTAs, he picked off Drake Maye in what turned into a pick six before getting a larger plate of snaps during the mandatory portion of the spring. While Gonzalez will re-claim his starting job later this year, Prunty has shown immediate flashes of ability.

Trending Down: QB Behren Morton

Jun 10, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Behren Morton (15) arrives at the practice field for minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Morton started off his career with the Patriots hot, shining during rookie minicamp. Since then, he's taken a step back in terms of how often he's touching the football. The Texas Tech rookie has -- obviously -- been relegated to the third offensive unit in practices and is rarely able to get any reps during 11-on-11s.

When he did get times to throw, he went 3-for-9 during the Patriots' final mandatory minicamp practice of the year. It's clear that the Patriots don't have any issues with Morton sitting and developing his game, but you would have liked to see him end the spring on a crisper note.

Trending Down: EDGE Gabe Jacas

New England Patriots edge rusher Gabe Jacas walks on the field during the team's rookie minicamp. | Contributed by Sophie Weller / PatriotsWire

Speaking about crisp notes, Jacas hasn't even begun to open up his book of sheet music. The second rounder out of Illinois, who the Patriots traded up to acquire, has yet to sign the dotted line on his rookie contract. Jacas remains the only second round pick across the NFL who hasn't agreed to terms with his team.

Despite making a brief appearance at rookie minicamp, where he didn't participate, he's yet to show his face at any other practice. Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters he was dealing with a procedure during the offseason, likely the cause for the absence, but it's concerning how far behind Jacas will be at this point.

Trending Down: EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins

May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Quintayvious Hutchins (45) does a drill with coaching staff during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Without Jacas and veteran Harold Landry (knee) on the practice field, it's a gold mine for edge rushers to try and make a name for themselves. The Patriots' final pick in the draft, Hutchins out of Boston College, has yet to truly pop yet. Instead, second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson have played themselves into the starting defense.

To make matters worse, Hutchins was charged with domestic assault on a family/household member back in May. He was released on his own personal recognizance and has appeared at all team events since the incident, but it's still something to monitor. He'll be back in court on June 29 for a pretrial hearing.

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