Patriots NFL Draft Plans: Important Info, What To Expect, Three Prospects To Watch

The time has finally come. After weeks of New England Patriots fans being left in suspense following a loss in Super Bowl LX, the time for new talent to hit the organization has come.

The 2026 NFL Draft runs from April 23 to April 25. Head Coach Mike Vrabel is expected to make heavy efforts to bolster his offensive line for protection for quarterback Drake Maye, in addition to targeting those on defense — especially on the edge. With all of this in mind, here is all to know regarding the Patriots for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Patriots Draft Picks

Below are the draft selections the Patriots will have in Pittsburgh:

Round One - No. 31 overall

Round Two - Pick 31 (No. 63 overall)

Round Three - Pick 31 (No. 95 overall)

Round Four - Pick 25 (No. 125 overall, from Chicago Bears through Kansas City Chiefs)

Round Four - Pick 31 (No. 131 overall)

Round Five - Pick 31 (No. 171 overall)

Round Six - Pick 10 (No. 191 overall, from Chiefs)

Round Six - Pick 17 (No. 198 overall, from Minnesota Vikings through Houston Texans and Vikings and San Francisco 49ers)

Round Six - Pick 21 (No. 202 overall, from Pittsburgh Steelers)

Round Six - Pick 31 (No. 212 overall)

Round Seven - Pick 31 (No. 247 overall)

Patriots Potential Top Prospects

Below are three key names New England could be considering when the Patriots are on the clock.

Linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (LSU)

While the Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly really in the hunt for Perkins, New England is also likely heavily considering him among its first few selections

At 6-foot-1 and around 220 pounds, he has lined up at edge rusher, off-ball linebacker, and even in coverage roles during his time at LSU. Production has followed him at every post, with his playmaking ability making him a high commodity for any league team.

The Patriots ranked 19th in the league in pass rush win rate during the regular season. In comparison, the other three of the final four teams remaining in the NFL playoff picture all ranked inside the top-10. As such, adding Perkins for an edge rusher could be just the perfect fit for New England's second round selection.

Wide Receiver Denzel Boston (Washington)

Boston is expected to be among the players whose name could be called quite early in Pittsburgh.

Over his two seasons as a starter for the Washington Huskies, Boston caught 125 passes for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns. The WR is known for releasing fluidly off the line when given space but is also powerful enough to counter jam attempts in man.

New England is largely predicted to target someone on the edge or to bolster their offensive line, but given the Kayshon Boutte trade rumors and opening voluntary offseason workout absence — perhaps Boston will be the first name called by the Pats at this year's draft instead.

Edge Rusher Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

Howell concluded his career at Texas A&M with 71 total tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception. Of his tackles, 46 were solo and the Missouri native also logged 14 passes defended. He ended up with the Aggies at Kyle Field after play at Bowling Green State University and was awarded Third-Team All-MAC in 2023.

Texas A&M Aggies, New England Patriots Cashius Howell — Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell (9) rushes the line during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A&M Head Coach Mike Elko previously said to New England Patriots On SI in an exclusive that Howell brings a certain versatility on the edge that will be beneficial for the league level of play.

"I just think Cashius has the versatility on the edge to affect the quarterback. And I think that's what he did for us," said Elko. "I think he's got really elite twitch. I think he's got a lot of unique pass rush moves. I think the NFL is a pass rush league, for sure, and your ability to impact the quarterback and disrupt him, and just knowing Cashius is on the edge, I think impacted quarterbacks. I think they got antsy. I think they got quick with their tempo, and all of that stuff plays a role in playing successful defense, especially at the next level."

The aforementioned help the Pats are currently seeking on the edge also make Howell a natural candidate for Vrabel and co. to select early on in the 2026 Draft.

Basic 2026 NFL Draft Info

This year's NFL Draft marks the 91st edition and will be hosted in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948. A total of 257 picks will be spread over seven rounds and three days from April 23-25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium.

The time between first-round selections has been shortened from 10 minutes to eight minutes, which marks the first timing adjustment since 2008.

Teams will also have seven minutes to pick in the second round, five minutes for rounds three to six, and four minutes for round seven.

Per NFL Operations, 16 prospects have confirmed attendance in this year's NFL Draft. Three colleges – Ohio State (five players), Alabama (two) and Miami (Fla.) (two) – will have multiple players on-site. The Big Ten does lead all conferences with six prospects confirmed to attend, followed by the SEC (five), ACC (two), Big 12 (two) and Independent (one).

For compensatory draft picks, a total of 33 have been awarded to 15 teams. Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents (CFAs) than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks. They are to be positioned within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost.

42 players had been granted special eligibility for the draft and 21 underclassmen who have fulfilled their degree requirements with college football eligibility remaining and are also eligible for selection. Of those 42, three are from Texas A&M — guard Chase Bisontis, wide receiver K.C. Concepcion and linebacker Taurean York. Of the 21 underclassmen who have officially notified the NFL office on fulfilling degree requirements, three are from Alabama — center Parker Brailsford, tackle Kadyn Proctor and quarterback Ty Simpson.

The Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the New York Jets (No. 2 overall), Arizona Cardinals (No. 3 overall), Tennessee Titans (No. 4 overall) and the New York Giants (No. 5 overall).

Coverage begins at 8 p.m. EST on April 23, 7 p.m. EST on April 24, and noon EST on April 25 on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Add us as a preferred source on Google