The last two years, there was not a whole lot of mystery surrounding the New England Patriots entering the NFL Draft.
In 2024, it was pretty clear that they would go quarterback, and Drake Maye was the frontrunner and eventual pick at No. 3 overall. In 2025, offensive tackle was the main need on the roster with Will Campbell the highest-rated prospect on the board; he too ended up in New England as the fourth selection in that particular draft.
Heading into this year’s college player selection meeting, all bets are off. Naturally, the team no longer being among the first on the clock is the primary reason for that. However, a diverse set of needs without any obviously glaring ones also contributes to this.
The Patriots could go edge at No. 31 overall. They could go offensive tackle or guard. They could go wide receiver, maybe even defensive tackle or safety. Anything seems possible given the current state of the roster and their draft slot.
This in turn, makes them one of the least predictable teams in the draft.
And don’t just take our word for it, a combined 143 first-round mock drafts see it the same way. True to its name, the NFL Mock Draft Database has collected that number of mocks over the last month — i.e. since the end of free agency — with Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor as the Patriots’ most popular pick. Iheanachor indeed seems to be in play for the team in Round 1, but there is no consensus he will end up in New England.
Looking at those 143 mocks, only 13 of them actually have the 22-year-old headed to the Patriots. The rate of 9% ties New England with the Chargers for the title of most unpredictable in Round 1.
The writers producing those mock drafts are not the only ones uncertain about the Patriots heading toward Round 1. Fans themselves are also all over the place as a look at the ESPN Draft Simulator shows.
Over the last seven days, more than 5,000 picks were made at No. 31 and 27 different players were selected at least 10 times — one of the highest such numbers among the league’s teams. The biggest share went not to Iheanachor, who was drafted 482 times (which again gives us a rate of 9%), but instead to Auburn edge Keldric Faulk. Hobby mock drafters have given him to the Patriots 1,421 times (27%) since last week.
Faulk is one of the most intriguing defensive linemen in the class, and him lasting to the 31st pick and ending up in New England would be a slight surprise. That said, given the unpredictability of the draft in general, and the Patriots’ position within it specifically, anything seems possible.
That is very much a change from the last two years.