Patriots Mock Draft Trade With Cardinals Targets 1,773-Yard Pass Catcher To Support Drake Maye originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots will be on the clock Thursday night, holding the 31st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they might not wait around for long.
NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Insider Phil Perry published a mock draft on Wednesday, which had New England trading the 31st pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 34 pick (second round) and a 2027 third-round pick.
At the 34th pick, Perry has the Patriots selecting Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.
"Stowers has a fascinating story as a former Texas A&M quarterback who suffered enough in the way of shoulder injuries that he had to shift positions. He then turned himself into a player who is widely considered the second-best tight end in this class," Perry wrote. There are clear deficiencies to his game, but that's the nature of this year's draft and the types of prospects available in the 30s. Stowers is a tight end in name only, essentially. He's not an unwilling blocker, but -- at the moment -- he struggles in that area despite his 6-foot-3, 242-pound frame.
"He's not creating much for you in the running game whatsoever. What he is, though, is a matchup weapon the Patriots don't have at the moment. His quarterback background and football IQ shows up as a route-runner, and his athleticism (4.51-second 40, 45.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-3 broad) is readily apparent on tape."
Stowers played five seasons of college football, starting his career at Texas A&M before moving on to New Mexico State for one season. He completed his last two years at Vanderbilt, where he continued to develop his skills on the field.
In 45 games, Stowers recorded 1,773 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, making him a valuable red zone target for Drake Maye.
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