The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is finally here. Now, it’s just a matter of who is taken where and what direction the New England Patriots want to go with the No. 31 overall pick.
There are some clear positions of need for the Patriots. Edge rusher and offensive tackle are the biggest of those needs. After that, tight end and nose tackle also appear to be an issue. Others might want more depth at safety and wide receiver as well.
Now, Chad Graff of The Athletic has shared some insight into what the Patriots are planning with that first-round pick. In particular, this is based on what he’s hearing around the league.
“There are certainly a few wild-card scenarios, including drafting an offensive tackle in the first round,” Graff wrote. “But three names keep coming up with league sources regarding whom the Patriots will take with the 31st pick: UCF’s Malachi Lawrence, Clemson’s T.J. Parker and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell.”
Notably, all three of those players are edge rushers. So, if what Graff is hearing has anything to it, then it would certainly look like that’s priority number one for the Patriots.
Mike Vrabel Shared Insight into how the New England Patriots Might Handle a First-Round Trade
GettyNew England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
There is no hard and fast rule that the New England Patriots need to use the No. 31 overall pick. In fact, the team likely won’t reach on talent if the player they want isn’t available and could easily trade back.
With that in mind, head coach Mike Vrabel recently shared some insight into what the plan might be as far as a trade is concerned.
“It’s just a little different landscape being at 31 than you are at 4,” Vrabel said. “It’s something we’re going to have to work through and be able to navigate. There’s different mock scenarios and you work through things. Maybe someone wants to come in for 31 … What would we want to do? Who would we stay and pick?”
Ultimately, it was a fairly vague answer from Vrabel. However, reading between the lines, the Patriots are looking to do whatever it takes to maximize their picks in this draft.
Mike Vrabel to Miss Day 3 of the NFL Draft
GettyNew England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
The fallout from the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini scandal has now started to affect how Vrabel is working with the team. It was announced slightly after midnight on Thursday that Vrabel will not be with the Patriots for Day 3 of the NFL Draft as he seeks counseling.
This is going to immediately lead to a few questions. In particular, because the Patriots hold 11 total draft picks, and eight of those are scheduled for Day 3. That’s a vast majority of the rookie class that he won’t be on hand to select.
Vrabel’s decision to miss Day 3 comes shortly after he first addressed the scandal publicly. There, he shared that he’s had difficult conversations.
“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people I care about — with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel said on Tuesday. “Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me.”
As it stands, the NFL has no intention of investigating Vrabel’s action. Russini, meanwhile, is no longer employed with The Athletic.
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