The 2026 Draft

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Our picks as of 11//2/'25

9. '26 picks: After trading Kyle Dugger and defensive lineman Keion White along with seventh-round picks, and receiving sixth-round picks in return, the Patriots now have the following selections in next year's draft.

• First round
• Second round
• Third round
• Fourth round
• Fourth round (from Chiefs, 2025 draft-day trade)
• Fifth round
• Sixth round (from 49ers)
• Sixth round (from Steelers)
• Sixth round (from Chiefs, Joshua Uche trade)
• Sixth round

If White is active for seven games in San Francisco, the Patriots will get their original seventh-round pick back in that trade. The seventh-round pick the Patriots traded alongside Dugger to Pittsburgh was originally acquired from the Saints in exchange for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

Patriots QB Drake Maye is the best in the NFL at one key stat

The QB excels at placing the ball just right for his WRs in contested conditions. More in this week's notebook.

www.espn.com

 

[TipRoast]

Our picks as of 11//2/'25

9. '26 picks: After trading Kyle Dugger and defensive lineman Keion White along with seventh-round picks, and receiving sixth-round picks in return, the Patriots now have the following selections in next year's draft.

• First round
• Second round
• Third round
• Fourth round
• Fourth round (from Chiefs, 2025 draft-day trade)
• Fifth round
• Sixth round (from 49ers)
• Sixth round (from Steelers)
• Sixth round (from Chiefs, Joshua Uche trade)
• Sixth round

If White is active for seven games in San Francisco, the Patriots will get their original seventh-round pick back in that trade. The seventh-round pick the Patriots traded alongside Dugger to Pittsburgh was originally acquired from the Saints in exchange for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

Patriots QB Drake Maye is the best in the NFL at one key stat

The QB excels at placing the ball just right for his WRs in contested conditions. More in this week's notebook.

www.espn.com

That's a lot of picks. And while it's nice to think that the majority of the picks will yield competent starters, perhaps a pro-bowl player or maybe even an All-Pro, the reality is that for all teams, the rate of draft success is far below 50% (league-wide, the percentage of draftees that make the opening day roster is around 30%).

If the Patriots want to trade away some of this draft capital to bolster this year's roster, I'm all for it.

I recall Belichick trading away a couple of draft picks for the known commodity that was Wes Welker. When you see a player on another team that you already know has NFL level talent and work ethic, it's a better use of the draft pick than taking a shot at a college player. Success against 18-22 year old players at the college level is one thing, doing it at the next level requires physical, mental and emotional maturation, and sometimes that doesn't happen, even for highly touted athletes.

 

[TipRoast]

The Commanders just lost three good players in last night's game (Jayden Daniels, Marshon Lattimore, and Luke McCaffrey), and they appear to be destined for a high draft pick in 2026.

They also have very few picks, and might be looking to trade down in the first round.

It might be possible for the Patriots to move up to get someone like Francis Mauioga to bolster the right side of the offensive line. He's been projected as a top-10 pick, so there's little likelihood of him being around when the Patriots pick. If he's still on the board when the Commanders pick, I'd like to see a move up.