Round 1 pick 31: Monroe Freeling, Tackle, Georgia
6'7" 315lbs, Age 21
Monroe Freeling is a long, athletic tackle prospect with elite movement skills that make him a natural fit for zone and outside-zone blocking schemes, where his ability to reach, pull, and get to the second level separates him from others in this class, and his pass protection gives coaching staffs something to build around immediately. His upright playing style creates balance and leverage issues that cause him to fall off blocks and overextend, his run blocking technique needs refinement, and his limited starting experience means he is still learning to handle the full range of NFL pass rush counters, making him a risk in gap-heavy schemes that demand anchor strength at the point of attack. The ceiling is that of a quality NFL starter with Pro Bowl potential, but the floor is significant enough that his landing spot, developmental window behind a veteran, and the quality of his offensive line coaching will ultimately determine whether those tools translate.
Round 2 pick 63: Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan
6'4" 255lbs, Age 23
Derrick Moore is a power-first edge rusher whose bull rush is the best in this class, generating real pocket collapse and backing up a 10-sack senior season against Big Ten competition, with alignment versatility that lets him operate from a three-point stance or standing up without losing effectiveness. His run defense is inconsistent, which reads more like an effort and approach issue than a physical limitation, and his pass rush repertoire needs inside counters to prevent NFL tackles from simply anchoring and waiting him out. The floor is a reliable third-down pass rush specialist who earns rotation snaps, and the ceiling, if the run defense urgency and counter game develop, is a consistent starter who pressures quarterbacks every week.
Patriots trade pick 95 to Indianapolis for round 4 pick 113, round 5 pick 156, and round 7 pick 249. Should rank no worse than a B grade.
Round 4 pick 113: Bud Clark, Safety, TCU
6'1" 188lbs, Age 24
Bud Clark is a coverage-versatile, ball-hawking defensive back with 15 career interceptions and the instincts and range to play deep safety, box safety, or slot defender, making him an alignment-flexible option whose best fit is a split-safety or Cover 2/Cover 4 scheme where his quarterback-reading and ball-driving abilities can be maximized without asking him to be a true single-high centerfielder. His six years of experience give him a plug-and-play quality in sub-packages on day one, and his slot background adds immediate passing-down value as a big nickel who can match tight ends, with a realistic path to a starting role if his body holds up. The concerns are legitimate: his slender, high-waisted frame creates durability questions and limits his ability to hold up against bigger receivers and tight ends in the run game, his gambling tendencies that produce turnovers will be exploited more often by NFL quarterbacks who manipulate eyes, and the injury history requires thorough medical evaluation before committing significant draft capital.
Round 4 pick 125: Marlin Klein, Tight End, Michigan
6'6" 248lbs, Age 23
Marlin Klein is a German-born developmental tight end whose late entry into football makes his current tape a starting point rather than a finished product, with legitimate physical tools in his 6'6" frame and 4.61 speed that make him a genuine vertical threat on seam routes and crossers, while his blocking is a competitive but inconsistent work in progress where effort and hand strength show up but anchor issues and hand placement cost him too many reps against stronger defenders. He profiles as a backup Y tight end whose best fit is a play-action heavy offense that uses him in the middle of the field and on vertical shots, with a realistic ceiling of a number two tight end if a patient coaching staff can refine his route running and blocking technique, giving a reasonable range of outcomes for a fourth round investment.
Round 4 pick 131: Jager Burton, IOL, Kentucky
6'4" 312lbs, Age 23
Jager Burton is a 47-consecutive-start veteran with elite athleticism for his position, a 9.91 RAS, and the versatility to play center or guard, making him a scheme-flexible interior lineman whose best fit is a zone-blocking system where his quickness, footwork, and ability to reach the second level and handle combo blocks can be maximized. His processing, communication, and pass-protection awareness are legitimate strengths, and his experience at multiple interior positions adds immediate roster value as a depth piece with spot-start capability. The concerns center on his physicality and anchor: he struggles to sustain blocks when defenders get to his edges, his wide base creates balance issues against bull rushers, and he does not strike with enough aggression to hold up consistently against two-gapping defensive tackles at the point of attack, making him a finesse-dependent player whose ceiling in a power scheme is limited.
Round 5 pick 156: Trey Moore, Linebacker, Texas
6'2" 243lbs, Age 22
Trey Moore is an undersized, athletically gifted linebacker who projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker or passing-down edge rusher, where his advanced rush plan, legitimate spin move, and elite combine athleticism for his position can be maximized in favorable matchups without asking him to anchor against NFL-caliber tackles who can power him off his gap. His UTSA production was historic but came against overmatched competition, and his 2025 Texas tape showed the rush creativity had to work harder against better length while expanded coverage responsibilities exposed slow route recognition and uncertain ball reaction that will cap his every-down viability. The floor is a rotation pass rusher who earns third-down snaps, and the ceiling, if the coverage game and off-ball reads develop, is a versatile 3-4 OLB who can stress quarterbacks consistently and handle a limited role in space.
Round 5 pick 171: Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati
6'5" 216lbs, Age 25
Jeff Caldwell is a developmental X receiver with Z versatility whose 6'5" frame, 4.31 speed, and 42-inch vertical create a size-speed combination that almost does not exist at the position, giving him a legitimate ceiling as a vertical threat and red zone weapon who can beat press with pure athleticism, work play-action concepts, and win fades and back-shoulder throws inside the 20. The tape does not match the testing or perfect RAS score yet: his route tree is almost entirely vertical, his footwork is inconsistent, his contested catch rate is disappointing for his size, and three seasons at Lindenwood leave real questions about competition level. A fifth-round bet on a developmental piece with legitimate starter upside if an offensive staff can teach him to play with the physicality his body promises is a reasonable gamble.
Round 6 pick 191: Cole Brevard, IDL, Texas
6'3" 346lbs, Age 24
Cole Brevard is a 346-pound rotational nose tackle who dominates as a two-gap run defender by absorbing double teams and controlling the A-gap, with enough bull-rush power to push the pocket occasionally, but limited explosiveness keeps him from being more than a depth piece on passing downs without proper coaching development.
Round 6 pick 198: Enrique Cruz Jr., Tackle, Kansas
6'6" 313lbs, Age 22
A swing tackle with outstanding length and explosive upper-body power that can knock defenders off-balance, plus 800-plus snaps at both tackle spots giving him immediate roster versatility, but tight hips, tall pad level, below-average anchor against bull rushes, and struggles to redirect against inside counters cap his ceiling and make long-term starting viability a question his combine athleticism alone cannot answer.
Round 6 pick 202: Andre Fuller, Corner, Toledo
6'1" 200lbs, Age 24
Andre Fuller is a developmental boundary corner with legitimate press-man size, speed, and physicality in run support, whose best fit is a zone-heavy or Cover 2 scheme that masks his functional but not fluid hips and limited recovery ability when beaten off the line, with a missed 2024 season limiting his development reps and MAC competition leaving questions about how his route-matching holds up against NFL separation threats. The floor is a special teams contributor with rotational sub-package value, and the ceiling is a scheme-specific boundary starter if a staff can clean up his transition mechanics and press technique.
Round 6 pick 212: Eli Heidenreich, Running Back, Navy
6'0" 198lbs, Age 22
Eli Heidenreich is a versatile tweener weapon whose 6'0", 198-pound frame, mid-4.4 speed, elite explosiveness, and 6.55 three-cone back up legitimate athleticism, with soft hands, strong route feel, electric RAC ability, and spatial processing that make him most dangerous in space as a schemed gadget piece rather than a volume runner or traditional back. His entire college career in Navy's Wing-T means pass protection needs significant development and the transition to a pro-style system is a steep climb, but his floor as a special teams contributor and third-down receiving back with swiss-army-knife formation versatility gives him a real path to sticking on a roster for the right creative offensive staff.
Round 7 pick 247: Jack Kelly, Linebacker, BYU
6'2" 240lbs, Age 23
A versatile SAM linebacker and pass rush weapon whose sideline-to-sideline range, near-elite on-attack explosion, and 30.2% pressure rate on pass rush reps demonstrate a two-way threat who can blitz standing up or with his hand in the dirt, roam the middle of the field, and contribute immediately on special teams. His warts are real: average reaction time and leverage inconsistencies as a run defender, short arms that get him stuck to blockers, a 15% missed tackle rate, and below-average coverage fluidity limit his every-down viability, but his floor as a core special teamer with rotational pass rush value and his ceiling as a starting SAM if his play diagnosis and tackling technique improve make him a worthwhile late-round investment.
Round 7 pick 249: Keeshawn Silver, IDL, USC
6'4" 335lbs, Age 23
A massive, former five-star nose tackle with a seven-foot wingspan whose rare size and length make him a natural two-gap run stuffer in a 3-4 front, but limited athleticism beyond his first step, minimal pass rush production, and experience almost exclusively as a 0-technique head-up nose tackle make him a purely developmental space-eater whose ceiling depends entirely on what an NFL coaching staff can unlock from his physical tools.
Final Thoughts
The NFL Draft is two weeks away. The Patriots currently have eleven selections, and that number could fluctuate. With the team's needs, there are many ways they could go. This mock draft would set them up for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Everything with them depends on how they evaluate their current roster and what they truly believe is needed. While I acquired two selections in this draft, I have no idea what they are thinking trade-wise at the moment.
