The New England Patriots could go in a variety of directions with their first pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Offensive tackle, wide receiver and edge rusher all would fill a big need for the team – either for this season or in 2027.
And while the team will not give any major indications as to what player or position the team might go with on April 23 when the draft commences, Patriots de facto general manager Eliot Wolf did identify not only particular area of need the team might address early on in the draft, but the type of player at that position the Patriots may look to target.
Speaking to the media on April 13, Wolf noted that New England could be interested in adding speed to their edge rushing corps.
“We could complement [new free agent signing Dre’Mont Jones] with some speed,” Wolf replied, “I think that’s evident. Dre’Mont and Harold [Landry III] and Elijah [Ponder] and some of the other guys we have, they all have their skill sets. We would like to get faster, Dre’Mont’s a guy who can play across the line, run games, he can sneaky beat you with speed but that’s probably not his bread and butter. So thats an area we’re looking to try to improve the depth on the roster.”
Perhaps crucially, Wolf also emphasized that the while the team is looking to get faster on the edge, they are not looking for – as one reporter suggested – someone who is “smaller and faster”.
“I never want a smaller guy; faster guy,” Wolf said.
A player who would fit that billing in the late portions of the first round of the draft could be Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, who is considered to be one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class.
Howell ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at the combine back in February, a fairly impressive feat for a 253 lb, 6’2 athlete, and stacks up as a speed rusher off the edge. His game could end up being a nice complement to the more power-driven production off the edge by Jones, who at 281 lbs is far more of a threat-by-strength than elite pace and bend.
In whatever form it comes, after losing the highly athletic and seemingly improving K’Lavon Chaisson this past offseason, the Patriots will no doubt look for some talent in the draft to fill his shoes.
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