Barth’s Patriots Mock Draft 2.0: Staying aggressive after free agency – 98.5 The Sports Hub

Last time we did a New England Patriots seven-round Mock Draft (you can find that Mock Draft here), it was about a week after the Patriots’ season ended in Super Bowl LX. At the time, we had to make a lot of assumptions about how the next month-plus would go for the Patriots. Some came true, some did not.

Now though, no need to assume. For the most part, many of the lingering personnel questions were answered during free agency. The A.J. Brown of it all still looms, but given we might not get a resolution there until June – if at all – it’s time for a post-free agency updated Mock Draft.

We’ll be working off of the moves the Patriots have made so far, no more and no less. This mock leaves open the opportunity for the Patriots to trade for Brown, but doesn’t necessitate a deal either.

For the most part we’ll be focusing on needs the Patriots left unfilled or underfilled in free agency. That applies to both the short- and long-term. We’ll start off with a long-term need as we get started with Patriots Mock Draft 2.0…

It’s been a few years since we could talk about the Patriots filling a ‘luxury’ need at the top of the NFL Draft. Yes, getting a long-term right tackle behind 35-year-old Morgan Moses is important, but those kind of pipeline additions tend to fit more into the ‘luxury’ need category as opposed to ‘immediate’ needs. Could the Patriots do enough in free agency to give them the flexibility to have their top draft pick on what would ideally be a ‘red shirt’ plan?

Coming away from free agency, it seems like they did. Granted, some of that is because their other biggest needs like edge rusher and tight end line up with the strengths of this class (unlike last year, where their needs lined up with the weaknesses). It also helps they have 11 draft picks, so they have the ammunition to move up and be aggressive to improve their picks later in the draft.

It also helps that Miller is just a really solid tackle prospect. A 54-game starter in college, Miller stands 6-foot-7, 317 pounds but moves very well for a player his size. He’s also experienced with 54 college starts, 52 of which came at right tackle. He needs to sure up his technique, but those issues are more minor tweaks than a major overhaul. The fact that most of the first round tackles are right tackles pushes him down the board a bit too. He’d project as a player that should be ready when the Patriots need him, whether it be midway through 2026 or in 2027 if they get another full year from Morgan Moses.

‘Violence’ has become a bit of a buzz word around Patriots roster building since Mike Vrabel took over the program. Given that, we have to work Jacas (pronounced ACK-us, the ‘J’ is silent) into at least one mock draft, and this is a good fit for him. There’s a chance he goes in the top 60, but with so much edge depth a talented player or players are going to go a little past their expectation. He’s also a player the Patriots could move up just a little bit for.

At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds with a wrestling background, Jacas sets out to bully whoever is lined up across from him every single snap he is on the field. He’s explosive out of his stance and gets right into opposing blockers pushing upfield, but does have the strength to hold the edge as well. His pass rush will only improve as he builds up his repertoire. Once he does get to the ballcarrier he makes a point of going for the football, with three forced fumbles in each of the last two years. Insiders also have noted he’s highly regarded as a locker room presence, and was a team captain for the Illini last year.

-Round 3, Pick 90
-Round 4, Pick 131
-Round 6, Pick 202

With an extra fourth-round pick and three extra sixth-round picks, the Patriots have the assets to move up in the draft. The question is, where? Parting with the same extra picks will get them up about five slots in the second round, but could help them up more than 10 spots in the third round based on recent history.

Collectively, tight ends have been surging up draft projections as people realize how strong this class really is. Roush is one of these quick risers, especially after a strong Combine performance.

Styalistically, Roush is a great fit for what Josh McDaniels has traditionally asked his tight ends to do. At 6-foot-6, 267 pounds but with 4.7 speed he can be a factor in the pass and run game. Roush mainly works in the short and intermediate parts of the field focusing over the middle, but has the makeup to be a threat up the seam as well.

As a blocker, Roush is one of the best at the tight end position in this class. The biggest issue had been penalties, but he cut down from six in 2024 to just two last year so he might be treding in the right direction there.

The biggest hole in the Patriots’ wide receiver room right now is a true outside player with size, ball skills, and speed (they have players with one or two, but not all three). A.J. Brown could fill that role, but if they can’t swing the trade Stribling would give them some of that skillset without having to invest a significant pick.

Stribling is a rare size/speed combination player – he ran a 4.36-second 40 with a 36-inch vertial at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds. His game is more than just speed though. Body control is another major strength of his, allowing him to go outside is frame and/or climb the ladder to make acrobatic catches as all three levels. While nobody will mistake him for Julian Edelman, he’s not completely stiff either and can make defenders miss with the ball in his hands.

At 23 years old he’s on the older side of players in the draft, which limits his upside. He also spent most of his college career at Oklahoma State and Ole Miss, in systems that make things easier on the receiver. Some of those questions knock him down the board a bit, but as a rotational player who has a skillset that meshes well with Drake Maye, he’s a logical fit for the Patriots (who are reportedly set to meet with him).

NOTE: The Patriots acquired this pick in a draft-day trade last year

In our last Mock Draft we had the Patriots tapping into their Miami pipeline twice. This time it’s just one Miami pick on defense as they grab Thomas in the fifth round.

After transferring from Tennessee to Miami last year, Thomas played a key role in the Canes’ defense on their run to the National Championship. During the season his draft stock rose significantly, has his leading role on that defense put him on the NFL’s radar.

He was used in multiple roles, logging over 250 snaps in both the box and as a deep safety with another 98 in the slot. At 6-foot-1, 211 pounds he can fly downhill and is a physical factor against the run, but also gets his hands on the ball playing deep. That production shows up in the box score, as he finished last year with four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five interceptions, and six pass breakups. On tape, he looks like a player that just wants to hit people and play the ball. Like Jacas, he plays to the theme of adding ‘violence’ to the defense.

That aggressive style can get Thomas beat at times too, and he’ll need to be a more reliable tackler at the next level. Those issues are all coachable though, and as his game comes together he has the tools to be a versatile matchup safety.

Randall, who met with the Patriots last week, has a unique player profile. At 6-foot-3, 232 pounds he’s a converted wide receiver who started playing running back midway through the 2024 season. He has the speed and quickness to be a factor as a ball carrier, and obviously can be a threat from multiple spots in the formation in the pass game. On special teams, he has upside as a kick returner.

That being said he still needs to learn some of the nuances of the position, both when it comes to getting the ball in the backfield and in pass protection. He’s a project player, but could turn into a unique chess piece for Josh McDaniels and a solid rotational back with the right development (plus any special teams production).

NOTE: The Patriots got this pick when trading away Joshua Uche in 2024

Barton has good athleticism for a linebacker, especially at 6-foot-5, 233 pounds. That size, quickness, and good football instincts help him in coverage, in particular in zone. However, he’s not as good of a run defender as might be expected for his size.

In the NFL Barton could be a rotational linebacker and key special teams player. He also played a handful of tight end snaps for Utah in 2025.

NOTE: The Patriots got this pick from the 49ers when trading away Keion White at the trade deadline. It originally belonged to the Vikings and also was held by the Texans.

Boundary cornerback is still a need for the Patriots, both in terms of finding a backup for Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis this year and a long-term developmental player if Davis doesn’t return after 2026 (the final year of his contract with guaranteed money). Could that be Marshall?

After transferring from Villanova to NC State, Marshall was a two-year starter for the Wolfpack playing on the outside. 2025 was a breakout year that included tremendous on-ball production with 16 pass breakups and two picks. On top of that he cut down on his penalties, with just one in 706 total snaps. He’s a bit of a late riser, but a strong senior season and good Shrine Bowl performance show he has skills to work with.

Eason was recruited to Tennessee as a linebacker, but bulked up and started playing on the line of scrimmage. Six years later he’s a 6-foot-2, 323-pound nose tackle. With his size and strength Eason projects primarily as a block eater and run stopper, but that could be a need for the Patriots after the departure of Khyiris Tonga in free agency. He’d come in and compete for a role in the Patriots’ defensive tackle rotation.