Patriots draft grades: Top 3 picks highlight New England’s haul

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: Caleb Lomu #OL33 of Utah participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The 2026 NFL Draft is over, so what makes more sense then grading all of the New England Patriots’ picks before they have even stepped foot on an NFL field? Seriously though, this was a fun exercise last year , so I thought I’d do it again this year.

Not only am I going to give each pick a grade, but also give the good and the bad for each player and selection. Again, this is just my opinion, and we won’t know the actual results of this draft for a few years, but I know you love this stuff as much as I do, so let’s get into it. Round 1 1-28 OT Caleb Lomu (Utah): B The Good: Guys the size of Lomu do not typically have the movement skills that he possesses.

He might be more of a finesse player than a bully, but his mirroring is borderline special, and is very worth the pick, even if he doesn’t start in 2026. The Patriots said themselves that they thought he wouldn’t be available anywhere near where they would be drafting, so they canceled their pre-draft visit with him. Think about how high he must have been in their rankings for them to do that.

It’s the second year in a row that the Patriots spent their first-round pick on an offensive tackle, but when you have the chance to take someone who you regard so highly, you have to take it. The Bad: Not only are the Patriots planning to not have him start his entire rookie year, but they are also going to ask him to switch sides, which isn’t always an easy task. That doesn’t mean that he won’t be able to do it, but there’s a risk that he doesn’t develop the way they want him to, or that he can’t easily make the transition to the right side of the line.