The Patriots are one win away from advancing to Super Bowl LX. It would be yet another Super Bowl appearance here in the 21st century for the franchise, the last one being back in 2018 when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were near the end of their powers in New England.
Now, it's Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel leading the charge as the team heads into Denver for a huge matchup. On paper, the Broncos are more talented, and the Patriots did bring in a very deep free agency class last year. The franchise is obviously a year or two ahead of schedule at this point, so this could truly be a start of another dynasty.
Let's see if the Patriots can bust this window open even more with an insane 2026 NFL Draft haul.
Updated 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft for the New England Patriots
30. TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
The Patriots definitely need some pass-rush help. In the offseason, they brought in Harold Landry, who is a good-not-great player and obviously not young anymore. He was with the Tennessee Titans when Mike Vrabel was there, so the fit made sense.
But adding a young, high-upside pass-rusher on a rookie contract like TJ Parker really makes a ton of sense, and I could see this pick happening even after a potential dip into the free agency market for some help off the EDGE.
62. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Zachariah Branch is elite with the ball in his hands and could contribute to a playmaking group that does need an injection of youth. Stefon Diggs had a great year and was Drake Maye's favorite target, but he's on the wrong side of 30. The Pats have to bring more youth onto the offensive side of the ball.
94. Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State
The Patriots use their final pick inside the top-100 on Drew Shelton, a left tackle from Penn State. It might only be a matter of time before Will Campbell is kicked inside to guard.
125. Jake Slaughter, OC, Florida
The New England Patriots use two picks in a row along the offensive line and grab Jake Slaughter from Florida. The offensive line made strides from 2024 into 2025, but Drake Maye did get sacked 47 times in the regular season, and while the unit did improve, there is more work to be done.
130. Harold Perkins Jr, LB, LSU
Harold Perkins Jr seemed to be a future high pick, but his draft stock as fallen. Much of the Patriots defense was honestly pieced together in free agency, so the team does have to begin drafting and developing to extend this window, as teams can't simply build the foundation lf a roster in the middle of march.
168. Cameron Ball, DT, Arkansas
Adding more talent along the defensive line, the Patriots take Cameron Ball from Arkansas. This is a clear, massive investment in the trenches for a team that already plays a tough brand of football. This NFL Draft has Mike Vrabel written all over it.
189. CJ Daniels, WR, Miami (FL)
Back to the WR room now, the Patriots select CJ Daniels from Miami at pick 189. The Pats continue to bring in youth along the offensive side of the ball. We could see some major change around Drake Maye in the 2026 NFL Offseason.
196. Louis Moore, S, Indiana
Louis Moore had six interceptions in 2025 for Indiana. He also added 88 total tackles, so he was around the ball quite a bit. This could be a sneaky good pick for the New England Patriots.
200. DJ Campbell, OG, Texas
DJ Campbell could be a nice depth piece for the Patriots along the offensive line, and that's really all you can hope for picking this low in the NFL Draft.
209. Robert Henry Jr, RB, UTSA
Robert Henry Jr gives them some help in the backfield to finish off this 2026 mock draft.
All in all, the Patriots goal in 2026 should be to extend this surprising Super Bowl window as long as possible, period. The front office will be very aggressive in the offseason.