The 2025 New England Patriots draft yielded instant impact.
No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell stepped right in at left tackle. Second-round running back TreVeyon Henderson spent some time in the NFL Rookie of the Year discussion.
Guard Jared Wilson (Round 3), safety Craig Woodson (Round 4) and kicker Andre Borregales (Round 6) won starting jobs as well.
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The Patriots can’t expect the same kind of immediate contributions from the 2026 draft class. Or can they?
Based on potential, opportunity, and upside, here’s a look at the six picks we believe could step in quickest and help this team win games this season.
1. Gabe Jacas
The second-round edge rusher out of Illinois is the high risk/high reward guy in the class, coming in at the biggest position of need. His 78.0 PFF grade was among the top 20% of all defenders as measured by the publication. He must get healthy, and he needs to sign a contract. If he gets a full training camp he could start on opening night.
2. Eli Raridon
There is ample opportunity for the Notre Dame product, a third-round tight end, to shine. Julian Hill is lost for the year, and Hunter Henry will take limited preseason reps. Raridon had 184 yards after the catch, according to PFF, and had a 70.9 grade, good for 55th among 199 tight ends in the nation. If Raridon can play, Drake Maye will find him.
3. Jam Miller
Yes, he’s only a seventh-rounder, but Miller has a clear shot of making it in the running back room as a depth guy. The Alabama product had 1,596 rushing yards in his career at Alabama, but needs to prove he can hold up in pass-protection. The ability to catch the ball (19 catches for 109 yards) would help.
4. Caleb Lomu
Barring injuries to either starting tackle, you get the feeling that the Patriots would like to take things slowly with their first-round pick out of Utah. He’ll be immersed into the offense as veteran Morgan Moses will be on an August pitch count. But his 82.1 PFF grade in pass blocking, ranking 28th out of 632 eligible linemen, suggests they've got a great prospect.
5. Karon Prunty
The fifth-rounder out of Wake Forest stands in a deep cornerback room, meaning the opportunities will not be so plentiful. He’ll need to prove himself as a weapon on special teams, first and foremost. But the Patriots have to be intrigued, if not excited, about Prunty's collegiate career that saw him surrender a paltry 65 passer rating against him at Wake Forest.
