"The New England Patriots veritably shocked the NFL by beating the Denver Broncos and advancing to the Super Bowl as AFC Champs. Now, Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye will lead the Patriots in a quest for the team's seventh Lombardi Trophy. Yet, whatever the result, the April 2026 draft looms, and the team's needs will remain the same whether they win or lose the Super Bowl."
"In light of the significant number of sacks allowed by the make-shift 2025 offensive line (including 15 in their three playoff games!), expect major reinforcements to arrive in the offseason there, as well as on the edge. The Patriots gave up far too many sacks all season and didn't register enough of their own. Those two positions will be addressed in this four-round, five-pick new mock draft. (Thanks to Pro Football Network for the use of their draft simulator.)"
"With their own first-round pick, the Patriots immediately address their most pressing need, the offensive line. They use their own pick No. 31 and select the best tackle on the Board. Pro Football Focus's fifth-rated offensive tackle, Monroe Freeling from Georgia. Freeling is a 6'7", 295-pound left tackle who will be groomed immediately as a swing tackle behind Will Campbell and Morgan Moses. NFL Draft Buzz sees Freeling as a developmental type initially."
New England advanced to the Super Bowl after upsetting Denver, with Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye set to pursue a seventh Lombardi Trophy. The offseason begins April 9 and the April 2026 draft remains a focal point regardless of the Super Bowl outcome. The Patriots allowed a significant number of sacks in 2025, including 15 in three playoff games, prompting plans to reinforce the offensive line and add edge rushers. A four-round, five-pick mock draft prioritizes those needs, using the No. 31 pick on Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling, a 6'7", 295-pound developmental swing tackle rated highly by Pro Football Focus but carrying technique and upper-body strength concerns.
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