Insider Reveals Patriots Aggressive Draft Day Plan originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots could explore a unique draft day plan in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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New England has plenty of Day 3 picks, including four picks in the sixth round, which the team can use as trade ammo. So, Patriots insider Mike Reiss of ESPN expects the team to be aggressive on the trade front to move up in the draft either on Day 1 or Day 2.
“True. Or at least they will try to make this statement true,” Reiss wrote in an article published on Friday about whether or not New England will look to trade up in the draft. “The Patriots have two fourth-rounders and four sixth-rounders, and, according to some scouts, this year’s draft is not considered as strong on Day 3 as it was in 2025.
“So, the Patriots are expected to explore the possibility of using some of those Day 3 picks as chips in trades to better position themselves for players they are targeting earlier in the draft.”
The Patriots have some key needs, and if players start to fall, Reiss believes New England could be aggressive in trading up for them. With 11 total picks, the Patriots are unlikely to use them all, as not all 11 will make the 53-man roster anyway.
So, the Patriots could very well be a team to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft, as New England could be active on the trade front.
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