Biggest Winners, Losers Following Patriots' 2026 NFL Draft

Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu was the Patriots' first round pick, and they traded up to grab him. That should bode well for New England's offensive line, both this year and the seasons beyond. Who it won't bode well for is the backups that might be in a tigher positional battle than originally expected.

James Hudson, Caedan Wallace, Marcus Bryant, Sebastian Gutierrez and Lorenz Metz are the other tackles fighting for a spot on the roster this fall. With the team adding Lomu and Texas A&M's Dametrious Crownover, that job could be harder to come by.

Winner: AJ Brown's Trade Chances

As previously mentioned, the Patriots didn't end up drafting a safety. They also didn't grab a wide receiver, a decision that executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said wasn't intentional. It certainly is a lot more interesting when you throw in the fact that AJ Brown may potentially loom on the trade market.

Sure, New England signed four undrafted free agents at the position and released John Jiles from the roster. Those are bottom of the roster moves and ultimately won't make or break what is appearing to be a "likely" deal on the table for the Philadelphia Eagles star wideout.

Loser: Kobee Minor

The secondary, especially the cornerback spot, doesn't have the deepest reserves right now. At cornerback, if you're not Christian Gonazlez, Carlton Davis or Marcus Jones, you'll be lost in the shuffle at the position. In the fifth round, the Patriots turned in the card for Wake Forest defensive back Karon Prunty -- signaling that some of the bubble corners aren't promised a spot.

One of those bubble players is Minor, last year's Mr. Irrelevant. He didn't end up winning the job out of camp last season and is now in a tricky situation to do it in 2026. Other defensive backs, including Charles Woods, Brandon Crossley and newly-signed UDFA Channing Canada, are in the same boat.

Winner: Bryce Baringer

Baringer is entering a contract season and plenty has been written about if the team would possibly draft his replacement in the later rounds. They didn't, and Baringer remains the only punter on the active roster.

A total win for the veteran, Baringer will likely win the job for the fourth-straight season and look to rebound from what was a shakier 2025. The team isn't shutting the door completely, though. They brought in Indiana's Mitch McCarthy as a rookie minicamp invite.

Loser: Terrell Jennings

The Patriots didn't draft a punter to be Baringer's replacement. The same can't be said for the running back position, as the team pulled the trigger on Alabama's Jam Miller in the seventh round. A compact runner with great breakaway speed, he could possibly be a steal for New England.

That's not the best news for Terrell Jennings, who's set to enter his third season with the organization. He was slotted in as the third running back entering the home stretch of the offseason, but could find himself on the outside looking in heading into camp.