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Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf during the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Examining Patriots Future Draft Capital Following Recent Trade

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Apr 8, 2026 1:00 PM ET

The New England Patriots have brought back optimism to the region after a run to the Super Bowl in 2025, and now there's a chance that it carries into future seasons. Not just because of the players they currently have on the roster -- which include All-Pros, quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez -- but also those not yet in the NFL.

With less than a month to go until the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Patriots are among the teams with the most draft selections this year. Sitting pretty with 11 picks at their disposal, the Patriots' front office has a chance to parlay their success from last year into the future.

Here's a look at how the Patriots acquired all their picks for this year's draft, as well as a refresher on what they have to their name in both 2027 and 2028.

2026: 11 Draft Picks

The Patriots are stocked up on picks for this April's draft in Pittsburgh. They remain in possession of their own selections in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds, but have also added four more picks via trade.

The 125th overall pick - originally owned by the Chicago Bears -- made it's way to New England by way of a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. After the Chiefs traded away Joe Thuney for a fourth round pick in March of 2025, the Bears shipped off that same pick to New England in the same deal that landed the Patriots now-starter Jared Wilson.

New England also owns KC's sixth rounder (191st overall) after a 2024 trade for linebacker Joshua Uche. The Patriots, who once utilized Uche in a large role on defense, shipped him off for what's now one of the team's four sixth rounders. They also own the 198th overall selection after it had been traded four times, including in the deal the Patriots swung to move Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers at last year's deadline.

Lastly, the Patriots acquired the Pittsburgh Steelers' sixth rounder (202nd overall) in a trade that saw them send off a 2026 seventh rounder along with safety Kyle Dugger.

2027: 9 Draft Picks

New England continues to add selections for the 2027 draft. After trading away center Garrett Bradbury for another Bears pick (fifth round), they shipped off linebacker Marte Mapu to the Houston Texans for a sixth.

That's not it though. They also added another sixth rounder from the New Orleans Saints -- which I'll get to in just a second.

Currently, New England is in possession of nine picks -- their own selections in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, while adding in those extra three picks from the Bears (fifth), Saints (sixth) and Texans (sixth).

2028: 6 Draft Picks

Yep, the Patriots are already down one pick three drafts out.

Last fall, the team swung a deal with the New Orleans Saints to move on from former second-round wide receicer Ja'Lynn Polk. The Patriots shipped off Polk and a 2028 seventh rounder for that 2027 sixth round pick from earlier.

Polk struggled in his lone season with the Patriots, recording just 12 receptions and 87 yards and two touchowns. He spent last season on IR with New Orleans.

The Patriots currently have the rest of their own picks in the 2028 draft, having a pick in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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