Patriots Projected to Target Explosive Pass Rusher

The New England Patriots' pass rush should be significantly better this coming season after all of the moves they have made the last several months.

The Patriots signed Harold Landry, Milton Williams and K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency, and they also selected Bradyn Swinson in the NFL Draft.

New England managed just 28 sacks in 2024, which ranked last in the league. Whether or not all of the Pats' additions will be enough to provide them with a respectable pass rush remains to be seen, but Joe DeLeone of Pro Football Network is already expecting the Patriots to target more edge rushers next offseason.

In a very early 2026 NFL mock draft, DeLeone has New England selecting Texas Longhorns edge rusher Trey Moore in the second round, which would certainly represent one heck of a pickup for the Pats.

Moore actually began his collegiate career at UTSA and spent three years with the Roadrunners between 2021 and 2023, developing into a dominant force as soon as his second season when he rattled off 59 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

The following year, Moore racked up 45 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and an interception, which proved to be his final season at UTSA before transferring to Texas.

Moore was solid during his debut campaign with Longhorns, finishing with 35 stops, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Was it as good as his prior production? No, but a drop off was to be expected in the SEC.

Nevertheless, the 22-year-old has just one year of eligibility remaining and is on track to be one of the best edge rushers in the 2026 draft class.

A strong season with the Longhorns in 2025 could catapult Moore into the first-round conversation, and depending on where the Patriots end up drafting, he may be under consideration for Mike Vrabel's squad.