NFL Combine Two Weeks Away, Patriots Two Biggest Draft Needs

It’s hard to believe the NFL Combine is just two weeks away, and if you’re like me, you’re obsessed with the NFL Draft. For two decades under former head coach Bill Belichick, draft night meant closing your eyes and blindly trusting the organization for many New England Patriots fans.

But after making the Super Bowl off the backs of outstanding play from rookies like Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson and Craig Woodson, head coach Mike Vrabel showed fans that what you do in April really does matter.

So here are the two biggest needs for Vrabel’s Patriots in this year’s draft.

No. 1: Pass Rush

The Patriots’ defense became the story of the 2025 playoffs. After a less-than-stellar regular season, the defense gave opposing quarterbacks nightmares in the team’s three playoff wins.

Much of this was thanks to the emergence of edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Chaisson had just one sack in the final six weeks of the regular season. In the first two playoff rounds, he recorded three.

New England ranked 19th in the league in pass rush win rate during the regular season. The other three of the final four teams remaining in the NFL playoff picture all ranked inside the top-10.

I am a big believer in pay your offense, draft your defense. And with pick No. 31, there is going to be some intriguing defensive line prospects on the board.

Keep your eye on Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas and Clemson’s T.J. Parker on the day of the combine.

No. 2: Offensive Tackle

This is not an indictment on the play of Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, as I believe the hate they are receiving as rookies playing in the Super Bowl has been entirely overblown. But if you look to the other side of the offensive line, Morgan Moses is going to be 35 years old.

The Patriots have a lot of offensive line depth, but talent-wise, the room doesn”t seem to be championship caliber.

The Patriots will almost certainly invest in the defensive line in the first round, but the second and third round talent on the offensive line is off the charts. Keep an eye on Georgia’s Monroe Freeling and Iowa’s Gennings Dunker at the combine.