It officially feels like the good old days with the New England Patriots, where they will be picking at the bottom of the draft, which means a late night for those who will want to stay up to watch New England make its first-round selection. And while this year’s class might not include the marquee, franchise-changing names at the top of the board, the Patriots still have a chance to make some impactful selections.
Even after representing the AFC in the Super Bowl less than two months ago, the Patriots still have some glaring needs on their roster. With all of these needs, we will take a look at each group in the upcoming NFL Draft and discuss the players the Patriots could realistically draft with their 31st overall selection. Today, we are tackling what may very well be the biggest positional need they have: edge rusher.
Last season, as a team, the Patriots finished with just 35 sacks (tied for 22nd in the NFL) while the team leader in sacks, Harold Landry, finished with 8.5 (tied for 20th in the league). For the Patriots’ defense to go from good to great, they must improve their pass rush.
In free agency, the Patriots swapped out defensive edge K’Lavon Chaisson for Dre’mont Jones, in what felt like a very lateral move. Both Jones and Landry are 29 years old, and while that is not ancient, the Patriots certainly want to start getting younger at the position.
Here are five players the Patriots could target with their latest first-round selection since 2019:
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, University of Miami: The first Trump administration, the height of COVID-19, and before LeBron James had won his fourth championship — all of that was true when Akheem Mesidor began his freshman year of college. But if you can look past the fact that he spent six (yes, six) seasons in school, there is a lot to like about his game.
Out of all the pass rushers that could fall to the Patriots at 31, no one wins off the snap as quickly as Mesidor. He has a plethora of pass-rushing moves and plays with a high motor. He can play inside as well as on the edge, and is a disruptor in the run game.
Aside from age, people point out that Mesidor played on the opposite side of Ruben Bain Jr., who is a projected top-five pick. While that certainly helped Mesidor, it doesn’t diminish the fact that he is extremely talented and would be drafted higher if not for his age. It’s a different position, but think about Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. They both played together at LSU, with Joe Burrow at quarterback, no less, and both have panned out pretty well in the NFL. Don’t hold it against him that he played with another great player.
If the Patriots aren’t deterred from the fact that he will be a 25-year-old rookie, he is probably the most talented pass rusher New England could select at 31.
Zion Young, Edge, Missouri: You know the expression, “She has a great personality”? That’s how I feel when people discuss how Zion Young plays against the run.
That’s great and all, but when you spend a first-round draft pick on a pass rusher, I want him to be good at rushing the passer.
Watching Young, he doesn’t win with speed; he doesn’t win quickly at the snap. He does a great job of shedding blocks in the running game and plays with an intense, aggressive energy. With great size (6-foot-6, 262 lbs), the Missouri product is an impactful edge player. The issue? He is a player who wants to ‘set the edge’ and ensure he doesn’t lose containment.
That might work in a Mike Vrabel defense, but the Patriots need playmakers on their defense. Young doesn’t fit that description. His pass-rushing ability leaves a lot to be desired, and he doesn’t seem to have a go-to move that allows him to win with any consistency.
Young has also found himself in some legal trouble off the field as well. He was charged in December for speeding while driving intoxicated, as well as taking a plea deal in an aggravated assault charge in 2023, in which he was suspended for four games.
Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M: If you’re a Patriots fan and you are sick (yet accustomed) to the short arms conversation, then Howell is the last player you want the Patriots to draft.
Much like projected top-five pick Rueben Bain (30 ⅞), Cashius Howell has short arms, at just 30 ¼ inches. According to ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller, both would be the shortest arm lengths for a pass rusher drafted in the first round since at least 1999. That’s a gamble I’m not sure the Patriots would want to take in the first round. Howell struggles in the run game and will likely be used primarily in passing situations. He has a ways to go before he can be an every-down player.
Against the pass, Howell looks strong, with multiple go-to moves good quickness, and proved it with 11.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He often wins with his speed and flexibility. Howell doesn’t have a lot of pass-rushing moves, but is great at getting low and dipping underneath tackles. He struggles shedding blocks and doesn’t have much success setting the edge. He wants to get to the quarterback. Period.
The Patriots showed us that arm length won’t determine whether they draft a player or not, but will they be willing to draft linemen with unimpressive measurables in back-to-back drafts? I would be surprised.
Keldrick Faulk, Edge, Auburn: This is starting to become a theme. Much like Young, Faulk is very good against the run and had low sack numbers in college. He has great size, and unlike Howell, very long arms (34 ⅜).
Faulk has been lauded for his leadership and great character, which is a great sign for a player who is just 20 years old. His age could be a draw for teams, as they see him as a project with a higher ceiling than a player like Mesidor. His speed leaves something to be desired, which could see him playing inside at times, on passing downs. He feels like a player who will be overdrafted, in part because of the position he plays.
He’s not a bad player, but he’s a project, and his athletic traits and size will likely lead to him being drafted higher than he should be. The modern NFL is all about speed and is shifting away from big run-stuffing defensive ends. He would have been a great pick in this spot during the first half of the Patriots' dynasty, but the game has changed too much to justify this pick. The Patriots are in “win now” mode, and Faulk is a player who likely won’t reach his ceiling for a few seasons. I’d be surprised if the Patriots drafted him.
TJ Parker, Edge, Clemson: One of the most frustrating parts of the NFL Draft is the overanalyzing of players. Parker had a terrific sophomore season in 2024 (11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles) but took a step back last season (Only 5.5 sacks with no forced fumbles). The inconsistency is certainly frustrating, but Clemson’s defense as a whole took a massive step back last season. I believe Parker is closer to his 2024 performance than what he showed last season.
He doesn’t have many different pass-rushing moves and will have to add to his arsenal. He is a great run defender, and he can quickly shed blocks to help set the edge or get in on a tackle. Parker plays with the type of “violence” that a coach like Vrabel would surely be a fan of. This is a player with a relatively high floor, but far from a polished product, who will need time to develop into what he could become.
