With Alijah Vera-Tucker added and Mike Onwenu’s contract expiring, the New England Patriots enter the 2026 NFL Draft ready to secure a developmental guard who brings athleticism, aggressiveness, and long-term upside to the interior line that protects Drake Maye.
Our 2026 NFL Draft Profiles continue today with best fits for the New England Patriots at a position group that needs to bolster depth and create long-term stability: guard.
New England spent big at the position in free agency when they acquired former New York Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, but lingering health concerns for the former Pro Bowler and an expiring contract for Mike Onwenu lead to questions about the state of the room beyond 2026.
The Patriots could look to target interior offensive line depth in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft to provide some security behind their current starters with a development path for more starting contributions in the future.
Let’s take a closer look at some prospects New England could be eyeing at guard in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #61 Overall (#4 Interior Offensive Line)
© Jeffrey Becker-Imagn ImagesGennings Dunker is a former high school wrestling standout that started three years along Iowa’s offensive line. He’s a powerful, competitive offensive lineman whose play strength, violent hands and nasty finishing attitude make him a tone-setter in the run game.
Playing primarily right tackle with the Hawkeyes, Dunker stood out on the field with Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and 2025, in the classroom with Academic All-Big Ten recognition all four years, and in the community as an AllState AFCA Good Works Team nominee. In 2024, Dunker graded out as PFF’s seventh-best tackle in the nation (of 639 qualifying) with a 90.4 overall grade, and ranked fourth in run blocking grade (90.1).
He creates displacement at the point of attack with noticeable force at the point of contact, leg drive, and grip strength to sustain blocks. Though he has experience at right tackle, his frame and brawling style project him best inside at guard, where his play strength can shine even more — and that’s exactly the position group he worked out with at the NFL Scouting Combine.
In Indianapolis, Dunker measured in at 6’5”, 319 lbs., with 33 ½” arms and 10” hands. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.18 seconds with a 1.83 second 10-yard split, completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.63 seconds, and jumped 32.5” in the vertical jump and 9’0” in the broad jump. He earned a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 8.54 out of 10.00 with those numbers, ranking 236th of 1,606 offensive tackle prospects from 1987-2026.
Dunker’s transition to guard will help mask some of the deficiencies in lateral quickness and in space that showed up while pass blocking as he grows as a pro. Areas for improvement include consistency in pad level to generate leverage, punch timing, and recognition of defensive stunts and twists.
As a high-ceiling developmental prospect, Dunker would give Vrabel a mauler who can help establish a violent identity up front.
Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #63 Overall (#5 IOL)
© Vasha Hunt-Imagn ImagesKeylan Rutledge offers rare mobility and athleticism for a 6’4”, 316 lb. guard, moving smoothly in space to lock onto targets on pulls, reaching second-level defenders with ease while showing a stout anchor against bull rushes.
A former three-sport athlete in high school, Rutledge began his collegiate football career at Middle Tennessee State, where he earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors as a freshman and First-Team All-Conference USA recognition as a sophomore before transferring to Georgia Tech in 2024.
Rutledge’s continued excellence led to Third-Team All-American and First-Team All-ACC selections by the Associated Press in 2025. Last season, he didn’t allow a sack and was credited for just six pressures in 872 snaps. In his career, he gave up just three sacks: one in each season from 2022-2024.
He excels in gap-scheme run looks — a specialty of Josh McDaniels’ offensive scheme — and flashes as an excellent puller and combo blocker that arrives at the point of contact with violence and continues his assault through the echo of the whistle.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Rutledge stole the show among interior offensive linemen with the highest overall athletic score of the group (93). He ran a 5.05 second 40-yard dash with a 1.81 second 10-yard split, finished the 3-cone drill in 7.54 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.54 seconds, and jumped 32.5” in the vertical jump and 8’8” in the broad jump. His testing numbers scored a 9.62 RAS, ranking 68th of 1,749 offensive guard prospects from 1987-2026.
He’ll need to work on more consistent body control to avoid lunging, handling twitchy interior quickness, and refining hand placement against swim/rip moves to elevate further as a pass protector. But his blend of size, athleticism and physicality already projects as a dependable starter.
Rutledge embodies New England’s “effort and finish” identity and has great athletic upside, giving the Patriots a foundational guard who can open holes for a revamped rushing attack and provide Drake Maye with a clean pocket in the passing game.
Jeremiah Wright, G, Auburn
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #163 Overall (#18 IOL)
© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn ImagesJeremiah Wright began his Auburn career as a reserve defensive tackle in 2020-21 before switching positions to offensive guard in 2022. He went on to appear in 53 games with the Tigers including 24 consecutive starts from 2024 through 2025.
At 6’5”, 331 lbs., with 33 ⅛” arms, he possesses a large, broad frame and the explosive pop to drive defenders backward when squared up, using a nasty finishing mentality to finish blocks through the whistle and create movement in the run game. In 2025, Wright showcased his power with a team-leading 33 knockdown blocks.
He maintains a strong base in pass sets and shows the ability to drop an anchor against power rushes, but needs to improve his balance and tighten his hand usage for better consistency and sustain as a pass protector. He allowed five sacks and 22 total pressures last season, which were high marks for his career after just eight pressures and two sacks allowed as a full-time starter in 2024.
Wright did not participate in athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine or Auburn’s Pro Day.
Wright’s play demeanor has caught New England’s eye, as they hosted him on a Top 30 Visit during the pre-draft process. With traits similar to Onwenu as a prospect, the Patriots could be looking at Wright as a long-term developmental prospect to compete for the starting right guard spot long-term.
Ar’maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #201 Overall (#22 IOL)
© Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesAt 6’6”, 314 lbs., with 34 ⅜” arms and 10” hands, Ar’maj Reed-Adams brings a broad, powerful frame with explosive initial pop and drive power that lets him move bodies at the point of attack and finish blocks with real aggression.
The sixth-year senior spent 2020-2023 with the Kansas Jayhawks and transferred to Texas A&M in 2024, where he experienced his greatest success on the field. In 2024, Reed-Adams earned high marks with a 79.7 overall grade and 85.9 run block grade and helped pave running lanes for an offense that averaged 195.5 rushing yards per game.
In 2025, he was named team captain and earned recognition as a Second-Team All-American by the Associated Press.
Reed-Adams will be best in a gap scheme-heavy rushing attack that emphasises his ability to generate force moving downhill into the second level of the defense.
He struggled with poor recognition of defensive line games, penalties with handsiness when caught out of position (31 in career), overall lateral quickness, and body control to sustain blocks through contact.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Reed-Adams ran a 5.28 second 40-yard dash with a 1.85 second 10-yard split, a 7.88 second 3-cone drill, and jumped 29.5” in the vertical jump and 9’2” in the broad jump, earning an overall athletic score of 64 and RAS of 7.88.
As a Day 3 flier, Reed-Adams shows the aggressive identity that Vrabel looks for in his players and would provide value as a developmental depth piece behind the current interior offensive line starters.
D.J. Campbell, G, Texas
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #210 Overall (#23 IOL)
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesD.J. Campbell started along a Texas offensive line that was named a Joe Moore Award finalist for the nation’s best offensive line three consecutive seasons, showcasing his toughness as a run blocker and improving technique as a pass blocker against NFL-caliber competition on the regular.
Campbell played in 50 career games and started 43 at right guard for the Longhorns, taking 2,637 career offensive snaps and refining his polish as a player through each season. In 2025, he recorded career-best in sacks allowed (one), overall offensive grade (70.9), and run block grade (73.6) while registering a pass block grade of 77.6.
At 6’3”, 313 lbs., he plays with good leverage and makes effective use of his superior length (34 ¼” arms) to win at the point of contact and shows good body control to stabilize himself in pass protection. His intelligence shows on tape in 2025, with good awareness of defensive line games and the toughness to finish blocks.
In Indianapolis, Campbell ran a 5.01 second 40-yard dash with a 1.76 second 10-yard split, jumped 26.5” in the vertical jump and 8’8” in the broad jump. He earned an overall athleticism score of 83 and an RAS of 7.91.
Areas to refine include sustaining blocks with better grip strength and improving base posture to avoid leaning in with his helmet, but Campbell’s well-rounded traits make him a fit as a depth piece who shows the play demeanor and football intellect to develop into a starter in the future.
BONUS! Micah Morris, G, Georgia
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #244 Overall (#25 IOL)
© Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesIf New England is looking for a Day 3 swing on a physical, athletic freak along the interior of the offensive line, look no further than Micah Morris.
Morris brings SEC-tested toughness, high football IQ, and unequalled athleticism for a guard with a 6’5”, 334 lbs. frame. He shows good awareness in pass protection and the effort to climb and seal in the run game, projecting well as a guard who can handle the physical demands of the interior.
Across 50 career games and three years as a starter along the Georgia offensive line, Morris allowed no sacks and 11 total pressures playing left and right guard. He was only penalized five times in 1,682 career offensive snaps taken, and ranked as one of PFF’s top pass blockers each of the last two seasons with a pass blocking grade of 87.3 in 2024 and 83.7 in 2025.
He’s shown off his outstanding weight-room strength on the field by stopping pass rushers dead in their tracks and has the grip strength to sustain blocks. Morris also shows great footwork for a 330-plus pound lineman and uses his athleticism to cover ground quickly on blocks that extend into the second level.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Morris impressed with a 5.09 second 40-yard dash, 1.73 second 10-yard split, 29.5” vertical jump, and 29 reps on the bench press. He earned an overall athletic score of 86, and his composite testing metrics graded at a 9.96 RAS, ranking eighth out of 1,891 offensive guard prospects from 1987-2026.
Morris will need to work on lowering his pad level to gain better leverage and sustain blocks in the running game, but his dependability as a pass protector, football smarts, and athletic prowess are strong foundational traits to make him worthy of a look on Day 3 for the Patriots.
Looking Ahead
Interior offensive line — like many position groups in this draft class — offers developmental prospects with high athletic upside in the mid-to-late rounds, making this an area that New England could attack for value to secure long-term stability in the room.
How would you grade the state of the Patriots offensive line? Is guard an area that needs to be addressed in the NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments section below.
Next, we’ll be highlighting depth running back targets for New England in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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