The New England Patriots enter the 2026 NFL Draft with the opportunity to draft an offensive tackle who develops behind Morgan Moses before becoming a cornerstone protector for Drake Maye. But will they use a premier pick on a player who won’t be an immediate starter? We’ll look at best fits here.
The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and much of the leg work on prospects has been completed by teams looking to find best fits in their scheme and culture.
For the New England Patriots, they’ll use their collection of 11 picks to add to the foundation of their young roster. From pick 31 to the seventh round, New England has the assets and opportunity to continue rounding out the middle class of the roster.
In this series, we’ll be identifying players that would fit the Patriots’ needs on the field and their culture in the locker room.
We begin today with offensive tackles: a position group that trends heavily in the early rounds of the draft, but still offers developmental upside in the later rounds.
With Morgan Moses entering his age 35 season, New England would benefit from drafting a tackle without an immediate need for them to perform during their rookie season. Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, and Doug Marrone would have the space to work on areas for growth in their game, and have a replacement already in place by the time they’d need to see the field.
Who might be the Patriots’ best fits at tackle? Let’s dive in.
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 28th Overall (6th OT)
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesBlake Miller is as consistent and dependable as it gets at right tackle in the 2026 NFL Draft, logging 54 career starts at Clemson and only missing one collegiate practice due to a broken wrist. He flashes unusual lateral quickness and fluidity in space, using his long arms (34 ¼”), big hands (9 ¾”), and quick feet to work to linebackers in the second level on combo blocks, beat defensive leverage, and pull across the formation with precise timing.
In pass protection, he springs into sets with a long initial kick slide, shows great awareness to pick up twists and stunts, and keeps his feet active to mirror rushers and recover thanks to above-average agility and explosiveness. He earned a grade of 83.5 as a pass blocker in 2025 — a career-best mark.
Miller’s impressive showing continued through the pre-draft process, as he was credited with an athleticism score of 91 at the NFL Scouting Combine after posting a 5.04 second 40-yard dash, 1.75 second 10-yard split, and 32 reps of 225 lbs. on the bench press. He recorded a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.90/10, which ranks 17th of 1606 offensive tackle prospects from 1987 to 2026.
Miller shows great effort and finish through the whistle, and his play demeanor displays the makeup of a staple right tackle who anchors the Patriots’ line, gives Drake Maye a trustworthy pocket, and thrives in Mike Vrabel’s physical foundation for years to come.
Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 37th Overall (7th OT)
© Chris Jones-Imagn ImagesMax Iheanachor is an ascending, traits-heavy tackle who turned heads at Arizona State after beginning his football journey at junior college just three years ago. A former high-school basketball and soccer star, Iheanachor sprung into action with the Sun Devils and has continued to impress with strong showings on tape and in pre-draft testing.
At 6'6" and 321 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, he shows the length and quick feet to control the edge in pass protection, giving him the ceiling to develop into a plus NFL starter. He allowed no sacks on 484 pass blocking snaps in 2025, earning a grade of 78.3 — and had a particularly notable showing against two of the draft class’ top edge rushers in David Bailey and Romello Height when ASU took on Texas Tech.
His late start means there is still refinement ahead, but the raw athleticism, frame and matching production are exactly the kind of high-upside that warrants first round consideration. With continued work on technique consistency, Iheanachor has the tools to grow into a reliable bookend who helps establish Vrabel’s physical identity up front while protecting Drake Maye and opening lanes for a revamped New England rushing attack.
Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 121st Overall (10th OT)
© Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesJude Bowry is a fringe Day 2/early Day 3 tackle prospect out of Boston College — where Vrabel and Marrone have deep-rooted connections. Bowry’s pre-draft athletic testing has helped him consistently climb boards over the last two months — he registered an RAS of 9.40 out of 10 (98th of 1606 OTs) — but there’s more to his game than those numbers would indicate.
He’s shown the foot quickness to match edge speed, stay square in protection, and allows very few sacks (just two sacks allowed on 732 career pass blocking snaps) while testing off the charts in speed and explosiveness. When he lands his hands cleanly he generates real force as a drive blocker, but linking his hands and feet to create a solid base has been an area that’s been largely inconsistent.
Bowry’s main areas for growth are tightening punch timing, hand usage against bull rushers, and ironing out inconsistencies in run-game execution. Those are fixable details the Patriots will have the opportunity to develop with him sitting behind Moses, making Bowry an ideal swing-tackle/eventual starter who can help build the durable offensive line foundation New England is constructing.
Markel Bell, OT, Miami
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 130th Overall (12th OT)
© Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesMarkel Bell stands at a mountainous 6'9" and 346 pounds with elite arm length (36 ⅜”) that lets him engulf defenders and erase pass-rush impact before it starts. His massive frame and strong grip create movement at the point of attack and keeps rushers at bay with length and power.
High pad level and limited short-area quickness are drawbacks created by his size, and commonly leave his outside shoulder exposed against wide alignments. But in 2025, those drawbacks didn't lead to sacks. On 558 pass blocking snaps last year, Bell allowed no sacks and 15 pressures, earning a grade of 83.5. In two seasons as a starter, he allowed three sacks on 918 pass blocking snaps.
For a developmental prospect with traits that can’t be taught, those are coachable skills that can round out the profile of a player who already finishes with real force. Bell’s imposing presence fits perfectly into Vrabel’s vision of a tough, physical offensive line, giving the Patriots a foundational piece who can anchor the run game and provide Drake Maye the sturdy pocket he needs to thrive.
Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 263rd Overall (23rd OT)
© Wesley Hale-Imagn ImagesTravis Burke checks in at 6'9", 325 lbs. — another massive tackle option for the Patriots that will likely be available on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. He brings great drive and finishing power to the table, using flexible hips and ankles plus well-placed hands to create leverage and finish blocks with genuine aggression.
His length and power make him a handful at the point of attack and the kind of big body that can help the Patriots establish the run. Pass protection has been up-and-down for Burke — who allowed 16 total sacks in four years — but his move to right tackle last season at Memphis proved to be a fruitful one, as he posted career-best marks across the board.
Burke has already completed a Top 30 meeting with New England.
A lack of short-area quickness limits his range in space and against NFL edge speed and he has difficulties identifying line stunts and games, so he will need some schematic help on the perimeter early on — but his strong hands allow him to sustain control once he lands cleanly.
Those traits line up well with New England’s development plan for the position, framing Burke as a high-floor depth piece who can grow into a reliable backup or future starter.
Looking Ahead
While there will be select prospects that offer great upside and fit in the Patriots scheme in the latter stages of the draft, the early rounds still provide the strongest path to a true long-term solution. If the Patriots are trying to solve their right-tackle-of-the-future dilemma in the 2026 NFL Draft, drafting that player in the first round positions them perfectly to support Drake Maye and keep building the durable offensive line foundation the franchise envisions.
Do you think the Patriots should target an offensive tackle in the first round, or can they wait and grab a player like Bowry or Burke later on? Who do you think fits New England best? Drop your takes in the comments section below!
Next up, we’ll be taking a closer look at edge rushers that fit best in Foxboro.
Stay tuned for that and much more right here on Patriots Roundtable.
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