Patriots 2026 NFL Draft takeaways: Positions of need addressed early, curious fliers late

On the heels of a Super Bowl run, the New England Patriots used the 2026 NFL Draft to fill specific needs, focusing on their biggest positions of weakness with their early picks before taking some fun late-round fliers Saturday afternoon.They were on the wrong side of some early-round runs that meant they had to trade up to pick offensive tackle Caleb Lomu in the first round and edge rusher Gabe Jacas in the second, but, crucially, those selections addressed their two biggest needs. After that, they went after tight end Eli Raridon, who could carve out solid playing time as a rookie.Advertisement