The New England Patriots did not pick in the fourth round on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft after their earlier draft-day trades. However, they still made plenty of picks on Day 3 of the draft despite that.

How did Day 3 of the draft turn out for the Patriots?

New England Patriots Day 3 2026 NFL Draft Grades

Round 5, No. 171: Karon Prunty, CB, Wake Forest

A player that not many knew about entering the draft, Prunty brings some good length, speed, and productivity to New England’s cornerback room. The Patriots needed to add depth on the outside at cornerback, and Prunty has been a highly-decorated cover corner at each stop of his career.

I’m not sure he was a better option than many of the corners left on the board, however.

Grade: C+

Round 6, No. 196: Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M

I love the upside here with Crownover. The term “high ceiling, low floor” applies directly to Dametrious Crownover. Crownover is a mammoth figure at 6-7, 319pounds with nearly 36-inch arms. He knows how to use his length to force rushers to work all the way around him if they want to win with speed or bend.

I appreciated Crownover’s physicality in the run game, and his tight end background flashes from time to time with his athleticism. However, he’s still extremely raw with his technique. His inexperience at tackle shows with falling for stutters, and he lunges a fair bit too often. For all his size, he leaves his inside shoulder open to counters. Crownover plays too high, giving him a soft anchor against power rushers, and he’s stiff moving laterally. This, combined with his still raw technique, makes him an inconsistent option in pass protection. He’s squarely a developmental tackle who needs time and seasoning to handle NFL pass rushers, but the size and strength are worth a look.

The Patriots have been snakebitten by injuries at tackle. Taking two tackles this year isn’t bad process for a team looking to answer long-term tackle questions at both slots.

Grade: B+

Round 6, No. 212: Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU

I really like this pick for the Patriots. Obiazor is such a Patriots style of linebacker with his old-school style of play. A former safety turned linebacker, Obiazor is a violent force in run defense. I thought he was one of the best block shedding linebackers in the class, and he brings some strong instincts and diagnosing ability against the run.

He doesn’t have a lot of upside in coverage, but he can be a strong early down contributor and special teamer. I think he could outplay this draft pick.

Grade: A-

Round 7, No. 234: Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech

To be honest, I don’t know why the Patriots would draft a third-string quarterback in this type of window. I’ve never been particularly impressed by Morton’s game, but he can be an effective “point and shoot” distributor. Morton’s intangibles have been praised behind the scenes, so this is a solid backup option, but over Nussmeier is interesting.

Grade: C

Round 7, No. 245: Jam Miller, RB, Alabama

The New England Patriots have their starting tandem at running back with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, but the rest of their running back room is a little iffy. Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison, and Elijah Mitchell are all vying for RB3 duties, and none have put forward a resume I’d be interested in.

If I were New England, I’d add some insurance here, especially with their emphasis on a more diverse rushing attack. Alabama’s Jam Miller feels like a Patriots’ running back with his physicality and strong fundamentals. He has the build to hold up in pass protection and he boasts extensive special teams experience. With that on top of his physical rushing style, he could lock up RB3 duties immediately for the Patriots.

Grade: A

Round 7, No. 247: Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College

Hutchins is a worthwhile dart throw this late in the draft. He’s quick, with enough juice and bend to turn the corner, but is small and undersized. His motor blends well to special teams, and he can be a solid addition to fill out their outside linebacker room.

The Patriots wanted to add more juice to the end of the rotation, and he’s a nice add alongside fellow rookie Gabe Jacas.

Grade: B+

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