Patriots Snag Their Tight End of the Future in Mock Draft

The New England Patriots came oh-so close to a Super Bowl victory but they fell in that final game to the Seattle Seahawks. Now, it’s about getting this team back to the big game and taking it all this time around.

The Patriots, along with all of the NFL teams, are prepping for the 2026 NFL draft, which is set for April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It gets murky who they’ll take in the first round, because they don’t pick until No. 31.

But, when they do pick, they could pick up their tight end of the future.

In a Friday, April 17 piece for the NFL’s official website, Chad Reuter lays out his 2026 NFL draft predictions.

“Since this mock is released nearly a full week before the draft begins, it won’t include last-minute information reported about prospects and teams’ potential interest in them,” he states in the feature. “I still predict four first-round trades, however, while also providing a wide-angle view about where teams can find value at positions of need throughout the event.”

In the piece, he has the Patriots landing Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt, a very promising tight end.

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“I won’t be surprised if a team selects Stowers in Round 1, given his athletic profile, which reminds me of past first-round TEs Noah Fant and Evan Engram,” he states in the feature. “The Patriots could use a receiving tight end to replace Austin Hooper.”

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So, does this move make sense? Absolutely. As Reuter mentioned, the New England Patriots need a receiving tight end to replace Hooper, and it would be cost-effective to do so in the draft. By the time pick 31 rolls around, if Stowers is still available, he’ll be a great option.

Lucky for the Patriots, this year’s draft class has a rich selection of strong tight ends. They could even wait to get one until later in the draft, but if they’re serious about getting this position set ahead of the 2026-27 season, they’ll seriously consider Stowers.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 11:08 AM.