7 interior offensive line fits for the Patriots in the NFL Draft

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 07: Keylan Rutledge #77 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets lines up during the fourth quarter against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome on September 07, 2024 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than 10 days away as the New England Patriots continue the process of finishing their board. Things will look quite different for the team this draft picking 31st overall after back-to-back years selecting in the top-five. It would be a surprise if New England’s first selection came along the interior of the offensive line, but the team has shown interest in a pair of projected top-50 guards of late.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the prospects that might make sense for the Patriots at the position.

Patriots’ current interior offensive line situation

The Patriots made two significant changes along the interior of their offensive line this offseason, the first trading Garrett Bradbury to allow Jared Wilson to move back to his natural center position. With a hole then at left guard, the team signed Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year contract worth up to $42 million in free agent. Those two will combine with Mike Onwenu, who is currently in the final year of his contract with no guaranteed money remaining, as starters up front.

After signing an extension last season, Ben Brown returns as the top interior backup. He is joined by Caedan Wallace and practice squad players Mehki Butler and Andrew Rupcich to round out the depth chart — an area New England could look to add competition later in the draft.

Patriots NFL Draft fits along the interior offensive line

Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon): A sixth-year senior, Pregnon enters the NFL with 51 games of starting experience at both left and right guard. One of the top guards in this class, Pregnon is a big-bodied blocker who wins with his power and strength — both moving people in the run game and anchoring in pass protection. That power will be a weapon in a downhill run scheme, while Pregnon also showed at Oregon that he can play on the move. The Patriots held him on a pre-draft visit. | Consensus ranking: 40

Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M): A fellow potential top-50 pick at guard, Bisontis was a three-year starter primarily at left guard for the Aggies and is an early declare. While his arms are on the shorter side which can lead to losses, Bisontis has good hand usage and carries a well-built frame. He’s a powerful player who can succeed in both gap and zone run schemes. New England wanted to host him on a visit but were reportedly not able to due to time constraints. | Consensus ranking: 42

Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech): A team-captain at two programs, Rutledge is a throwback mauler at right guard. His strong hands show in pass protection while he wants to finish every block in the run game. Rutledge is fit best in a power gap scheme where he can set the tone with his physicality, but showed the agility to succeed on the move at times. | Consensus ranking: 59

Jennings Dunker (Iowa): Perhaps known best for his red mullet, Jennings strength and toughness will play well at guard at the next level after starting the last three years at right tackle. Jennings is a powerful run blocker but can get pushed backwards at times, while the move to guard is due to his ability to pass protect in space. | Consensus ranking: 60

Jeremiah Wright (Auburn): A former defensive lineman, Wright is a massive guard at 6-foot-5, 331 pounds. That build leads to plenty of power which compliments his play demeanor nicely as Wright often looks to finish plays through the whistle. He is just an average athlete and will need to improve his hand usage, while he will also be a 25-year old rookie. | Consensus ranking: 177

Logan Taylor (Boston College): A four-year starter at Boston College, Taylor overlapped with Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone in Chestnut Hill. He’s a smart player who was a team captain for Bill O’Brien last season and features good length, quickness, and strength. Taylor is also extremely versatile playing both guard and tackle spots (and likely could suit up at center) as he enters the league with over 3,000 snaps and 46 starts. | Consensus ranking: 207

Caden Barnett (Wyoming): Nicknamed the Vanilla Gorilla, Barnett is a powerful blocker who finishes defenders in the run game. He’s a strong athlete for someone who measured in at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds as he posted a 9.55 Relative Athletic Score (even while doing agility testing). Barnett will need some development, but is a known leader and brings some versatility after starting two years at right tackle before moving to guard last season. | Consensus ranking: 249

In addition to those players, Jalen Farmer (Kentucky), Trey Zuhn III (Texas A&M), and Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame) remain other mid-round options while Micah Morris (Georgia), Anez Cooper (Miami), D.J. Campbell (Texas), and Ar’maj Reed-Adams (Texas A&M) are late-round options.