Patriots draft class ranked just 22nd in average athleticism. It doesn’t matter.

As can be seen, the Patriots’ 2026 draft class is ranked 22nd overall in average athleticism. It’s 8.01 score also is slightly below the league average of 8.29.

Five of New England’s picks — OT Caleb Lomu, ED Gabe Jacas, TE Eli Raridon, CB Karon Prunty, LB Namdi Obiazor — check in higher than that average, with the rest of the group failing to reach that level. Is that a problem, though? In theory it might be, given that being faster, bigger and stronger usually gives players an advantage in the NFL.

However, our argument is that it is not a big deal when all is said and done.

Why the Patriots’ ranking doesn’t matter

Relative Athletic Score is a useful tool to compare players’ pre-draft testing within their position groups and relative to four decades worth of historical data. However, as with all things draft or player evaluation, it is merely one piece of the puzzle — one easy-to-digest metric (built out of other easy-to-digest metrics) to give a quick overview.

It certainly has its merits, but it also is just one way of measuring a players’ athleticism. Generally speaking, after all, in-game athleticism and testing athleticism are two different things. It’s great if a linebacker runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, but that speed is not properly put to use if the player’s processing speed, burst or quickness do not also look the part.

And that is a key point in the NFL: success or failure are not determined by testing in a vacuum. This is precisely why a player such as Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane has built a solid multi-year career for himself despite registering an underwhelming Relative Athletic Score of 1.97 back in 2018 (and in part due to his measurements going undrafted).

In addition, the makeup of the Patriots’ average score in 2026 also needs to be looked at. They made three picks on the first two days of the draft, with those averaging 9.65 points. Following a series of trades to move up for Lomu and Jacas in Rounds 1 and 2, they were left without a selection until late in Round 5 — aka. outside the typical “roster lock” range for draft pick.

In that sense, the majority of the Patriots’ draft class are more lottery tickets than anything else. While baseline athleticism is still a plus, drafting at that point becomes very much based on traits; those do not necessarily have to be tied to a high RAS.

Ultimately, the success of New England’s nine-player class will not be determined strictly by its testing athleticism. There are other factors both individually and organizationally at play that also have a significant impact on development, which is why the 22nd team — or any team, for that matter — has a chance to outperform its ranking.