Editor’s Note: In the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, Phil Perry is identifying the best fits for the Patriots at each position based on the traits that Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf value, as well as intel from coaches and scouts.
First up: offensive tackle.
Eliot Wolf was quick to reply when fielding a question about the offensive tackle position at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
The Patriots used their first pick of the Mike Vrabel Era to take a left tackle in LSU’s Will Campbell. Veteran tackle Morgan Moses held things down on the right side, helping allow Drake Maye to have an MVP-caliber season in his second year.
But was that position, in Wolf’s opinion, still a “need” in New England?
“Morgan is 35 years old,” Wolf said. “He played awesome this year, but he’s 35 years old, so tackle would be a need for our team.”
Not only do the Patriots have Moses’ age to consider as they build their roster for 2026 and beyond, but their depth at tackle has thinned since they left the field in Santa Clara following Super Bowl 60. Backup tackle Vederian Lowe signed a contract with the 49ers, and fellow reserve Thayer Munford Jr. remains a free agent.
Last year’s seventh-round pick Marcus Bryant remains in the mix and could potentially factor in behind either Campbell or Moses in case of emergency. The same could be true for recently-signed veteran James Hudson III, who played for the Browns when Vrabel was there in 2024. But adding a future building block at one of the game’s most important positions — and one of the most difficult to fill based on the sheer dearth of human beings who have the physical gifts necessary to handle it — could be a priority in this year’s NFL Draft.
And this year’s draft seems stocked with enough in the way of capable right tackles that the Patriots could conceivably invest there early. If they do, what will they be looking for?
Here we’ll be trying to identify the best fits for the Patriots to protect Drake Maye’s front side. We’ll be factoring in what we’ve heard from coaches and scouts, what Vrabel has appeared to value, and what executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf has valued in the past given the role he’s had in heading up the evaluation and grading of these prospects.
When Vrabel has dipped into the offensive line pool with first and second-round picks, he’s gone after high-end athletes.
Campbell is the poster child for what Vrabel has wanted both in terms of football character and movement skills. While Campbell’s arm length ranked him in just the eighth percentile among tackles, he had a 92nd percentile 40-yard dash (4.98 seconds), an 87th percentile vertical (32 inches) and a 90th percentile broad jump (9-foot-5).
Early first-rounder Peter Skoronski was a tackle at Northwestern but ended up at guard for Vrabel in Tennessee. He was also an elite tester with short arms (12th percentile among all offensive linemen) with a Relative Athletic Score of 8.89. Titans second-rounder Dillon Radunz was the freakiest of the bunch based on his combine testing, with a 9.28 RAS and 34-inch arms.
Similarly, Wolf and other executives from the Ron Wolf executive tree have preferred high-end athletes at the position in early rounds. They averaged an 8.38 RAS, a 9-foot broad jump and a 1.76-second 10-yard split.
Elite athletes are required, seemingly. Long arms? Not so much. And we know football character will matter as Vrabel gets his program off the ground in Foxboro.
Who fits the bill? Let’s take a look, separating the prospects by the range in which it appears they’ll be taken…
Day 1: Blake Miller, Clemson
Highlights of Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller
Let us count the ways in which Miller seems like the right kind of fit for Vrabel’s program… He started 54 games in four years at Clemson and missed just one practice — thanks to a broken wrist. He’s considered by evaluators to have the kind of toughness and football character that will make him a culture fit in Foxboro, and his athleticism could make him a 10-year pro.
At 6-foot-7, 317 pounds with 34-inch arms and 10-inch hands, he tested as one of the most athletic tackles at the combine in the last 30 years. His vertical (32 inches), broad jump (9-foot-5) and 40-yard dash (5.04 seconds) were excellent.
According to Kent Lee Platte, Miller’s Relative Athletic Score was sixth-best out of 1,519 tackles from 1987 to 2026. His technique could use some tidying, which is why he might not go much higher than No. 31. But his team-first mindset, his affinity for finishing defenders with brute force, and his rare movement skills make him a logical fit at pick No. 31 overall.
Day 1: Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Max Iheanachor is arguably the most athletic tackle in this year’s draft class.
One of the best height, weight, speed prospects at the tackle position in this year’s draft, Iheanachor brings plenty to the table that the Patriots would like. The 6-foot-6, 321-pounder with 34-inch arms recorded elite measures in the 40 (4.91 seconds), broad jump (9-foot-7) and vertical (30.5 inches) for someone with his frame. Among his RAS comps following the combine were none other than Campbell and All-Pro tackle for the Bucs’ Tristan Wirfs.
A relative newcomer to football, Iheanachor didn’t start playing until he arrived at East Los Angeles Junior College in 2021. His family moved from Nigeria when he was a teenager, and he grew up playing soccer and basketball. The athleticism he developed over the years playing other sports has translated to quick feet at the tackle spot, and at this year’s Senior Bowl he more than held his own against pass-rushers who will be drafted next month.
He also flashed high-end potential against one of the best pass-rushing duos in college football last season when Arizona State went up against Texas Tech (David Bailey, Romello Height). While he’s far from a perfect prospect, traits like his typically don’t last long. If the Patriots want him, they may have to grab him toward the end of the first round.
Day 2: Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Caleb Tiernan could be a possible swing-tackle option for the Patriots.
Tiernan feels like a fit for a team interested in intelligence, toughness and athleticism. He also feels like a fit for a team that might be willing to overlook arm length for the right kind of player. Tiernar checked in at this year’s combine at 6-foot-8, 323 pounds with arms that measured just a shade over 32 inches. (It should be noted that for the second straight year, according to scouts, arm lengths taken at the combine have been inconsistent with other verified measurements taken before and/or after the combine.)
He also jumped a whopping 35.5 inches in the vertical (98th percentile for tackles) and posted a 9-foot-3 broad jump (84th percentile).
Tiernan is considered a relatively polished prospect in terms of his footwork and hand placement. A team captain, Tiernan has experience at both tackle spots, making him a possible swing-tackle option for the Patriots while Moses continues to man the right side. He may get caught leaning at times in pass protection, but his experience (43 starts at left and right tackle) and strength could make him a high-floor selection on Day 2.
Day 2: Markel Bell, Miami
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images If the Patriots are looking for size at the tackle spot, the 6-foot-9 Markel Bell is their guy.
No concerns about arm length here. Bell is a behemoth tackle at 6-foot-9, 346 pounds. He did not test like an elite athlete so we’re perhaps bending the typical Patriots requirements here. But he’s an outlier among outliers when it comes to his size. His arms measured over 36 inches (98th percentile) at this year’s combine, giving him an over 87-inch wingspan (97th percentile).
While he may not be the most athletic tackle in the class, he’s light enough on his feet in pass protection, and when he gets on the move he has the ability to effortlessly swallow up smaller players in space.
Bell could end up in New England if the Patriots feel as though his gargantuan frame is a good fit for their downhill running concepts under Josh McDaniels. The team also has a number of Miami connections that could help them feel comfortable about making Bell a developmental selection who will pan out.
Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith and director of pro scouting AJ Highsmith are all Miami alums.
Day 3: Jude Bowry, Boston College
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Jude Bowry worked with Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone in 2024.
Bowry has a few different connections at One Patriot Place that could ultimately pay dividends on draft weekend. He worked with Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone while Marrone worked on Bill O’Brien’s staff in 2024. And Vrabel, a close friend of O’Brien’s, spent time chatting with Bowry during his pro day this week. Bowry also happens to be among the players working out with former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia prior to the draft.
“Coach Scar is great, man,” Bowry said after his pro day workout. “It’s great to work with him. He’s a legend. He’s helped me a lot with my punch, and just being a better overall player. He’s seen the game in many ways, and I just appreciate everything he’s done…
“Coach Marrone, just like Coach Scar, two great minds in football. It was great to be around him again. Great to see him. I’ve seen him throughout this whole process — combine and stuff like that. It’s just great to see a familiar face and give you that comfort level of somebody you know and you’ve worked with before.”
Bowry has all kinds of physical traits that would make him an intriguing option on Day 2 or 3 for New England. He’s an explosive athlete at 6-foot-5, 314 pounds with almost 34-inch arms. He ran a 5.08-second 40 (80th percentile) and jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical (96th percentile) and 9-foot-7 in the broad (95th percentile) at the combine.
Though he was a left tackle at BC, he was asked to play right tackle for the first time at the Senior Bowl, and continues to work on his technique on both sides. For a team like the Patriots that could be looking for a swing tackle option who has the potential to start down the road, Bowry makes sense.
Day 3: Travis Burke, Memphis
Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Wesley Hale-Imagn Images The Patriots are reportedly using one of their top 30 prospect visits to host Travis Burke.
Watch just a few plays from Burke’s time at Memphis, and it’s easy to see why the Patriots are reportedly using one of their 30 prospect visits to bring him into their facility. For a team that believes in “effort and finish” as one of its core tenets, Burke’s play demeanor looks like a match. He regularly buries opponents in the turf and seems to play to the echo (of the echo…) of the whistle.
But Burke isn’t just a mauler. He measured in at 6-foot-9, 325 pounds with over 34-inch arms at this year’s combine. He also posted an elite RAS of 9.01, thanks in part to a 68th percentile 40-yard dash time (5.17 seconds) at his size. He might not have the twitch others do in this class. But if Vrabel and his staff are looking for a violent finisher to develop in their program, you won’t find a better Day 3 fit than Burke.
