It took until the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft for the New England Patriots to take a linebacker, but they finally upgraded at that position with the selection of TCU’s Namdi Obiazor with the No. 212 overall pick.
Obiazor tallied 88 total tackles with two sacks and two interceptions for the Horned Frogs last season.
He is a good athlete, he tackles well, and he could play a role on special teams given his kick coverage experience at TCU. Obiazor is listed at 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds. He was a three-year starter for TCU.
Our Patriots insider Phil Perry gives this pick a “B” grade.
The Patriots were able to find some real athleticism at a position of need at the bottom of the sixth round. Mike Vrabel’s defense was thin at linebacker headed into draft weekend, so addressing the position — even if it’s late — makes sense.
Particularly because of Obiazor’s skill set is what it is. The former 190-pound safety who began his collegiate career at Iowa Western Community College turned himself into a 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker who clocked a 4.53-second 40 time at the combine. He’s a sound tackler (over 80 each of the last three seasons) with a competitive edge and special-teams experience the Patriots would appreciate.
He has the look of a late-round pick who could be in uniform on game days providing depth behind Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss come the fall.
The Patriots have now bolstered their depth at edge rusher, cornerback and linebacker in this draft so far. They could still use more talent at defensive tackle and safey on defense.
