The New England Patriots continued their aggressive approach to the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night, adding two more impact players to their roster in the second and third rounds. With a calculated trade up in Round 2, the Patriots selected Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas at No. 55 overall, then followed that up by taking Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon at No. 95. These selections, combined with their earlier picks, signal a clear vision from the front office: build around the trenches while adding athletic mismatches in the passing game.
Gabe Jacas: A High-Motor Edge Presence
The Patriots sent the 55th overall pick -- which they originally acquired through a earlier trade -- to move up and secure Jacas, a move that raised some eyebrows in the draft room. But for a team that has long prioritized pressure off the edge, the selection makes perfect sense.
Jacas, who measured in at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds at the NFL Combine, was a disruptive force for the Fighting Illini over the last two seasons. In 2024, he posted 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. He followed that up in 2025 with 8 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, consistently living in opposing backfields despite facing frequent double teams.
What sets Jacas apart from other edge prospects in this class is his explosive first step and relentless motor. He plays with a controlled fury, rarely taking a snap off. Scouts have compared his playing style to a smaller, faster version of what the Patriots have valued in edge rushers over the years -- think Trey Flowers with more juice. He wins with a combination of speed-to-power and a developing inside counter move that should only improve with coaching.
"Jacas is one of those guys who just jumps off the tape," one AFC area scout told reporters after the pick. "He's not the biggest, but he plays big. He sets the edge in the run game, he can drop into coverage in a pinch, and he's got that burst off the snap that scares tackles. The Patriots have been looking for that kind of volatility off the edge."
The Patriots' defensive front, coordinated by defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr known for creative pressure packages, has been an area of focus in this draft. Adding Jacas alongside their existing edge group gives the team a legitimate rotational pass rusher who can step into a starting role sooner rather than later. With the departure of key veterans in recent seasons, the edge room was thin. Jacas immediately becomes one of the most intriguing young players in that unit.
Eli Raridon: A Dual-Threat Tight End for the Modern Offense
Three rounds may not seem like a long time to wait between picks, but for Patriots fans who watched the tight end position struggle to produce consistent downfield threats in recent years, the selection of Eli Raridon at No. 95 felt like a long-overdue answer.
Raridon enters the NFL as one of the most polished receiving tight ends in this class. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Notre Dame product caught 47 passes for 612 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025, showing the ability to separate from linebackers and win contested catches against safeties. He's not just a big body -- he's an athlete who runs crisp routes and has the kind of hands that make quarterbacks trust him on third down.
Where Raridon truly stands out, however, is in the blocking department. Unlike many college tight ends who specialize in either receiving or blocking, Raridon is a genuine dual threat. He spent two years in Notre Dame's pro-style offense, routinely asked to inline block against Big Ten defensive ends. His film shows a player who doesn't shy away from contact and can sustain blocks long enough to spring outside runs.
"Eli is the kind of tight end who makes your offense multiple," an NFC personnel executive said. "You can line him up in-line, split him out wide, put him in the slot -- he's got that versatility. And he blocks. In today's NFL, that's a rare combination."
For the Patriots, this pick addresses a position that has been in flux. The team has experimented with various bodies at tight end over the past few years, but few have offered the complete package Raridon brings. He projects as a potential TE1 from day one, capable of contributing in both the run and pass games. His presence should also help open up the middle of the field for the Patriots' wide receivers and provide a big target in the red zone.
Draft Class Taking Shape
With the addition of Jacas and Raridon, the Patriots' 2026 draft class is beginning to take a clear form. Earlier in the draft, the team addressed other key needs, and the message is unmistakable: New England is building from the inside out, with an emphasis on athletic, versatile players who can impact multiple phases of the game.
The edge rusher and tight end picks show a front office that is willing to be aggressive when they see value. Trading up for Jacas required surrendering some capital, but the Patriots clearly identified him as a player who wouldn't last much longer on the board. In Raridon, they may have landed one of the steals of the third round -- a player who was projected by many analysts to go in the late second or early third.
General manager Eliot Wolf, who has helmed the Patriots' draft operations, continues to demonstrate a preference for players with high football character and clear athletic traits. Both Jacas and Raridon fit that mold. Neither is a finished product, but each brings an NFL-ready skill set that should allow them to contribute as rookies.
What This Means for the Roster
Looking at the current depth chart, the Patriots have added significant competition at two positions that desperately needed it.
At edge, Jacas will compete with returning players and other draft picks for snaps on the defensive line. His ability to pressure the quarterback off the edge was a glaring need for a defense that struggled to generate consistent heat on opposing quarterbacks last season. If he translates his college production to the pro level, he could become a rotational player with double-digit sack upside by year two.
At tight end, the arrival of Raridon changes the offensive dynamic. The Patriots have lacked a reliable tight end who can both block and stretch the seam since Rob Gronkowski's prime. While comparisons to all-time greats are unfair, Raridon's skill set suggests he can be a top-10 tight end in the league if he develops properly. The coaching staff, led by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, will likely deploy him in multiple alignments to maximize mismatches.
The draft isn't over yet. The Patriots still have several picks remaining on Day 3, where they can add depth at offensive line, defensive back, and wide receiver. But the tone has been set in Rounds 2 and 3: New England wants players who are ready to compete, who bring versatility, and who fit a specific cultural mold.
Final Thoughts
Drafting is an inexact science, and it's impossible to crown winners on draft night alone. But the Patriots' decision to invest premium picks in an edge rusher and a tight end shows a clear understanding of what the roster needs to compete in the modern NFL. Gabe Jacas brings the explosive pass rush juice the defense has lacked. Eli Raridon offers the dual-threat tight end presence the offense has been searching for.
Both players will be in Foxborough for rookie minicamp in the coming weeks, beginning their journey to carve out roles on a team that is quietly rebuilding with high-character, high-upside talent. If the Patriots continue to hit on picks like these, the rebuild may be ahead of schedule.
For now, Patriots fans have reason to be optimistic. The two newest additions represent not just talent, but a philosophy -- and for a franchise in transition, that's a good sign.