FlurrySports takes a look at the top New England Patriots draft targets with the 31st pick, including defensive tackle Peter Woods.
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Unfortunately for the New England Patriots, their storybook season didn’t end with a storybook ending. After being one of the surprise teams in the AFC, their Cinderella run fell flat in Super Bowl LX when the Seattle Seahawks stifled them for the entire game. Although it was certainly a successful season overall, the ending left a bad taste in the mouths of Patriots fans, and they will need to fill some areas in the NFL Draft to be able to get back there and possibly win it all in 2026.
Here are three New England Patriots draft targets to take with the 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Want more draft analysis? Check out our final 2026 NFL Mock Draft here!
New England Patriots Draft Targets at No. 31
Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
For as good as the Patriots’ defense looked for most of the year last season, it could’ve been even better. Their linebackers are solid, free agent acquisition Kevin Byard helps solve their safety issue, and Christian Gonzalez can pretty much cover every receiver on the field at the same time. The last area left that needs to be improved for the Patriots is their defensive line, namely the defensive tackle position.
Woods is one of the more intriguing prospects in this draft class due to his potential, but also his disappointing junior season last year. Woods was dominant in his sophomore season, and his play jumped off the tape. While his dip in play this past season may be a cause for concern for some, his elite athleticism makes him a prospect many teams won’t want to miss on. Woods certainly has some flaws in his game, but few places are more likely to squeeze every ounce of talent out of a player than New England under Mike Vrabel.
Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M
One of the biggest reasons the Patriots didn’t score until the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX was because of an incredibly poor showing from their offensive line. While the Seahawks deserve credit for their defense, it was clear that the Patriots had no answer for them by the end of the first quarter. If New England wants any chance at making a deep run again in the playoffs, this needs to be addressed immediately.
One of the best New England Patriots draft targets at this position is Texas A&M product Chase Bisontis. In a draft loaded with tackles, he is one of the few elite guard prospects who is somehow still flying under the radar. The Patriots addressed part of their offensive line issue with the signing of Alijah Vera-Tucker this offseason, and putting Bisontis on the other side of the line could see New England solve their offensive line issues in just one offseason, a feat that is impressive in its own right.
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Depending on how you see it, the Patriots are either fortunate or unfortunate to have an issue at edge rusher, along with defensive tackle on their defensive line. While most people would say it’s always bad to have multiple holes that need to be filled on the defensive line, it gives the Patriots the unique ability to pick the best player at this pick. If they like Peter Woods the most out of all the defensive line prospects, they can draft him and solve the edge rusher issue later in the draft. In the situation that Woods is off the board, they don’t need to panic and can easily be just as well off selecting Cashius Howell as well.
After transferring to College Station after three years at Bowling Green, Howell took a massive jump in 2025, where he was tied for seventh in the country with 11.5 total sacks. Howell has good burst and flexibility, which allows him to get into the backfield seemingly at will. He has plenty of moves in his arsenal and knows how to attack offensive tackles, too. Although his game overall is more limited than some other prospects at the position, Howell fills a clear need that the Patriots need to address now.
