Patriots' Potential First-Round Reach for Rutledge

0:00On April 7th, the New England Patriots might shock folks with their 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by grabbing. Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keelan Rutledge, ESPN analyst Peter Schreger, dropped this Mott draft prediction, calling it a potential reach but a smart move to beef up protection for young, quarterback Drake May. Teams around the league see Rutledge as a day one or day two prospect after he started 43 games in college, giving up just two sacks total. While the paths often talk best player available, their lines struggle last season, making this feel like a targeted fix even if it's early. Fans and scouts are buzzing because no one's had Rutledge in the first round yet, kind of like the surprise Cole's strange pick a few years back. If he pans out as a day one starter, it could pay off big for New England's rebuild. Patriots hold 11 picks total that year, giving them flexibility. The draft hits Pittsburgh, April 23rd through 25th, so keep an eye on how this plays

1:01out for May's future. I'm Corey with the story. That's your NFL News Today update, AI powered and always on.