Patriots' Edge Need: T.J. Parker Mock Draft

0:00It's March 31st, from breaking news to Sunday match-ups. This is NFL News Today, powered by AI. Mock Draft hype is heating up with the 2026 NFL Draft just under four weeks away. The New England Patriots, fresh off losing some key players in free agency, still need a strong defensive end to boost their past rush. In the latest mock from NFL Next Gen Stats as Mike Bande, they snag Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker at the 31st overall pick. New England signed Vett Dremont Jones this off season, but their top option right now is an aging Harold Landry III who battled injuries all last year. The defense struggled to pressure quarterbacks with a basic four-man front, leaving a clear gap on the edge that experts call their biggest roster. Ho! Parker brings serious upside as a former all-ACC standout. Last season he notched five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. The year before that, he exploded for 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, putting him

1:02right behind top prospects like Ohio State's. Arvel Reese, Texas Tech's David Bailey, and Miami's Rubin Bane Jr. He's one of several edge rushers, New England might I, including Miami's Akemi Sador, Illinois's Gabe Jocke's, and Missouri's Zion Young. Bande sees Parker as the high ceiling fix for a team building a contender up front, ready to make plays right away. With draft day closing in fast, keep watching how the pats address that edge need. It could define their rebuild.